Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1920-03-25
A LETTER FROM FLORIDA.
Miami, Florida.
March 10, 1920.


Dear Register - Whew! but il Is
warm today. You may not believe II,
but the mercury has been pretty nearly
up to IS in the shade, and the soft
oreezes and the warm sunshine make
real summer weather. | am wonder
ing IL the cold, clustering March winds
are carrying on as usual back home.
There is no sign Of them down here,
where all is warmth and sunshine and
where pretty nearly everybody is tax
ing holiday.
This city OF Miami Is a revelation
10 me. II is a real city. with handsome
public buildings, splendid hotels, fine
stores, and miles upon miles of
splendidly paved asphaltum streets
that are kept as clean as a new pin.
The city has all the modern improve.
ments, and on Tuesday calmly voted
for a bond issue of Si,500.000 to es-
tablish handsome park along the
water front. l; is on Biscayne Bay,
a beautiful body Of water, and the
harbor contains scores of handsome
pleasure yachts and houseboats whose
owners have brought them here from
various parts OF the country. Three
miles across the bay is the wonderful
island known as Miami Beach, where
ocean bathing is the attraction. Miami
and Miami Beach are connected by
causeway just about completed which
must have cost millions. This con-
course, which is part bridges and part
eauScwa!, is three and three -tenths
miles in length and more than hun
dred feet wide. Thousands upon
thousands Of automobiles cross it
every day, for IL Is wonderful drive
in every respect.
Miami Beach is magniicently i'm
proved, and some OF the most beau
tiful residences in this section are
located there. Scores OF elegant and
costly homes with the most gorgeously
magnificent grounds about them are
to be seen, and rich men from the
North have lavshed millions upon
these winter residences. All about
Miami are the homes Of men OF wealth
and taste, who come her TO escape the
rigors Of the North and West, and
there are scores and scores Of places
that are valued at from hundred
thousand to a million dollars. Many
Of them are beautiful beyond all de-
scription in their setting OF palms and
tropical plants. Most Of the homes
here have been built with an eye to
beauty as we'll as utility, and even the
little bungalows are charming in their
varied architecture and the good taste
with which they have been plasned.
IL is fasnating to observe these lovely
homes so beautifully set among the
flowers and enriched by natures
brightest trees. | have sever seen any
thing as lovely and desirable as this
city Of Miami. No wonder il is grow
ing SO rapidly and becoming such a
center Of wealth and culture. Still,
cannot but be amazed at the way
properties constantly changing hands
here about five times its value.
1t was mighty nice when landed
here to find friends who have been
here for months and who know the
ropes. Mr.. and Mrs. Charles d. Wy
song and Mrs. Corbin, Mr.. Ed Corbin
and Miss Blanche Corbn have quarters
in the Clyde Court apartment house,
one of the most beautiful in the city
or in any other city, for that matter
and they have been most kind and
agreeable. Through their courtesy
have been able TO enjoy my visit to q
superlative degree for they have been
taking me out with them almost every
day.
Mr.. Wysong has his car here, and
hS NhoWo OIL tbS iOddS u dfn out duu
around Miami. There are hundreds of
miles OF perfect roads radiating in
every direction. A deposit Of shell
formation that covers most Of this Sec
ton is thrown up for a road, rolled
and drained, and in a very brief time
IL becomes smooth and hard. Then
when II is oiled it becomes as smooth
as floor and automobiles 90 the limit
in speeding over the splendid high
ways. II seems like a dream to be
rolling along these roads, amid the
palms and tropical foliage, with orange
groves and grape fruit orchards show
ing the luscious, golden fruit in such
tempting profus;on. II was a genuine
TO drive to the orange groves the other
day and pick the fruit we wanted, cut
the grape fruit from the trees our
selves, and then pack nice box to
send back home. Mr.. Wysong snd his
folks have gotten acquainted with
most of the fruit farms and just help
themselves. AT Mr.. McMi!lans place
we got the very best grape fruit at
two and a-half cents apiece. That
which has fallen, and which is perfect
ly sound and good, is sold at penny
apiece. The orange season is almost
over, but grape fruit is at its best.
The orange trees are now in bios
som--the bloom that will bring next
winters fruit-and ! cannot tell you
how sweet the fragrance of the bios
SONS as we drive along the perfect
roads. It's enough to put notions in
the most conservative heads.
Yesterday we visited Hartman's
place. He has fine oarnge and grape
fruit groves, but his real gold mine is
strawberry patch of two and one
seventh acres, which is now in full
bearing. You never saw such lus-
cious berries. They are just as good
as they look, for Miss Corbin made a
strawberry shortcake from them that
would make you forget all your past
and prospective troubles. Mr.. Hart