Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-03-27

rang, the whistle blew, and away we
went across the low, marshy strip of
land lying between the st. Johns river
and the Atlantic Ocean-through dense
forest of pines, palmettos and swamp
oaks, with scarcely a habitatiOn the
whole distance; stopping on our way but
once, and that was to take on a lone
hunter, with a gun and two owls, the
total result of long, weary hunt, per-
hapS. L think our Mr.. Blair would have
pulled in more game that that. Arriving
at the depot we found the usual number
of hacks, cabs and carriages found at
places of resort, ready and anxious to
! take US, for a consideration, any place
we wished to go; selecting one, we were
rapidly driven to the Florida House,
through what supposed at first was an
alley, but on reflection remembered of
reading that the streets were very mar
row-as they. indeed are, the hanging
balconies TO the houses almost touch
each other across them. We found here
great many visitors, also, as well as
along the banks of the st. Johns. The
fact is so great is the number of North
ern people down here in Florida now,
travelling for health and recreation, and
stopping at the various places of winter
resort, that all the leading hotels are
kept filed from basement to attic.
st. Augustine is by far the most an
cient town in North America. 1t is an
old Spanish town situated on peninsula
| formed by the st. Sebastian and Matan-
zas rivers, with a population of 1000 per-
Tr,ly n AalI lIrr1f f1Tl for
resort. Near the center of the town is
what is called the plaza de la Constitu
tion," fine square ON which is located
the public buildings, notably among
which is the Catholic Cathedral. This
building was commenced in 179S;
it has unique belfry, containing four
chime bells in separate inches, which arc
rung every morning; one of them is
marked 1882. The building contains
several fine old Spanish paintings. There
is monument in the Plaza Is feet high,
which was erected in 1912, to eommem-
crate the Spanish Liberal Constitution.
The palace, the residence of the Spanish
Governor, is now used as a pOst-Otfice
and United States barracks, now Occu-
pied by troops, was formerly, am told,
Spanish monastery The old Hugue-
not Cemetery and the military burying
ground are interesting places. In the
latter are three pyramids, built of cOqui-
ma, under which lie the remains of Maj
jOr Dade and 1O7 men, who were massa-
cred by OSceola, during the Florida war.
| took great interest in viewing the old
Spanish fort formerly called ''San Juan
de Pinos,' and afterwards changed to
San Marco" but at change Ofsfags in
1921, it received the name of Fort Mari
on, which it now bears. The history of
it, in brief, is about this: 1t was begun
in 1920, and completed in 1856. The ma
terial used in its construction is almost
entirely coquina, a cOncretiOn of frag-
ments of shell quarrried on AnastaSia
Island, opposite the city. The labor on
it was performed principally by Appa-
lachean Indians, who alone were forced
to work on it for go years. COnscripts
from Mexico also contributed to the
work. 1t is said to be one of the
strongest Notifications in this country,
requiring an armament of 100 guns and
1000 men as garrison. 1t has never
been taken by besieging army. The
sea-wall, mile in length, erected in
1918, out of coquina, with a coping
of granite 3 feet wide, protects the east
front of the city from the encroach-
mentS Of the river, and affords "a great
promenade. All these points in this
ancient city," were interesting for us to
visit. They served admirably to while
away time pleasantly in their examina-
tion. Endless means of diversion are
offered from ride on the little mus
tangs which stand at the market, to a
yacht ride to see the old lighthouse and
the eOquina quarries at Anastasia ISL
and. We did not take ride on mustang
ponies, but we took a buggy and drove
out the shell roads-they go in for shell
roads here-a mile or two above town,
then down along the beach to the lower
end, and then back through town, along
many of its quaint, crooked and narrow
streets, without pavements, driving right |
under the overhanging balconies, and
within a foot or two of the show win
dows of the numerous curiosity shops. |
Mrs. w. enjoyed it greatly, for she could |
do her shopping, in the way of sight-see-
ing, without even getting out of the |
buggy. Having done up the town quite |
thoroughly, we took our departure, and |
on our way back, stopped a couple of |
days at Orange Park, situated on the |
NCoO VI blC Ol. OOuuo
miles above Jacksonville, one of the |
most beautiful places on the river. This
Park, as it is called, was before the war |
a cotton and sugar plantation, the larg-
est in the State, containing 5000 acres
1t is now owned by Mrs. w. G. Bene-
dict, formerly of Wisconsin, who is SELL
ing it out in tracts and lots to suit pur-
ehasers, at reasonable prices. The Park
View Hotel, where We stopped, is kept
by Mr., s. E. Crittenden, who few years
ago kept the Burnett House, Cincinnati.
just opposite this place, on the east
bank of the river, is Mandarin, where
Prof and Mrs. Harriet Beeeher. Stowe,
reside. We crossed over to look at their
place. 1t is pleasant cottage, densely
shaded, and has huge live oak tree,
growing right up through the front pi-
azza, surrounded by. 40 acres of land,
several of which are planted with or
ange trees, some of which are very large
about the size of our apple trees of
% years growth, from one of which was
picked, we are told, this season as many1
as 5000 oranges. There is also a great
variety of other trees, flowers and fruits.
Prof. Stowe, who is q very genial old !
of IS, volunteered to conduct
Us through the grounds, and seemed to
take great pleasure in so doing. After
spending several hours in, Mandarin, we
returned to Jacksonville, having spent
nearly week in making the excursion, {
feeling very much invigorated and graf
fed. The weather is very pleasant and
,egular; but two days on which it rained .
;ince we came to Florda-temperatur
'ven-mercury very sluggish, ranging d,
rom 10 to.7s-does not promenade up
md down like is does in Ohio, l like
mercury that will stay at about IA.
We will leave this place on Thursday,
7th, by steamer, for Sananah, Ga.,where
We intend staying about a week, and