Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-28
JUDGE ABBOTT
TELLS Of THINGS
SEEN IN FLORIDA
Former Resident Of AIbuQuer-
que Presents Interesting
---SideIights on Famous Twin
ter Resort Country,

key w est, fia., April lt.--N neV
living in Albuquerque 1t seemed TO me
~ strange thing that Florida should
be, as / understood 1t was, under the
supervision Of the branch OF the
United States forest service located
there. But Florida and New Mexico
have other things in common. Both
have a considerable exposure of sand
although IT Is said that the powdered
coral rock which passes for sand on
Florida in common speech Is not at
ceptcd as an ingredient of mortar
when the contract calls for a certain
proportion OF sand. Each state
was of Spanish settlement and of
Spanish ssessjon--Florida having
become United states territory by
treaty in 1S19-1S2l and New Mexico
In lS1S.
Origin of Names
The name Florida comes from the
Spanish. also the word Seminole,
which applied to the Indians in Flor
ida who twice waged war against the
United States, refusing to go from
that region to the Indian territory, as
they were finally Obliged To do. Their
most able leader was Osceola, and
that name. too is from the Spanish.
He was made a captive and sent to
Fort MOultrie a prisoner but died in
few months. | have seen his grave
at Four Moultrie.
The word key, as applied to the
reefs about Florida is from the Span
ish. cayo, and Key West is corrup-
ton of Cayo Huoso-bone reef,
meaning not at all like that which
the name as now used suggests.
Larger Than New Mexico.
Each is a large state, although New
Mexico Is more than twice as large
as Florida. But in length Florida ex
ceeds New Mexico as it is consdera-
bly, more than 500 miles by rail from
her northern border to Key West.
When il comes TO altitude, there is
almost the greatest possible contrast.
A large part of Florida has for its
foundation the work of the coral in
sect and it has never risen much
above the foundation The vast re-
eion of the Everglades the people
there do not take the time to put on
the first part but say "Glades, is
swampy and so little above the sea
that II can be drained only with diff
ficulty. The state has undertaken the
work but it is claimed by many that
the only product which has thus far
been brought to q really flourishing
condition is graft which suggests
another resemblance to New Mexico
and, | must admit, to Massachusetts,
and other states as WELL although the
species which thrives on the eSploita-
ton of public lands has died out in
the east generally from lack Of nour-
ishmont. In the northwest of Florida,
| in the nelghbothood Of Tallahassee,
the capital, there are hills to which
Floridans point with pride as be-
ing 1.-TWO hundred feet high" and If
that fails to impress the hearer they.
viii make 1t three hundred.
divide" Ia the State.
There Is a divide" running from
the north, part way down the state
near the middle. which at its northern
end is about three hundred feet high,
and that is the states extreme of al
titude But in large part Florida was
unfinished as dwelling place for civ
ilized man when the Spaniards took
possession Of It, In time | suppose
the winds would have filled the
swamps as they and the tides had
filled the shadows which preceded
them. but Americans are not good at
waiting on natures slow process and
SO the Everglades are being turned
into farming lands wonderfully fer
tile it is claimed when the water has
been drained out Of them. a short
distance from the Florida mainland
on the east side is an almost contin-
Gus line of reefs or keys and vessels
OF light draft go from the mouth Of
St Johns river and indeed from Sa-
Vannah Ga ia KaV West by this pro-
'tected route, which. at points where
there are long breaks in the line of
reefs and keys has been led through
canals. one canal runs from Jupiter
Inlet twenty miles south to what is
called Lake Worth" really an inlet
from the ocean, on one side of which
is Palm Beach, the beach itself on
the ocean front instead of on the lake,