The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-05-21
BLaRIAW pLAIT SAW LIS
TOMB BEFORE he LIED

Florida ard HillsborO in particular
there was probably no one bette
: known among the cattle men tina,
Berrian Plat, who died recently a
his home near the station of You
mans, on the Atlantic Coast Lin
railroad, aged 90 years. One of tn,
cLief reasons why this article is writ
ten is due to the peculiar fact tha
only a few days ago Mir. Plat hat
L. W. Crawford. 81 Griffin, Fla.
build him a solid sbilk and concrete
vault in the old ce etcfy at Mt
Eron church. locath about four
miles northeast oil liant City,, Mr.
Crawford informs3he writer that Mr.
Platt sent for him to, do the work
, ard sat nearby during the day and
supervised the construction of the
vault which was to hold his body
when he passed to that world beyond.
Mr.. Plat was at that time in good
health and able TO attend to his
many duties often riding or driv-
ing to Plant CITY or Lakeland on
business or pleasure. He did not
drecm of an early demise, but on the
contrary. state4 that he desired to
remain in this world just as long as
possible, but Wanted to know that
all provisions were made for his
burial in due'timc. After the work
was completed he wrote out his
check in payment and rode away to
his home not far distant.
On Tuesday, while driving to Plant
CITY In his buggy, the horse became
frightened at a car. running away
and throwing Mr.. Plat to the
ground. receiving such injuries that
40 died the next day. The same par
ty who built the vault on Monday Of
lest week closed in the top and &C.
mented the outside after The body
had been laid to rest Thursday.
The writer calls to mind that
twenty-nine or thirty years ago he
had the pleasure of dining with the
Platt family when they resided at
the Greek Home" on the old TAMPA
and Mellonyille road. He had a pal
atial country home for those days,
and an elegant orange grove, with
cattle upon thousand hills" His
home was the stopping place for
hundreds of tired and hungry team
sters as they went to and fro be-
tween settlements of Polk county
and Tampa. In those days a rail
road was not known in these parts
and all produce was carted to Tampa
and groceries as we'll as every other
article not prdocued on the farm
were hauled over the heavy sand,
brought to the settlement stores and
there sold to the few people. | re-
member full well when flour sold at
$40 per barrel. In this famous grove
Of Mr.. Platt's stood one of the largest
trees known in this country, having
produced year after year more than
10000 oranges, which would make,
say fifty boxes. In those days Or
anges were sold per hundred and not
so much box. Mr.. Plat told me
on that day that an orange seed was
planted in cigar box in Tampa in
the year 1888, the result of which
small tree soon made its way up
and being carried to the homestead
was transplanted, and after many
years grew to be the mammoth tree
above described.
Those days were days when a good
rams word was his bond and one
cattleman was always willing to loan
money to his neighbor without ac-
certing any note or mortgage and
seldom were suits entered in the
courts for this particular transac-
ton. Those were happy-go-lucky
days when the crack of the whip was
about the only thing that alarmed
the woods save the occasional sound
of a shotgun when some person be-
came hungry for supply of villa
neat. and as it only required, a few
minutes to kill a fat buck the hunt
er generally satisfied his appetite for
some time to come. There were no
markets for fresh venison or wild
turkey, hence the hunters only kilfe!
game when they wanted a change
from the home-raised meat. Trans
pOrtation in those days was slow
and tiresome. The common convey
ance was the old time ox-cart drawn
by two to four yokes of oxen. There
were no railroads or automobiles, yet
the old cart served it's purpose we'll.
But what a change; from the homes
Of long ago have risen palatial resi-
dences of modern times with every
convenience money can purchase or
man can desire. and as time passes
Ly more inventions are brought into