The Ocala banner., 1922-03-31
FROM THE GULF TO THE ATLANTIC
OCEAN THROUGH THE EVERGLADES

and shrubbery and palms, including
the grateful cocoanut palm, fishtail,
corkscrew, date, tral yeler, while
the royal poincianna droops its feath-
cred fronds with a blaze of color.
After crossing the steel drawbridge
at Billies Greek, and passing through
East Fort Myers, the bus continues in
an easterly direction over hardsur-
faced road, paralleling the beautiful
Caloosahatchee which is visible at sew
eral points, it's waters magic mirror
rejecting perfectly the flowing vines
and dainty ferns upon its banks; its
shady hooks and graceful bends, which
all combine to make it indeed scene
Of beauty.
Many handsome orange groves oc-
cupy the river banks, which scent the
air and color the landscape with a
storm of blossoms, while embryo towns
give evidence that the Caloosahatchee
section is very productive. Citrus cul-
ture is the chief occupation of this Sec
ton, and every settlement has its
packing house, its general merchan-
disc store, its school, and its churches
The extensive orange groves, truck
crops, and fields of sugar cane are suf-
ficient to convince one of the great
possibilities Of this section, and of the
fact that its development has just be-
gun.
After passing Buckingham, Olga
Idalia, Rialto, Alva, Hansford, Fort De-
maud, and Turner's, LaBelle, "The
Beautiful, is reached in time for
lunch. This charming little village in
fertile, palm-covered hammock is
the rendezvous of sportsmen seeking
deer, turkey, quail and other game
which are found in the woods and
fields of the vicinity LaBelle has
long been considered the center of the
cattle industry, the rich, well watered
prairaies surrounding the village fur
head of range cattle. The Goodno
ranch, few miles above LaBelle.
which supports more than a thousand
head of fine, tick-free, mixed and pure
bred cattle, consists of eight thousand
acres under fence, part of which is
called Cow Heaven" because the
wonderful grazing lands are provided
by Nature with shade, water and
great variety of nutritious grasses.
The range is free to all, and the an
nual round-ups partake of many char
acteristics of the wild and woody West
in the days of Buffalo Bill.
After spending short time in relax
alton and in looking over this progress
sive little city, the journey is resum-
ed by bus, changing from Oscar Hands
Bus to the Smith Bros. Bus. At pres
ent the traveller goes to Moore Haven
and thence by steamer to West Palm
Beach via Lake Okeechobee and the
West Palm Beach Canal-but a hard
surfaced highway is now under con-
struction from LeBelle to West Palm
Beach, and very soon the entire trip
may be made by bus if so desired.
Leaving LaBelle, northerly direc-
ton is taken and after crossing the
Caloosahatchee, which traverses the
Lee county line, the remainder of the
trip to Moore Haven is made in GIades
county. After passing miles of unde-
Veioped opened prairie land, traces of
rich, muck soil become evident as
shown by the increased growth of
vegetation, until finally Moore Haven.
located on the southwest corner of
Lake Okeechobee looms upon the
horizon and the traveller finds himself
In a section which presents untold
possibilities to the investor, and which
is on the verge of new era, as evi-
denced by the many improvements 60
ing on at the present time .
Moore Haven is the Halfway
house" of the cross-state journey. al
so. the terminus of the bus line, and
here the traveller remains for the
night. The next morning at 500 he
boards the Mccoy Bros. steamer 60
ing across Lake Okeechobee and down
through the West Palm Beach canal.
Passing through the lock, the boat
giides onto the tranquil bosom of
Lake Okeechobee. As the boat moves
on, it is fascinating to sit ON deck
and watch the herons, ducks, corrno-
rants. coots, cranes and water tur-
keys--and if particular notice is talk
en-, an occasional alligator may be
seen lazily summing himself on the
bank
Late in the afternoon, the boat ar
riyes at Loxahatchee landing. The
passenger then boards a motor bus
for a beautiful twenty-mile ride over
an asphalted road to West Palm Beach.
thus ending the uuiuue never-to-ba