Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-08-13
POINT CLEAR.
The Fashionable Watering-PIace for
the People OF the Gulf states
The Long Branch of the
SOuth-The Garden OF
Delights.
Cool. Delicious Solitude by the Sea-
or the Life and Enjoyment OF
Fashionable Watering-Place
at Your Pleasure-An
the Tropical Fruits
to Hand.

From an Occasional Correspondent of the Appeal
POINT CLEAR, MOBILE BAY. ALA, Au-
gust 9.-Who will come to the garden OF
deiights2 A sleeping-car from Memphis
through to Mobile In twenty-four hours; a
sail of two hours more down the enchanting
bay, and you are here, In pavilion equal to
the finest hotel at Long Branch, situated on
narrow spit or point that runs sheer out at
right angles from the western shore, the no.
tel facing south with the sweeping crescent
curving for five miles down to Mlllett Point.
The shore is wooded to the water edge with
pine, hve-oak, magnolia, hickory, beech,
myrtle, laurie, sweet bay, and the
thousand liaUes and creepers that
make the forests of the gulf coast so won
drously beautiful and interesting to the stu
dent of nature. Indeed bountiful mother
nature has done ali that man could ask, here.
Within furlong of the hotel are living
springs of sweet, fresh never-failing water;
yonder, stones throw to the south, the
clear painting brook from 'Our Lady's Well"
las we have named the natural fountain of
mineral water) babbles through the white
sand and pebbles to the bay; the tides here
are so low that the bracklsh water never rises
high enough to obstruct the current of the
brook. Yesterday ] drank from "Our Lady
Well, " under the dense shade OF the grand
magnolias and pines with their weird drapery
of Spanish moss; and thus strollng IN the
cool, delicious solitude, | gathered fens,
moses, leaves of the lotos lily aud garlands
of smilax, growing In wanton grace and pro-
fusion up to the fountain brink. The waters
of the well, and of the stream flowing from
it under the forest tangle, look black as ink,
till they reach the white sands on the beach,
and there they show their exquisite, hmpid
whiteness, released as they are from their
bed of backened earth and forest leaves.
The whole country here Is a Canaan, as yet
unoccupied except IN part. L have never
seen, In this country or IN Europe, finer or
auges, pears and peaches than grow here.
There are pear trees on DR.. Shoalwater' s es-
tate loaded with fruit equal to the world.
famous Doyenne pear of Normandy; beside
the old growths OF cotton and corn, the farm
erS have proven that cereals grow equally
well. Large crops OF oats and wheat were
grown this year. The sweet Spanish clover,
an indigenous growth, makes fine hay, and
cattle and sheep range out the entire winter
without being fed, so abundant are the ma
tive grasses. This is destined to be region
of permanent hOnlesteads. The soil is so fine.
the scenery so picturesque, the fresh streams
afford perpetual supplies of water. The eli
mate is the finest IN all our latitudes, Cali
fornia not excepted. During all the fright
full heat of this summer there has not been an
hour of discomfort on the bay or in the coun-
try back of US. The breezes from the gulf
fan us day and night; there is not a mosquito
to annoy us; there is no malaria. Oysters,
pompane, trout, muilet, red fish, are caught
at our doors and eaten fresh from the sea.
We have a daily mail by the steamer; the
boat brings us ice and every luxury from Mo-
bile. At Battles wharf, half mile distant,
is the jesuit chapel and school; country stores
and churches abound; and in the lovely Or
ange-shaded cottages, hidden, as it were, in
their prlmeval forest lends, are gentlemen
and ladies of the olden time, with the grace
full culture, the gentle address, the low, rich,
cordial voices OF the race that is not yet dead,
thank God! though death and sorrow and
disaster have visited us so bitterly. All this
for the country around US. And now word
for this handsome Grand Hotel which is
henceforth to be opened as q winter resort,
also, in connection with its summer career.
Mr.. Potter, the accomplished manager, was
for ten years connected with the Gait house
in Louisville. He is interchangeable in his ex-
ertIons to please. The table is abundantly
supplied with every delicacy to be had in
any market. The servants are we'll drilled
and efficient. The rooms are spacious, we'll
furnished and beautifully clean; billiard
rooms, bowling alleys, dainty little yacht
1.-THE Acacalet), steamer longing to the
hotel and plying daily between Point Clear
and Mobile. These are some of the attrac-
lions always to be found here. And then
there is a choice company of pleasant people.
DR.. Ketchum, the leading physician of Mo-
bile, has villa hundred yards south of the
hotel; DIR. Shoalwater and MS accomplished
and charming mother law, Mrs. Cole, re-
side furlong further; Bishop Quinlen, the
Catholic bishop of Mobile, resides half mile
to the north; the Jesuit fathers are there
also, at Battles wharf. In our hotel house
hold we have General Beluregard and fami-
ly, Mr.. Lazarus, brilliant and rising barris-
ter from New Orleans, and other families of
distinguished social position from the cities
of the south. In winter the Point will be
even more attractive, especially to northern
visitors. The railroads are making terms
now for the ''round trip" to and from Point
Clear; and with its splendid climate and
tropical scenery, it Is predicted that the house
will be crowded throughout the season.
will tell you in my next, of yachting down
the bay. ANNIE CHAMBERS KETCHUM.