Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-03-31
a,eltcr from FIOPi0as

correspondence oi INA aieAatlufli Ns"elle.l ]
ST. JOHNS RIVER, FLORIDA, March Go
As everybody that comes to Florida must 60
up Tor, as VT 60 south all the liule, il seems
more Correct to say down. the St. Johns,
whic! rises near the ceu!re ct the peninsula
running north to the ocean It's mouth being Gully
a few miles from the Georgia line. The seal
brown color OF the water, uGt ouy OF this river,
hul Of I'll The sreams have sern in the State,
is very noticeable, aud does not look az if a
bath III it, would result taVorably Tor cleans
ing. 10 'aatka, seventy.iVe miles above Jack
suuyiilt, the river Oleu reaches width Of six
miles and Is no where narrower than the 70.
toruac off Alexandria. Fifteen miles above
jacksonville We stop at Mandarin, where Mrs.
Harriet Beecllcr Stowe has her residence, an
orange grove surrounding it, and nearly hiding
her picturesque little brown cottage, which is
also ovcr.shadowed by two immenco water oaks,
and is ore Of the prcliest places on the river.
The mex! point OF any interest at which We stop
is Green Cove Springs, quite celebrated for
curing rheumatism. At every landing on the
river plenty Of hotels and boarding houses Of
allie classes are found. Al Tocoi, ftty-three miles
from j jacksonville, We wait for the train from
st. Augustine, fifteen miles distant. Paaika
We reach 4! { p. H., where We Ito up Tor the
night. 80 that passengers may see the entire
river by daylight This is the largest town on
The 81! John ; except jacksonville, having 4
population OF about 500, with newspaper,
| ship yard, telegraph office, several mills, 20.
The streets are Iiued with wild orange trees full
of fruit, aud add much TO tho beauty Of tie
town. Opposite this place is Hart's orange
grove o! six acres, said to be Que Of The hand
| soonest aud most highly cultivated in the State.
-Four thousand five hundred oranges were taken
from one tree last year. From this place up
We have succession Of lakes: First, Little Lake
George, four miles wide and seven long; then
Big Lake George, Twelve miles wide and eigh
teen long, andis dotted with islands; one called
Relnbort having al extent OF 100 acres, with
4 very large orange grove on it; next Lake Mon.
roe, live miles wide and seven long. The river
between these lakes narroWs down to about Que.
third Of mile, aud in some places much mar
separate engine and engineer for each wheel
here appeared; The turns were SO short that
with the radder they could not be made, SO that
We were stcered by the wheels, stopping first
one wheel, Or backing with one and gOrg ahead
with the other, making the shortest kind Of
turns with ease. Our principal amusement now,
after passing Lake George, is watching for al.
lgat0rs, only two large ones, one about ten
feet, and the other eight feet long, yet showing
themselves for our benefit. The people here
say one alligator will not attack any one; as for
me they wont get chance it know it, for
Of alI the horrible looking creatures they are
the most horrible At the head Of Lake Mon
roe we land at Mcllonville and stop at the Mel
lonVillo Hotel for the night; the next day we
take carriage for the Onoro House, kept by
DR.. VIM. A. Spence, formerly Of Westmore.
land county, Va, where We received an old
Virginia welcome, and at once felt at home.
This place ii three miles from MellonVilIe or
Sanford, aud is the only place I've learned be-.
fore reaching III that has had anything like its
complement OF visitors this winter, which was
soon explained wien we reached it. The man
sion is situated 90 beautifully sIoping bank,
about one hundred yards from Onoro Lake, a
charming little body Of water, covering about
eight acres, led by spring OF perfectly clear
water. This lake empLes into another few
yards from it, and to the right, covering about
forty acres, is Silver Lake much larger one
10 The lett, aud further of. is called Golden
Lake. Three more beautiful sheets OF water
cannot be found, and rowing and sailing on
them are our greatest pleasures. The Doctor !
Knows what good living is, and bis guests will |
unite 10 saying that be has put that knowledge !
to good purpose 10 providing for them. Every |
body here is crazy on the orange culture. and |
you are constantly warned mol to get the fever. |
We will mol enter on this most interesting |
question IN this letter. a. it IL long enough |
already. GUY.