Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-04-15

A DELAwAREAN AT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF
TRAVEL TO AND FROM FLoRIpA-THx ST. JOHNS
AND 1Ts REsoRrs-rERsoNAL--sr. Angus me,
ETC.
Special Correspondence Of The Commercial.
HiDERNIA, FLA, April 4.
During visit to Jacksonville, on March 26th,
called on William Fleming, formerly of New
Castle county, Del. He has bought property
and seems to have identified his interests with
those Of Jacksonville. He intends making it
his permanent home. He told me, M illustrst-
ing the rise in real estate there, that he bought
the house in which he lives and two unimproYed
wharf fronts opposite, eighteen months ago, for
$4,000 and that he could readily sell the wharf
property, now, for as much a. he gave for all,
and have his residence as clear profit. The
largest business OF Jacksonville seems to be
lumber shipping, and there are nine extensive
saw mills in operation there. The main draw
back is want of capital, and discounts can only
be had from the banks at such ruinous rates as
"a to Ia per cent per month. The city author
tiles are making some improvements and I un-
derstand that piece of low ground behind the
city ~ TO be drained, and good drive made over
1t, which will greatly increase the healthfulness
OF the place aud enhance the value OF property
The
CROWDS OF PLEASURE
aud health seekers who come here every Winter
@io 6ionV souiCo VI pTuuIi DuJ hs many OF tue
hotelkeepers are northern men, the greater
part OF this money is not invested here. Istopped
at the Moncrief House. kept by Evans & Halnes,
OF Atlantic City N. j., and found it a very well
kept hotel: The rooms are large, well fur
nlshed, and clean, and the table excellent The
St James Hotel is said to be the best, and some
even say it is the best hotel south of New York
The railway connection is go roundabout and
poor that the steamers to Charleston go through
in less time than the trains. There are two
steamers weekly to Charleston, and three to
Savannah and two trains daily and all are now
running crowded when north bound, and almost
empty when south bound. The palace car
Maryland" which is the officers car of the 3 &
U. Il H.. was standing at the depot on the 9th
ut, 30 suppose some of the railroad magnates
were in town.
THE ST. JOHNS RIVER
is wide and deep enough for the Charleston and
Savannah steamers up al far M Palatka, about
one hundred miles from the mouth. The prln-
cipal stopping places on the way up from Jack
sonville are Mandarin, Hiberna, Magnolia, Green
Cove Springs, and Tocui. Mandarin il. sixteen
miles from Jack sonville, and is beautiful shady
spot 1t ~ principally noted az the winter resi-
dence of Mrs. Ii. B. Stowe. Hbernia il nine
miles further up on the west bank of the river.
Mrs. Fleming has kept boarding house
here for MANY years and several Whining.
ton people have been among her guests. Mag
nolia, four miles further, has very well kent ho-
test places on the river. Green Cove Spring is
the most important point between Jacksonville
and Paatka. There are two large and well kept
hotels. and the sulphur spring Furnishes bath
ing which many find very sthful. Among the
guests here tins winter were Edward Hopes,
Charles D. Williams, Charles Sharpless, Jr
Justice shawbridge, VIM. W. Justice, Henry d.
lands, Elisha Roberts, Lewis ]. Lovck, and
others from Philadelphia and vicinity. Tocoi is
the Western terminus of the st. Johns Railway,
u for A
here, the wharf always presents busy scene
during the season. 1t is fifteen miles from here
to st. Augustine, and until this season the trip
was made in horse cars on wooden rails Now,
however, the wooden rails have been replaced
with good iron ones, well laid, and the two horse
cars, taken of Of the wheels and mounted end
to end on platform car, form very passable
conveyance. A good narrow gauge locomotive,
on regular gauge trucks, makes the trip in less
than an hour, but seems wofully ont of place
blowing its whistle within stones throw Of the
Oldest European city on the continent.
ST, AUGusrISE's PRINCIPAL ATTRACTION
consists in the quaint old houses,
bsiit by the STANDARDS between tho years
1865 and 1850 They are built of a peculiar
rock found on the beach in large quantities,
called coquina. 1t is formed of shells. The old
fort San Marco is a fine specimen of the ancient
style OF defence;lt has its moat and draw bridge
and there is supposed to be an underground
passage connecting it with the Cathedral in the
town. The monument in the public square,
which was erected to commemorate the short
lived Spanish republic Of 1912, is al object of
much interest.
Palatka s the
MAIN BUSINESS POINT
on the river, south of Jacksonville. Col II. s.
Hart, New Highlander, carries on an extensive
business here in orange raising. He is also
proprietor Of the Putnam House. All excellent
hotel, and Of the line of small stern wheel
steamers which run up the 0clawala river as
far as Silver Spring. Thousands OF people stop
here during the winter, and many spend the
whole winter here, r. O. II