Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-01-15
aims or the pine-capped peaks Of the
Sierra Nevadas.

aims or the pine-capped peaks Of the
Sierra Nevadas.
ATLANTA
is city Of considerable Importance,
having a population Of 5000. 1t
covers q considerable area Of ground,
and its buildings are all good, sub
stantial houses. This city. as you
know, was almost entirely destroyed
during the war, but Ph@nix like it
has grown frcm its ashes larger and
more imposing plaee. Atlanta does
very large wholesale business, as well
as retail, her merchants are thrifty and
seem pretty cheerful in regard to the
future. The cotton market here is
very good. and large quantities are
shipped annually.
JACKSONVILLE FLA,
is beautiful city Of about 1900 in
habitants, and is situated ON the right
bank of the St. johns river. This
city does a splendid Wholesale and rc-
tail business, all branches being we'll
represented and we'll sustained. 1t is
assisted greatly everyyear by the hordes
of visitors that pour in there from
November till February. There are
twelve hotels, and the number Of board
ing houses is legion. There are four
newspapers and one Magazine, all we'll
sustained and ably edited. Five lines
Of steamers ply between this place and
points south on the st. Johns river,
and good healthy competition regu-
lates matters finely. The only OBJ
lection / have to Jacksonville is its
negro police, this being blot on the
city that will injure it for years to
come.
PALATKA
is another fourishing town Of 1900 in
habitahts, situated on the right bank
of the st. Johns about IS miles south
of Jacksonville. The town itself is
pretty, and its surroundings are beau
tiful and novel. To stranger the
long, gray moss with which the trees
are draped appears the most novel and
at the same time the most dismal thing
in nature. What with the funeral ap-
pearance of this moss, its solemn,
stately swaying to and fro, and the
heart-broken signing of the pines,
man feels strangely desolate and lone
some. Palatka rejoices in the posses
sion of fish oil factory, fish guano
depot. a ship yard for repairing boats,
a saw MILL steam grist mill, cotton
gin, and two moss factories, and ships
annually large quantities of oranges.
cotton and other products of the
country. One paper is published here,
the Herald, which is well sustained,
and ably edited by Col. @. w. Pratt.
1t is neat, spicy sheet, and to Col.
Pratt's unceasing labor, and unfailing
energy, this section of the country
owes a great deal of its present pros
perity. Col. Pratt is one OF the finest
specimens Of the true Southern gen.
tleman / ever met, and possesses in
addition all of the qualifications that
enter into the make up" Of first
class journalist. Our stay in Palatka
was rendered exceedingly pleasant by
Col. p. and his family, aud we will long
remember most gratefully their kind
ness and courtesy. Master Charlie
Pratt is the youngest printer in the
State. aged 8 years. and he promises to
outstrip many who are his seniors in
business and age. The most interest
ing feature of Palatka is the orange
grove of Col. Hart, situated on the
left side of the river, Immediately OPP
posite the town. 1t has 200 trees in
bearing, and covers an area of acres.
1t is the best kept grove in the State.
The grove is situated on high, rolling
land, sloping gracefully to the river on
two sides; the soil is white sand, and
presents the appearance of large white
floor. 1t is adorned too. by pretty and
tastily arranged flower beds and rock
cries with creeping vines, and dainty
little walks covered with the whitest
of shells, and thousand other little
arts and arrangements that would be-
token the plastic hand of oman, but
such is not the case. The author Of
all these beautiful little contrivances
is none other than Capt. G. II. Steb-
bins General superintendent, aud as
hardened an old bachelor as / ever
saw, who glories in his freedom (2) and
smiles cynically and compassionately
at the romantic notions of his younger
and more innocent friends. Capt. s.
told me that they would gather this
year about 100000 oranges from the
200 trees, which sell at the Palatka
wharf for from 2 to % cents piece,
making an income from six acres of
$4,000. Well, here l am at the end
of my trip, and | fear the end of your
patience also. l will try aud tell you
something about Florida proper in my
next. VIZ. r.