The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-11-05
TOURISTS ARE COMING
IN LARGE NUMBERS
This Winter-Palatka Will
Extend a Smiling Wei
come.
Beauties of the Wierd and Wonder
full Oklawaha River Trip.
(By T. r. Higgins.)

Ouite soon the tourist season. IN the
on;nion of hotel men and railway and
steamship operators to be our biggest
and best, will soon be at Its height.
The great European war VIII have
much to do with the increase IN inns
traffic to Florida, for here lives VIII
he perfectly safe from shot and smell
and from ,Lusitania disasters.
The Gem City is certain to nave
more than her usual share, ACCORDING
to E. W. Elliott, secretary OF Iie
BOARD of Trade, who says that ne Is
constantly receiving inquiries ABOUT
our attractions and accommodaIlolse:
So the Palatka smile, the smile OF
genuine welcome, will continue 10 "a
date in the greeting OF OLD Iftelus
and new friends, for we want CHesE
when they go away TO look back With
n warming. and forward with antlcl-
nation. TO the delightful days OF winter
sDent in our hospitable city.
Probably very few of US give
thought to the fact that the most
ENJOYABLE of all scenic river trips mas
a beginning here, and each succeed
;ng season sees one or more poaCs
added to the feet conveying tourists
over the bosom of that famous an an.
most wonderful stream, the okla"aha
river. =, .o,s tho
ocean yearly to enjoy the balmy at
oosnhere of the world famed ElVera'
and TO the south of Italy FOR ihe
baantv of the scenery and the sal1-
bTitv Of climate. Many of these
will this year for the first time take
in this wonderful trip, the new WORN
becoming cognizant of the tact tliat
ripht here. within a few hours traVe'
If millions of our population, we nave
combined in one section o. d o." SCI
wildness of Jungle filled win heaIlS
every variety of reptile, ana WIN pil"'
of geOrgious plumage; beauty ol
narv rarely ever excelled, and WIN
Tor climate with clear, warm days
vet with an invigorating atmosphere
UNSURPASSED by any winter resort
No tourist can say that he has ever
seen and enjoyed the real beauties, OF
Florida unless he has nshed or pall'etl
in the crystal clear waters OF nilVGi
Snrinps zone launch riding on oil,
YER Strings Run, or taken the poa'
r;de on the tortuous OkIaWaha. Here
Nature is at her very best Throughout
all seasons of the year. No"hei'
else in the old or new Wofla, not eve
in the Tropics, has she combined S'
much beauty and grandeur 10 eliill
mate either one of these trio OF won
ders would be to destroy the fabric al
a whole. vet either one IN ltssell
worth spending much money ana go
ing miles and miles to behold
Silver Springs is the outlet OF
GREAT underground river, but Jus
where this river begins no one knows
The Springs" proper is a eittula
basin several acres in extent, with Ell
feryescent water rising III an eio
NOUS flow from a depth OF apou
eighty feet, forming so great Noiunl
as tn create naVigable river WHO'S
current flows from four to nye hllie
an hour. Beautiful, enthraliihg'
is SO transparent that the smallest on on
loot can he seen at the bottom OF II
greatest depth. Drop a penny lfpl
q boat in midstream and one can Ut
hold it every foot of the way as
goes down and down in its erratl
Civilization has not robbed tn
Springs" or the Run of their hay u II
beauties, except here and there w.e i
some of the giant cypress S'ale a
mines and odd palmettos, have pee pee
feued by the lumberman's ak 10 wee
the way for navigation. ,
On the eastern boundary lies Il
Ocala National Forest Reserve
100000 acres forest prmeval
is mighty trAct of cypress, pine, pa
metto, oak and ether tres TRES
Gent Roosevelt set this reserve Hal!'
50 that Ns beauty and grandeur l
fishing and hultIng could be insure
to the public co. all time.
From the Springs" DOVE the h,
to the river oNe is entrapced, beW
dered. Asiia from the main SPIN
there are four smaller "botl5, and t
bed Of the stream is rompoiet