The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-01-20
OkLAWAHA RIVER ITEMS

Silver Springs, Jan. 20.-Through-
out the great Oklawaha river basin
for the past week the weather has
been fine. The drouth continues in
this section and the river stands now
at the lowest and many logs are un-
submerged. All deep drough ves-
sells are having a hard time of it try
ing TO make time on the low and log
strewn river. The Hart liner Okee-
humkee, Captain Pendergrass, with
passeng ngers,-Palatka and Silver
Springs-is always from three to five
hours late on each trip up stream,
and the Day Lire, the City of Ocala.
Captain Frank Z. Mathews, with
draft to make her schedule The
typical shallow draft river freight
boat, Sharp Shooter, Captain E. l..
Mills, arrives on time, although she
is continually dodgeing sand dunes
TO get here. The Little Oklawaha is
almost as shallow as a dinner plate.
The ferries at Heather Islani and
Starks are just above ankle deep.
The Daylight Line and the Hart
Line, the two tourist lines of the Ok
lawaha, started out with full regis
ters, and it seems from an optimistic
view Of the large number of tourists
now in Florida. that the steamers
shall enjoy the entire season with
full registers Both lines advertise
profusely and widely. the Hart Line
being in its fifth season and more
widely known there are more
tourists coming inland to take that
/ line than the new Daylight Line
However, when tourists arrive at
| points in Florida where the new line
service is we'll advertised. and in
quire into the quickness of dispatch
of the line, they find that ninety per
cent of the tourists ship via the
Daylight Line, City of Ocala-
The Hart Line terms the OkIawa-
ha THE Mysterious River" Most
effective of all is the Oklawaha by
torch light. The colored pilots kind
lie their ightwood flambeaux The
resinous yellow and scarlet flames
| light up the banks with their weird
dense growth of cypress, palmetto,
pine. and gum trees, the tall and
well trimmed spindling palm, the
tree and the blossoming dogwood,
the magnolia and the rhododendron,
the woodbine, the orchid and the
sweet scented jasmine, all together
rank tropical water lilies fringing
the shoreline. The grand torchlight
illumination of the forest at night
is well worth trip on board the
famous Okeehumkee and the Hiawa-
tha.
And then from the romantic IL
Illuminated night to the bright and
sunlighted day; from the dreamy
night the new sun rises in a spring
OF youth costume and | am aboard of
ia new and fast vessel, the City of
Oeala, speeding down the mighty
green clothed gorge, over the blue
deep with a roaring leap. speeding
as an air bird. and rounding the
treacherous points so gracefully
old time farm landings running
| by re rapidly. just sparing q sweet
scented orange blossom cologne in
passing. swiftly 10 the points, then
sweeping around the scary almost
allied up bends and roaring down in
the deep fastness of the Darden
Kennels, Gore Creek, below These
Kisses" then right under the Sun
| day Bluff of Indian legend, with the
winter sunlight streaming thru the
| National forest, where the birds
| throats are voicing choicest notes
OF the wilderness around about; and
sliding along with the speed of the
wind pass the Creep Easies, and thru
the Tuskawilla Pass and over against
Lapp Island, brushing it with kit
ten:sh' rub. o, so fine the great and
wide river expanse looms, The pan
Drama is changed from the Mar
rows to the big Bear Creek forest
Tantalizing the seeing nerves be-
come on board the fast speeding
yacht and each passengers emotion
al nerve bursts forth in vocal admir-
alton Many trip, it is related by
the officers of the vessel, some pas
sengers become SO engrossed in the
, fast moving wildness, that they do
: not even change seats Palatka at
sundown.
7 The Okeehumkee is due from Pa
atka Tuesday at noon or as soon as
l~,s - Co-aa-h p.ran