Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1912-02-22
GEO. KABRICH
WRITES OF THE
CITY OF TAMPA
Tampa. Fla. Feb, II. 1912.
Editors Ledger.
Mexico. No.

ohe 1ine day last week I steppes
abound a large steamboat at Jack
sonyill and went up the st. John
River TO Sanford. the home q
! celery. lettuce and spinach;
Istopped one hour at palatka puffa
70 Bluff, 81. George. Astor an,
Monroe. then on to SANFORD VI.
hsd q most delightful trip. There
were neal. two handred passenger.
LOT Northern tourists. Dinner was
served at half past five and the Ia.
bic was set with silver, cut glass
and fine china. Only those who
nav travelled on these fine >rlyer
poats have any idea of the fine bBpl
Sof fare served.
i After dinner was over, four Of the
NEGRO helpers went aboard tbe hurri.
cane deck and sang fully two doz.
len old-time darky songs. Those who
have not taken this delightful trip
nav no idea how fine this mnsic
sounded on the water. It seemed
we could hear the voAces echo on
the water up and down the River
for half mile. The passengers
We're all out ard loudly applauded
the singers and caused them to sing
additional songs.
The night was pleasant and the
moon shown brightly on the water
and all seemed to enjoy the occa-
sion Later, all repaired to the
social hall where New York pro-
fessor played the piano and several
young ladies sang beautiful songs,
which caused more clappang Of
hands.
At late hour, all retined to
staterooms where we found every
thing quite comfortable, the linen
being white as snow.
The following morning all we're
lup at six and out on the decks to
view the wondrful crooked River.
AT seven-thirty. breakfast was
served when an again went on deck
to view the River. AT this point
| the River becomes quite narrow and
crooked and Is a most wonderful
sight At times, In making the
numerous turns, the boat would .al-
most touch both sides of the bank
It remains marrow and crooked from
st. George Lake to Monroe Lake.
The scenery along this section is
wonderful and a regular jungle OF
beauty The Monroe Lake ii
10 miles square and the city Of
Sanford is situated on the west
bank.
We remained a half day at San
ford, but I cannot say that ever
was impressed with this place as
there Is too much white sand. Moth
ing here but celery, spinach and
lettuce There are many five-acre
truckfarms that looked nice and
green.
From here We went to Orlando.
where we found much better soil
for orange and grape fruit The next
stor was at Kisslmnee, where we
saw many fine groves of oranges
and grape fruit and all kinds Of
garden truck growing in abundance.
There is considerable sand here, but
1T Is not so white as that near
the River.
The town Of Taft has about the
same soil as at Kissimmee and Or
iando and grows the same kind of
fruits and garden truck.
Our next stop was at Lakeland;
this is quite little city Of about
ten thousand and would make O.
splendid wintering place The soil
in this neighborhood Is not so
candy and some splendid orange
groves are here and many fine truck
farms. "A great many young or
ange groves are planted here and
fertilizer is piled around the
trees for a foot and a haaf high.
Our next stop was the city Of
Tampa. Right here let me say
taking the Eyerlagdes, one hundred
by one hundred and fifty miles, with
an average of three feet Of water,
| and agl the lakes, rivers, pools, cy-
press swa1nps and flat,lands, this
State is one4hird water, one
third sand and the other third is
suitable for cultivation, provided
chat plenty of fertilizer is used--iin
some instances at a cost of one
hundred dollars per acre. This will
have to be done each year and two
and three crops are raised every
year.
Garden truck and citrus fruits
can be raised here, but no wheat
oats, corn, barley or timothy can
be raised or any Of our domestic
fruits.
Originally Florida was a pine
woods but long since the timber has
lmosfIy been removed while gov
eminent land and made into lumber
land cross-ties
The younger trees are chipped
| for turpentine. The most that can
Ibe said of this country is its health
and climate and that alone is
good thing for the State.
There are quite a number of old
4 Audrain County and Mexico people
In Florida, namely: The Nelson's,
Mayor Graham and family, Mr.
Fry, Col Clay, Mrs Stewart, Mrs
Brown and daughter, Mrs. Hoxsey,
and others. There are many North
ern tourists here In Tampa and
many go further south--some as far
as Havana, Cuba. We came 10
TAMPA on the Atlantic Goasl Line
/ Ry. from Sanford and found this
fine old city nearly four hundred
Iyears old, though the old Spanish
fort has long passed away and now
the new Tampa Of 10000 people
with her numerous churches follows
seven Baptist, seven Methodist, two
Congregational, three Presbyterian,
1.-TWO Christian, two Advents. two
Episcopal and three Roman Cath
olic. Oae of the latter is one OF