The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-07-16

ample accommodations have been pro-
vided; there are six hotels, and many
private boarding houses, and there are
several eligibly situated houses for rent
at reasonable prices. The village contains
Catholic, an Episcopal and Methodist
church, and to show that Biloxi is surely
growing, we understand that % houses
were built by the permanent citizens last
winter. The situation of Biloxi is fine,
and possesses great natural water facili-
ties and advantages. 1t is upon the
seward face of a peninsula which is not
one mile wide and nine miles long. A
pass about four miles wide between the
point of the peninsula and the opposite
shore on which is situated the village of
Ocean Springs, leads into the Back Bay,
two miles wide and eight miles long, with
twenty feet of water, with high bluffs and
innumerable landings and which branch
es, TO the northeast into Old Fort Bayou,
back of Ocean Springs, (and from the
name and the description of the historian
as regards the site of the fort built by
Iberville in 1899, upon the northeast
shore of the Bay of Biloxi, about fifteen
miles north of Ship Island, we presume
that it was near the mouth of this bayou
that the fort was located To the west,
Back Bay runs up into Bernard's bayou,
on which is Handsboro, and to the north
west, into Biloxi river Chutacabeuf
bayou, and for forty miles up this bayou,
twenty feet of water is found This en-
trance pass is shallow, with six to eight
feet water at high tide, but the bar is
narrow and could easily be dredged.
Ship Island lies eight miles beyond, and
running parallel with Deer Island. Oys-
tiers plentifully abound, all along and
around the peninsula of Biloxi. The
Biloxi people contend that the t.Ship Is
land railroad should run to the east point
(Pt. Caddy) of the Biloxi peninsula; run
ming down to Handsboro, which is on the
peninsula, it should then turn to the east
and run down the peninsula to Pt. Cad
dy, to which point, by slight dredging,
deep water could be obtained. Or, as
some boldly claim, the road could run
from PIT. Caddy, south over to Deer Is
land, and then, with but short distance,
over deep water, to Ship Island, when
the road could run west, down the island
to the western end, where is the Port.
1t strikes us that either of these plans is
more feasible than any Ship Island rail
road scheme we've yet heard advanced.
But when the road gets down this way, a
correct terminus will be doubtless decided
upon. In the meantime Biloxi can push
on aud soon become what it is destined to
be, one of the most popular and prosper
Gus summer watering places on the Gulf.
And we cannot leave Biloxi without rec
the ''Shady Grove" as a de-
lightful retreat, and its popular host, Mr..
Rambaut as a caterer who prepares most
excellent dinners, at least we can speak
thus far from experience. We found the
Liquor Bill extremely distasteful to the
people Of Biloxi and Ocean Springs. 1t,
in fact, if carried out, would be an almost
fatal blow to the prosperity of our Coast
villages. 1t would about as efectually
dry them up" as if blighted by the pes
tilential breath of the Plague.
Across Biloxi Bay, on its eastern shore,
lies the village of
OCEAN SPRINGS,
most aptly named, a collection of valuable,
springs upon the ocean. The
site of the village is entirely different from
any other of our coast watering places.
Here wehave high bluffs looming above the
bay and reaching to the waters edge, on
which are the most lovely situations, with
the magnificent live oak, for dwellings,
while the entire village is situated upon
ground, with an elevation above
the sea, which commands almost constantly
a good breeze, and with wooded hill and
dale, presents Nature in her most attract
i've form, and without the artistic features
of the other watering places of our coast,
presents happy and pleasing combina-
ton of country and coast life. Nature has
done very much for this location, and steps
have been taken to make it attractive 10
the visitor, and beneficial to the invalid.
Here are situated the famous 'holy drink
of the Great Spirit of the Pascagoulas,
the singular efficacy Of which medicinal
waters, rendered them so popular among
the Indians. Springs, whose analysis
shows them to possess highly valuable cur
alive properties as attested by the late
DR.. Warren Stone and several other ply
sicians of New Orleans.