The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-05-07
1heGstslli9erner.
Lcttcr from Col. Jacob Horn.
brook, Describing nm Old Flori-
DIN city.
ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, April q.

iais old Spanish city Of St. Augustine. /
have been here only two days, however.
We came from the st, Johns river by the
TOcio Railroad, fifteen miles long,
through a poor low.laying country, and
il one person owned the land we passed
through he must get poorer every year
il he pays taxes.
am charmed with this old city. To
visit Florida without seeing this quaint
place would be like travellers going
through Italy without entering the gates
Of Rome. Its only building material
that has lasted is a rock known and
glarried but on Anastasia Island, at the
entrance OF the Harbour, composed Of fine
shelI3 and sands which is easily cut into
blocks and laid in walls. The sea wall
laid by the government, one mile long, is
Of Coquiua. The streets Iare quite mar.
row, one OF them is nearly mile long
and but fifteen feet wide, another on
which the principal hotel stands is but
twelve feet and the widest bat twenty.
i've. The advantage OF these narrow
streets in this warm climate is that
they give shade and increase the draft oil
air through them after the manner OF a
ille. The houses have hanging balconies
along the second stories, which almost
touch each other over the narrow streets,
and thus the boys and girls can talk love
across them to each other without being
heard by others. st. Augustine is nearly
surrounded with water, by the St. Sebas
tian river and st. Augustine bay. The
gite way OF the old wall still stands and
i3quite an imposing ruin. 1t has orna-
mented lofty towers and loop holed sentry
boxes. The most interesting feature OF
the town is the old fort works Tor Fort
Marion) which are built Of Coquina. 1t is
veil calculated to resist cannon shot be.
cause it does not splinter when struck.
The fort stands on the sea front at one
end Of the town. 1t was one hundred
years in building and was completed in
1865, rs is attested by the inscription
which may still be seen over the gateway,
together with arms Of Spain handsomely
carved in stone. While owned by the
British it was said to be the prettiest
tort in the Kings D0minions. Its iormida.
Die basIions with their irowning guns; its
lofty anu imposing saIlyport, its portCullis,
moats, drawbridgc, sentry.bOXe5 at each
principal parapet, its commanding look.
out tower, and its stained and moss.grown
massive walls, impress the beholder az u
relic OF the distant past; its crumbling
Romish chapel and incense altar and holy
Sa,er inches; its dark passages, gloomy
vaults and more recently discovered dun
geons bring you TO believe OF its many
traditions OF inquisiiion5 and tortures.
Skeletons found in the latest opened
chambers, chained to the rusty ring bolts,
aud sub;eranean passages TO the neigh.
ogEiD; convent, suggest many deeds OF
darkness. Many dark tally list on the
Wondering walls shows how the dragging
days we're noted or employed by the weary
pFi'oHers OF long ago. The narrow loop.
h4le' are shown through which the two
Seminole chiefs attempted their escape,
one making i! good and the other sticking
IA. in the crcVice until he was rescued
with barely life remaining. The marks
left by the shot are plainly visible to-day
lone by General Ogelthrope's attack l30
years ago. The fort is unfit forfurther
defence. Its now coupled by thirty.fve
Indian prisoners. Thee Indians OF the
several different tribes were, during the
month OF May, 1875, brought from Fort
Sill aud the Cheyenne agency, because
NJ their turbulent disposition and inAu.
epce over the other tribes in that locality.
AmOng them are several noted chiefs
The majority OF them express their pre-.
ference for the climate OF Florida over
that Of the west, and should liberty be ex.
tended to them they would probably re.
main in the State. They are peaceful
and appear content in their present quar-.
Iers, Some Of them apply their spare
time in making bows aud arrows, pol.
t.hiUg sea beans and making trinkets
which they sell to visitors. They are
polite to visitorP, dotF their hats and ex-
tend their hands with bow.
The Indians are under the charge OF
Capt, H. II. Pratt oil the Tenth L. S. Cav.
airy, lie ia much liked by them for his
kind treatment IN promoting their com.
tort. They have school and many will
be fitted for useful occupation in life.
They will probably be pardoned and re.
moved to the west this summer.
The labor on the Fort was performed
principally by Appalachian Indians, who
alone were forced to work on it for sixty
years, Conscripts from Mexico also con.
Irlbuted to the work. 1t is one Of the
'trougest forts in this country and re.
quires An armament Of 100 guns and
1000 men. The only soldier on duty is
Al old sergeant and a guard Of one In.
iian TO prevent visitors from disturbing
The school while in session. Many OF
the old doors have been carried away BY
'niIorS IA mcmentoea, but the old ser.
geNnt on guard watches visitors with a
Jealous eye or the last vestige OF the wood
"otS would soon disappear. The Indi.
aus nave for sale celebrated Sea Bean.
hisAiiy polished and used for ornaments,
oil which they sell grea. many. There
exists outside the city gate the ruins Of
an old chapel, in which several priests
Sere killed by the Indians while al mass,
II was afterwards sacked and burned
/! was called Our Lady OF the Milk"
The old Huguenot buryinv ground !,
aspo, otmuch interest. So l. the mill.
Iary burying ground, where rests The "a.
mains Of those who fell near here lurin,
the Seminole war. Under three pyramids
o. Coquina, stuccoe and Whi,ened, arp
the ashes Of Major Dadc and lO7 men ii
his command, who were massacred bv
O'ceoI1 and his band. The old Cathedral
- another very interesting relic Of the
past, with its belfry in the form Of bell
,haPed pyramid. l1ts chime Of four bells
IN separate inches, are its clock, together
forming \ cross. The oldest Of these beIl,
Z marked lose, and the first grand mas,
Hsli IN Florida was September s, 1865,
There are other churches, Eui,eon,.
l!an, Baptist Methodist and Presbyte.
tim. The Plaza de la Cons,itption |. !,
aae public square in the centre OF ths
Own, on which stands the ancient market
Goa'e, which Is faced by the Cathedral,
NE old Palace, the convent Episeonai
eaa'ch, and other fine structures, In IL
centre Of the Plaz, stands a monument