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room. Not for years did I realize that the only reason for our dislike lay in the fact that the sun never shone directly into the room; we had the last lingering rays from the west (through a door, the upper half of which was of glass), but we certainly did not seem to appreciate them. To this day I have no pleasant memories connected with that room, though every other one had charms for me.It seems strange that people come to Florida for the balmy winds and delightful sunshine, and then deliberately plan to shut both from their houses; to darken the rooms, lest the sun fade the carpets; to put a screen here and there wherever a good, invigorating breeze might get in; to even sit in their rooms in the “dim religious light” for fear alittlc healthy color might come to their faces—a brown that they can not bear to contemplate. And, then, Florida climate does not agree with them! If 1 were entertaining tourists, and had such a guest, I would give her the north room.Minnie G. Mills.Trip to Canaveral.For Our Rural Home.On Wednesday, June 19th, at 3 p. m., we left Eau Gallie on the steamer Spartan with seven of a party onboard, viz: Capt. H. U. Hodgson at the wheel, with W. J. Nesbitt, owner of the steamer, Mrs. Nesbitt, Miss Hodgson and brother Kingan, Miss Gatlin of Northfield, Oonn., and Miss Helen Valentine, Tillman, Florida, bound for a good time up the broad banana River. After making three stops of no account, merely in loading freight, we blow the whistle for Cocoa Beach or Oceanus, and as the water is high, tie up to the dock and make for the ocean, which is only 300 yards away, for an hour before supper. The tide is half out and from the numerous garments . fluttering in the breeze, we know the bathing hour of the visitors and inhabitants is over for the day.This is one of the fine beaches of the East Coast as it has that fine hard sand that makes it good for bathing, driving or cycling. Owing to its being the nearest point (if a portage is made at Georgiana) for tpurists and others at Rock ledge and Cocoa, it will build up as a seaside resort. There are cottages to rent and comfortable boarding houses with an interesting curio store kept by Mr. Ebersold, whose wife is the postmistress.After a stroll on the beach then back to the boat, with good sharp appetites for a supper, again adjourn to the seaside feeling we want all we can get of the invigorating air. We content ourselves sitting on the steps of one of the cottages, watching the breakers and the flickering light from the Cape Canaveral light house which ever and anon shows its reflection in the sea. Nature calls us to our couches and back wc go and fix up for the night which calls for lots of fun from the young folks. With not a mos quito to disturb our sleeping hours up we are at 5 a. m., and most of the party off for an early dip in the briny before breakfast. Owing to the pen insula being only about 300 yards across it is handy for our early ablutions. After a hearty breakfast away we steam up the broad Banana which widens to five miles. It is a lovely day with just enough wind to be cn joyable.Our next stop is at Captain Hogan’s, the Artesia postoffice. Here we find orange trees in fine growth with half grown oranges. This place supplied tne Hotel Indian River at Rocklcdgc with some fine fruit after the freezes. The Captain and his wife were busy with their barrels of honey. Their forty odd colonies of bees are in a pretty grove of oak adjoining a new house for packing, etc. About 4 p. m., wc tie up to Mr. Burn’s dock at Canaveral and have time for a pleasant walk on shore and view the old sugar mill that was there in the late Captain Burnham’s time and was used last season. After making arrangements for the mule next morning to take us seven miles to the light house, we adjourn to the boat for supper, after which the evening is spent in story-telling. The Captain takes the cake, as he makes our blood tingle in the hearing of such heart rending incidents. No mosquitoes, and an early turn in as we want a good day at the Cape. 21st, breakfast at 7 a. m. I.unch basket packed and started shortly after 8 a. m.t in a double seated wagon with a mule called Button. Wc soon found why he was called by that name, as it was often the case of “touch the button” with the end of an umbrella to ever get there. The gentlemen took turns of riding and walking, as every now and then, to our amusement, Mutton would stop and turn around to count his load, however, he is a firstratc annimal and served us well. The road is four miles to the new tower and through low oak and palmetto scrub the most of the way, interspersed with a few houses and gardens. The lighthouse which is 145 feet high, is soon in view with its twenty feet of black and white stripes around it, and the keeper's comfortable houses. We find Captain Sturk in charge, who very willingly, shows us all over the lighthouse and puts his house to our use. The light is of the first order and what is called a flashlight. The tower is of iron lined with brick and an iron spiral staircase without cylinder. Every sixteen feet is an iron landing. It seems so much shorter time in ascend ing than the Jupiter or Ponce Park lighthouses, the former having the steps around the wall and the latter around a three foot cyliuder. The view from the balcony shows the houses at Cocoa Beach in the south with the broad expanse of ocean and shore line of the Cape and the Banana River for many miles. The Captain wound up the clockwork a little bit showing how the lenses revolve, which makes the flash of a minute duration. As there arc eight lenses it takes eight minutes to make one revolution. The lantern is a Paris make and cost about $20,000 to land it there as it was brought by ship.\Rmainder Next Week. ]It is estimated that 12,000 crates of tomatoes went forward from Gaines ville within the past month.
Newspaper Details
Jacksonville Florida Farmer and Fruit Grower
Jacksonville, Florida, US
Sat, Jul 20, 1895
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Roger M.
USA 24 Feb 2024
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