The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-07-11
THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA
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west from st. Augustine to East Pa
latka, and from East Palatka southol
east toward Ormond and Daytona, has
been worked another of the latterday
miracles that are proving the fertility
of Florida, long believed by those who
knew her not, and many who thought
they knew her, to be a demi-desert.
Up to twenty years ago it was big
patch of fiatwoods. To both the native
and arrival from other states the
fiatwoods were once hopeless. With a
hard-clay pan under the topsoil, they
were either swamps or dried mud. But
somebody found out, by accident, that
in the soil in this particular patch
of fiatwoods there was an element
favorable to the growth of the humble
but useful Irish potato, second only to
bread as food. And now this country,
drained and cultivated, is an immense
farm, and raises more of the bog or
anges every year than there can be
furnished trains to haul them away.
And other crops as well. Last time I
saw Hastings, it was little Godfor-
saken settlement out in the woods,
nothing to it but the railroad station
and few ramshackle wooden houses
scattered around in the pines. Now,
its quite city, and farms and resi-
dences stretch away for miles in every
direction.
The road from East Palatka ran
northeast for a short distance toward
st. Augustine, then east, then curved
around to the southwest, then turned
again in its true direction, the south
east. 1t was a nine-foot brick road.
For some miles the homes and farms
were thick. Then we were out in the
| almost unbroken wilderness, thru
which the brick highway ran in a
| long brown line. A nine-foot road is
all right as long as your car has it
to itself, but there is always a bump
and sometimes a wrench whenever it
has to turn out for another auto.
Travel was thick that day, and for
several miles we met five or six cars
every mile. We had weak back tire,
and just as we were rolling off a
| bridge across a drainage canal said
tire went blooey. Since it had to do
this, it considerably picked a good
place, and the car stopped where there
was plenty of shade. This was a
great help, for even in the shade the
heat was oppressive and the mosqui-
toes were thick.
/ became accustomed to the East
Coast mosquito long ago and Go not
hold him greatly in awe. One Of our
| Oklawaha river mosquitoes could
| whip dozen of the East Coast brand,
if the latter would fight according to
| regular prize ring rules and come on
| not more than two at time. How
ever, when you have to remain still for
any length of time, or sleep without
screens or nets-and sometimes with
them-the E. C. mosquito is a trouble
some bird. 1t must be said in his favor
that he is not malicious, and in draw
| ing off superfuous blood is rather a
benefit to those endowed with phil
osophy. Philosophy, by the way, is a
rather scarce article.
| 1t looked like that tire had served
its time, so we left it and the rind OF
the watermelon at that bridge. The
watermelon gone, there was more
room in the car; fact which I APP
preclated, as the melon had beer
parked between my feet. which need
all the room they can obtain.
We were now thru with car troubles
for several days and hundreds OF
miles, and the fiivver, with four per
fectly good wheels under it, rompeG
merrlly to the southeast. Houses
were few and far between, but after
awhile we came to Bunnell, county
seat of Flagler. Last time saw
Bunnell, it was only sawmill with
some shanties in the vicinity. Nov
it is neat and modern town, indis
putably doing good business. Our OLE
friend, Bob Harper, is. running a live
paper, the Flagler Tribune, at Bun
nell, and | should have been glad tt
see him, but we were five hours be
hind time, so had to deny myself
that pleasure
There is fine road from Bunnel
out to the ocean, and the Bunnellite'
go to the beach as Ocalans go to Sill
yer Springs.
A few miles further, and we wer,
among the curves of the Tomoka,
river up which have journeyed in ;
steam launch when there was nothin,
but trees and alligators on its shores
| found in their place quite an aggre
CATION of good-looking building
docks and lighthouses Then we turn