Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1870-12-17
LETTER FROM FLORIDA.
PABATKA, FLA,

f IAbATkAt Il Ia.s
srH Sunday, Dec. 4th, 1870.
EDITORS CHRoNfCLE.--As Jack
sonville, Palatla, and other towns
are often heard of, l will give you Il
slight idea of them.
Jack sonville Is a place of 5000 or
5000 inhabitants, principally negroes.
Is well situated and improving rap.
idly. The negroes and Yankees are
the predolninating spirits, and seem
to "mix" well. There are some very
respectable buildings and hotels. The
st. James Hotel accommodates both
whites (Yanks) and negroes, aud they
eat at the same table. The respecta;
BILE portion of the inhabitants are
Southerners, and few decent North
erners, who cannot see" the negro
in the light of "man and brother"
This town bids fair to be the me-
tropolis of the State, and from the
rapidity with which N0rtherners are
flocliing there, 1t is a sure indication
which way the wind blows"
/ will here remark that Florida has
the meanest, murderous- looking me-
groes | ever saw anywhere? 1t is,
indeed, seldom one meets respectful
and honest "colored gent"
Besides heing cursed with this pop
ulation, there Is yet another class
more revolving, the "carpet-bagger."
The carpet baggers in Tennessee We're
saints compared to those we have
here.
Mandarin is the next place after
leaving Jacksonville. This place is
famous as the winter residence of
Mrs. Stowe. 1t is but small place,
of, perhaps, a half dozen dwellings.
Magnolia has hotel, which is the
only building ia torn.
Green Cove Springs contains some
dozen houses. The springs is the at
traction for visitors, which is said to
cure rheumatism by bathing i'm it.
Fishing splendid, wild game abund-
ant.
Picolata figures conspicuously on
the map, but in reality contains not
over ten buildings. Here the pas
sengers get oil the boats for st. Au-
gustine, eighteen miles distant.
Orange Mills has several saw mills
and few scattered houses. Country
back said to be well settled.
The next place il Palatka, very
pretty town, of about 500 inhabi-
tants. 1t is on the west side of the
river, and about 100 miles south of
the rivers mouth. Contains eight
stores, four churches, n drug store,
two hotels, two steam saw-mills and
several fine residences. Palatka Is
the headquarters for steamboats, for
the upper st. Johns and its tributa-
ries, and Is the terminus of the Sa-
vannah and Charleston Steamship
lines. This place affords a delightful
climate most of the year. EARLY
vegetables can be had here in March.
Opposite this place, on high bank,
stands beautiful orange grove,
which contains so trees. This grove
Is neatly kept and very beautiful,
;;aa forms the chief attraction of Pa
latka. Have visited several times
and enjoyed much of its fruit. There
are several small groves in town, but
nothing to compare with this one.
Steamers run regularly to Dunn'S
Lake and up the Ocklawaha river,
The st. Johns river contracts the
banks rapidly above this place, and
discloses those peculiar features which
make this peerless river of the South
the admiration of every lover of the
picturesque and beautiful. The water
il clear, and the banks present q
richer and more luXuriant growth of
semi-tropical vegetation. Seven miles
above town is the outlet of Dunn'S
Lake. The lands around this lake
are highly esteemed, being favorable
to the cultivation of fruit and vege-
tables. Shall make n trip to Enter
prise aud Dunn Lake in n few days.
The common impression OF those
who have never been in Florida, Is
that this beautiful tree, the orange,
may he everywhere seen, and that
they are numerous. This notion
would vanish were they to visit the
State. 1t l. in the old settlements
that they abound 1t is true, single
trees, or a half dozen trees are not
unlrequently seen in numerous local
itics, but | have not seen over four
worthy the name grove. Oranges
sell Mt five cents in town and two
cents at the grove. They are not n
large as ! expected to find them.
Lemons are very large. Bananasnre
not very plentiful here, though they
grow in nearly every garden. There
are oranges and bananas in few feet
of my window. Have seen but few
alligatorS since my arrival.
I'm now seated in "a sour orange
grove, and the ground is covered with
fruit, but 1t Is "sour grape" aS they
are not very pleasant after eating the
sweet orange. There are about eighty
trees In this grove. Many other groves
ioin this one, but are fenced in, and
are of the sweet kini-all in the
corporate limits of the town.
No one need come to this country
unless change of climate is actually
necessary tn their health, rs no well
and industrious person IL likely Ia
fancy this State. But little wealth
here and confined toa few. Il AOiHg
can he made cdSy, but all the enjoy
ments of social life ARE to he dispenS-
ed with. The climate cannot he SUR
passed, and that IL about NIL | can re-
commend. Orange culture is attend-
ed with many cares and much risk,
Frost and insects generally put an
end toa grove In n few months, and
the labor uf years Is thus destroyed at
once. IL requires much capital Ia
start u grove, and il is many years
before any benefit is derived The
people live poorly, ana are too lazy
To cultivate their gardens. There are
n few exceptions.
Winter gardening has commenced,
and peas, cabbage. Irish potatoes are
looking we'll. rurnips are large.
Chickens aud eggs are scarce, as i
also butter.
The mornings are cold and even
ings warm, and the hreeze bracing.
4 trip 10 the country Is well worth
~, 4, ;,,,n md n,f.nnN.