The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-04-01
Tallahassee The City Of FlolOers

cellent opportunities for the sawmill
Tor turpentine man.
One of the best equipped education
al institutions in the south is the
Florida State College for Women,
having nine large modern buildings
erected in Tallahassee at a cost Of
more than $1.0OO,O0O,
The institution is noted for the ex
cellence of its courses and the living
conditions provided are unusually
good A modern dairy earm and truck
garden owned by the college insures
a bounteous fare for the 600 students
and Indicate how much care is taken
for their welfare.
The tourist will find here much of
that which is of interest. For the
golfer there is fine 1S-hole course on
a beautiful tract of 600 acres about
eight squares from the state capitol
For the fisherman there is wonder
ful fishing ground, for there are nu-
merous lakes nearby, from the mere
pond to Lake jackson, eighteen miles
long, while the salt water fishing at
ST. Marks, on the gulf, nineteen miles
distant, is equal to any to be found on
the gulf coast. st. Marks itself is a
spot of historic interest, probably
founded by DeSoto, in 1910, it is said.
The ruins of the old fort built by the
Spaniards still remain.
st. Marks is in WaKulla mystery
county, which adjoins Leon county
on the south. In this region are the
Wakulla Springs, the Wakulla river
and the Wakulla volcano.
There is reason for the recurrence
OF this Indian name. for in the Talla-
hassee country are many mysteries,
some of which are said to be still un-
explained.
The whole region is drained by sub
terranean rivers flowing through the
openings in the soft limestone rock.
Where these water-worn openings
reach the surface they are called
sinks and are to be found in many
places. some being 100 feet or more
in diameter. These subterranean riv-
ers sometimes come suddenly to the
surface, as at Wakulla Springs, where
the Wakulla river, a full sized naviga-
Bile stream $50 feet wide and well
stocked with fish, rushes from be-
meath great white ledge of rock. The
spring is located in circular basin
400 feet wide and said to be nearly
80 feet deep. As is the case with 9TH
err Florida springs, the water rivals
that of the sea off the California coast
and among the Bermudas in its crys-
taline transparency, and the pebbles
on the bottom are in clear view, while
the fish seem to be swimming in
great aquarium Of glass
The limestone formation of the re-.
gion is given as the reason for the
disappearance and temperance OF
Lake jackson
In August, 1886, shortly after the
Charleston earthquake, this largest OF
the Leon county lakes completely
disappeared, leaving its fish to perish.
Several days later the water began to
flow into the lake and it has remain
led at its present level ever since.
Extending enthusiastically from
Tallahassee through much of Wakulla
county is wide expanse Of fiat woods
which merges into a marshy jungle OF
heavy underground. This is a well
known hunting grounds and it is here
that there is said to be the mysterious
.Wakulla Volcano Clifton Joavscn
the well known writer, says OF this
phenomena:
"The curious incurred will meet peo-
pie who have seen the smoke OF the
volcano nearly every day OF their
lives, and he will meet others who win
declare that there is no such smoke.
But it seems to be pretty well estaD-
|lished that ever since the country was
settled a column OF smoke or vapor
has been visible in favorable weather
rising from spot so far within the
swamp that no one has ever penetrat-
ed to it. Several expeditions organic
ed to solve the mystery were forced
to turn back by the difficulties Of the
jungle.
aThe Indians used to affirm that the
smoke has always risen there rom the
remotest times, but Of its cause they
knew no more than their white sue
cessors. An intelligent traveller VINO