Foreverglades_Valiente2019

112 BELLE GLADE FROM SW AMP TO SUGAR BOWL
for a visit. Believe me brother, in those days when most
people had to be satisfied with a six or eight mile boat,
the Elizabeth Adams was the envy of every boatman and
every settler on this lake!
So now let's hear about the murder of this boat, a sad
story it is, for sure. When Moore and Adams decided to
abandon their Mystery Farm, most of the farm's equipment
was shipped to Iowa, a few pieces were sold, and
everything remaining was completely destroyed, even to
burning down the buildings.
Meanwhile, it seems, the owner's niece, the original
Elizabeth Adams, had died. W. P. Adams then determined
that no one should ever possess her namesake boat. Accordingly,
and following the usual detailed instructions from
Iowa, Hiverly and Eggleston towed the launch six miles
offshore in Lake Okeechobee. Then, with an axe, they
demolished the lamps, the search light and all the fittings,
and smashed in the decks and lockers. Not yet satisfied,
they drenched the hull from stem to stern with gasoline,
chopped a hole in her bottom, touched a match, and stood
by to watch until the blazing hulk sunk beneath the waves.
Eggleston told me that his conscience haunte:i him with
the recollection from that day on.
But that, my friend, was the final wind up of the famous
Mystery Farm !
LADE FROM SW AMP TO SUGAR BOWL
CHAPTER CHAPTER SEVENTEEN SIX
Romance The Chosen in the Place Woods
In those days when settlers were few and scattered
I can't tell you about Belle Glade without including
and there were no towns to speak of, romancing used to
Chosen. In one manner of speaking, Chosen is now a part
be right tolerably difficult. A few married women could
of Belle Glade, yet in another way it's not. While the first
be found in some of the fish camps and settlers' cabins,
people were settling in the Belle Glade area, another
but of single girls there were mighty few, and with so
colony was starting nearer to the lake. Unlike Belle Glade,
many
Chosen
single
had an
men
active
about,
promoter,
competition
and
could
for a
be
while
right
it
keen.
even
Getting a chance to do some courting was a problem in
seemed that Chosen might be the leading town. Believe me
itself, even if the lady was willing, which she likely was.
brother, jealousy was keen. Yet now, Belle Glade is a
You
fair sized
could
city,
crank
while
up
Chosen
your pop-pop
still is not
launch,
incorporated.
travel a
Those
mile
or
folks
two,
sure
or
as
maybe
heck
ten,
don't
drop
want
your
to be
anchor
city slickers.
before you ran
aground, then roll up your best pants and wade ashore.
Then, While not forgetting the people to down put the on your canal shoes, were you'd doing tramp about the and
trail getting through organized, the elder Hans thicket Stein, to the the original clearing settler around at the
house. lake end of the canal was busily tending to his own affairs,
locking Of course, boats if through your girl from was the outside lake with picking one beans, hand while that
was he cleared practically up elder perfect. land You with could the other, get a hamper until he and became go
to one picking of the right big farmers along side on the of her. shore. But Stein, more'n originally likely she'd from
be Courland, inside the on house, the Baltic washing sea, had dishes come or from some Wisconsin such chore. to
Then Manatee you'd where have he to was chew trying the fat to with raise the celery, old man until or Wagner maybe
persuaded with big him brother to try for his a luck spell, at hoping share cropping to goodness on Kreamer
Island. a chance Moving to converse his family with by the wagon object to Lakeport, of your visit, then
you'd
get
which by barge seldom across happened. the lake, Worst he farmed of all, on there Kreamer was no in place 1916
DEMOCRAT RIVER 113 29 50
34 BELLE GLADE FROM SW AMP TO
was dredged out some five years later
the Thirteen Mile Canal which Disston
When I first came to this lake these gourds still were
plentiful in the custard apple forest, although they then