The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-04-02
OUR BRooKiNos PEOPLE TAKE A
TRIP TO THE EVERGLADES
Delray, Florida.

The tourists in Delray have been
taking trips by boat. train or auto to
the nearby towns this winter and brag.
ging of the wonderful things they saw.
Finally we of South Dakota determin'
ed to go and do likewise. So one fine
morning the McCoys, the Loomises
and Sanders arose at the peep o'day
and hurried to the station taking the
train q little after six o'clock for
Miami, forty-nine miles south.
We passed several neat and thriv.
ing little towns and many nice gardens
on our way and packing houses where
fruit and vegetables were being Grated
for shipment north. At one place we
saw a bushel or more of ripe tomatoes
thrown over the track, too ripe to
ship; they are called "the overripe"
and are given away al the packing
houses.
We reached Miami about nine
o'clock and after breakfast we set out
to see the town.
Despite It's narrow streets Miami Is
a beautiful city situated at the mouth
of the Miami (Sweetwater) river on
the western shore Of Biscoyne Bay.
The Miamians are very proud of their
city, speaking of 1t as the magic city"
and the only instance on record in
which a full-iedged city came into ex.
istence at one bound without first be-
ing a town.
A little over three months after the
first train reached the site Of Miami
the place was incorporated under the
laws of Florida which require there be
800 registered voters in a community
to entitle 1t to incorporate as a city.
Less than that number constitutes a
town. This city is the county seat of
Dade county. 1t contains probably
hundreds of palatial homes. Magnif'
cent public buildings, mammoth hotels
stores, etc. There are many costly
symmetrical churches. One I think
was built of white marble, the pref.
tiest church l ever saw. The only one
l ever saw that seemed a suitable
building to be called the House Of God.
So large, 30 white. SO beautiful. 1t was
called 1.-THE White Temple" Carved
on the corner stone was the First
Methodist Episcopal church and I was
so glad the sculptor stopped there. ]
expected he would add the word
South" We see that word on almost
every church in Dixie's land. But we
felt that this church was for every.
body. We passed the court house and
county jail. They are building a high
Enclosure in the jailyard and we were
told that a white man Is to be hanged
there In a few days.
The streets are lined with the stately
Royal palms, the cocoanut and date
palms. the Australian pine and many
other trees we did not learn the names
OF. And the flowers were wonderful
the poinsetta. the hybiscus. the bon
g~anvelia growing nearly as high az
the houses. And the fruit those land
sharks displayed in their shop win.
dows. Great clusters of enormous
grape fruit, king oranges, lemons and
a fruit slightly pear shaped nearly as
large as a pie pumpkin. Finally I re-
membered reading about 1.-THE Shad'
DOCK" a species Of grape fruit, brought
to Florida from the South Sea Islands,
by Captain Shaddock. We inquired
within" and the Shaddock 1t was. After
looking through many art and curio
stores We wended our way through
what is called the park. 1t is being
cleared on and will probably be a park
some time. but 1t will take time. The
shore Of the bay was lined with house
boats and other crafts and the place
had q fshy smell. We were in quest
OF the manatee or sea COW. said to
weigh 1000 pounds and It looked 1t.
The mammoth fish lay on the bottom
OF the concrete tank coming to the sur.
face about once In two minutes for
breath. A basket Of sea weed was
near the tank. handful of which was
dropped In occasionally which the
COW" took In her mouth and chewed
under water. A large aeroplane was
near and for $40 each we could have
taken q trip above the clouds. We
thought wed bide a vice." The better
way was to be faithful. 1--WE are chris.
tians) and take that higher flight
where the saints are caught up to meet
the Lord In air and be forever with
Him.
The park is on the shore Of Biscoyne
Bay which was full Of ships Of differ.
emit kinds and the bridge said to be the
longest In the world. We saw but did
not cross the long bridge across the
bay. 1t il two and one-half miles long
and a. there was 30 many ships In this
barbor there must be several draw
bridges In it, length. We could sec
Cape Florida and the old Spanish light
house-ths . Of the Seminole mas.
sacre.
A little after two O'clock We entered