The Republican journal., 1871-02-23
LETTER FROM FLORIDA.
Correspondence Of the journal.
JACKSONVILLE, Feb. 7, 1877

hood will travel from Florida to Maine. while
Truth puts on its boots" is verified when you
receive my letter, and read Of the splendid
climate we are enjoying. We live in flood
Of sunlight, the air perfumed with the bios
SONS of the peach, and the wild wild jasmine
and roses just budding forth, and we listen
each morning to the mocking birds. Maine
is fully represented in this city, and one
would suppose it good State to go from, to
see the vigorous constitutions of most of u.s.
compared with the invalids one meets here.
The transition from fifteen below zero, to
eighty-five above, in five days journey,
seems Incredible, but we are truly having
July heat now
The st. James is fine hotel, crowded all
the time with people from the North. East
and West; many who are hoping to build
up shattered constitutions, and many more to
breath the pleasant air. sail up the beautiful
rivers, and gather oranges from their native
groves. l am now writing with the doors
and windows open, and a party of friends
are on the piazza dressed in white muslin
and other thin materials, while hats and bon
nets are entirely discarded.
The size Of this city, the busy streets, and
crowds of steamers and vessels at the
wharves, surprise one ON reaching here The
population is about six thousand but in Win
ter the number of strangers increase it surely
one third. Many new blocks of stores and
h.. 4
mans Savings Bank, built by funds from
the Freedmans Bureau, will be a fine build
ing when completed. A large block built by
Capt. Ross, formerly of Belfast, and Mi. c.
B. Hazeltine, towers in height and style above
all others. The streets are wide, and shaded
with live oaks, evergreens, with the beauti-
tul hanging moss, found only at the South,
giving the trees an ancient and picturesque
appearance. The streets are all sandy, in
many places very deep, and not a blade of
grass to be seen anywhere, making walking
and driving very hard for man and beast
Plank side walks and gas lights on the streets
little exercise is takcn and this is Just the ut
mosphere for one to grow idle and listless
One fine drive here called the Shell road is Il
great place of resort 4 fine hard road made
from oyster shells broken up fine and beater
into the sand, a large deposit of shells being
found q few miles from here, where they hav,
been thrown up by the tides. Without doub
more streets will soon be shcled in the sam,
| Tho 1noI laval rf ba = II,
absence Of all hills, is 4 great drawback tt
the beauty Of the city, but the water view i
very fine.
Steam Saw Mills are springing up in al
directions. One popularity is that for SOM
three hundred feet from the mill, a framework
is built, with an endless chain passing over
wheel, ending with brick wall, where al
the slabs and refuse boards are carried, anC
then burned, as the law does not allow tn
debris to be thrown into the river, and WOO
Is SO plenty and little required that there
not energy enough to take it away. Som
thousands Of cords are burned in the mill
during the week. The supply of fish
abundant, shad particularly. Wild turkey
are plenty, and very fine. Also a good guam
tity of fresh vegetables. The beef is YER
poor, and no wonder when one sees the fee.
used for the cattle. Our Waldo County farm
ers would be ashamed to show such spar
ribs for sale
The churches are in a dilapidated condi
ton; but fair to be soon held for the bene
fit of one WILL | hope, have good results
The Episcopal church is a building used dur
ing the war for a hospital. The bell, bein!
on two posts near the door, looks rather for
lorn. Time will soon give the means to re
pair this ediice or build a new one. Th
Bishop of Florida ordained colored Deacon
last Sunday, for the colorcd church. There
are many Methodist churches here, and tn
colored members hold very enthusiastic ser
vices nearly every evening.
short trip up the river for alligators las
week was delightful. The banks ofthe rive
were lined with tropical foliage new to us
The palmetto, cyprus and misletoes are yer.
abundant. Alligators and turtles in plcnt,
were basking in the sun, often on the same
log, and in color 80 like it, that it requires Al
experienced marksman to shoot one 4
large alligator some fourteen feet long, wa
killed by one of our party, but when wound
ed disappeared in the water. Only one 81,
feet long, was brought home to show ou
friends. The robins, our home bird, ar
very plenty, having come to spend the win
ter south. The egret are shot in great nu m
bers for their beautiful feathers.
We 60 soon south on the river some two
hundred miles l am told the sail is unsur
passed in beauty. l shall keep my friend
informed of the movements of our party, ant
hope they will feel interested to 60 with u
to Lake Harvey. send you piece cut from
the local papers of dreadful murder JUS
committed here, the details of which are
horrible, and filled the community with in
dignation. l see the Governor and Mayor
have both offered rewards Of So, 900 each fol
the murderers.
Amusements are very plenty here, and the
days pass away SO quickly that spring will
soon be upon us at the north. At the hotels
there are dances quite often, and goot
colored band here finds constant employ
ment. But as brevity is the soul of goot
letters, l must close for the present.
Are we ready, plaintively inquiries the Tol
edo Blade, in speaking Of the stormy out
look of the Republican party, ''to cut down