The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-04-23
THE BAY OF ST. LOUIS. MISS.
The Town and It's Surroundings.
BY DAN'L BENNETT.

A few DAYS since We came from New Orleans
to the Bay OF St. Louis, where We pen this
article, 10 see the new wooden factory OF \. \.
Ulman, and To see the town and Its beautiful
surroundings The facts which We have gath
cred up are 20 numerous that We can only gave
brief sketches Of what We have seen and
heard.
THE BAY OF ST LOUIS 200 YEARS AGO.
The Hon. J. F. II. Claiborne, in his Fourth
Of July address delivered at this place IN 1876,
said:
The Choctaws we're in the habit Of visit
ing this coast from the same inducements that
bring visitors 20 it now. Some OF them re
manned permanently, giving the musical names
OF our streams and localities that many oil
them are now known by
" This place where we are now nbIeh
(Bav St Louis was called A-ch0ale-p0aiol, or
Bad Grass, in reference to a very troublesome
burr which still annoys US. This shore was
for these children Of nature paradise. The
woods abounded with game, the waters, with
fish No enemies could approach them 10y
ambuscade. Their aged and intirm felt a. we
now feel the elixir OF the air, and by these
murmnring waves and in these fragrant groves
the Young warriors woed and won the dark
eyed maidens OF the tribe. 1t was savage life,
such as Chateaubriand has painted 1t III the
glowing pages OF Attala-remote from man, a
tropical climate, famed by exhilarating breezes
ana pines anu btiA1
bay, offspring OF two rivers looming out into
the depths of the misty sea, beyond which lay
the happy hunting grounds Of the blessed
DIberville anchored his fleet in Ship Island
harbOr, nearly in front of and $Eelve miles
distant from this place, in January, IT'S years
ago.
BAY OF ST. LOUIS IN 1879.
This town now contains about 300 inhab-
itants Most of the residences front on the
Bay and the Gulf Of Mexico. The line o.
residences on tne Day extends ,Ie,. f,a m IL.
from the railroad nearly north, nearly to the
mouth OF Wolf River. The lineo residences
fronting the Gull extend west about five mile,
from the railroad. In front OF these residences
on the Bay and the Gull, in distance OF about
ten miles there said TO be over two hun
bred bath-houses. While people in July il
Northern cities are simmer1Iig in heat mark
ing over 100 degrees by the thermometer, the
people Of the Bay of St. Louis are usually
comfortable with the thermometer ranging be
low 80 degrees, and at their lighthouses below
80 degrees.
SLEEP APPETITE AND HEALTH-GIvING ATMos-
PHERE.
Persons with deranged and irritable nervous
systems who come to this place from malari-
Gus regions are charmed TO find in this pure
atmosphere soothing qualities which impart
an inclination to sleep in the daytime as well
as in the night And the sleep is sweet and
strengthening The air seems 10 contain
nerve-heaIing and nerve quoting qualities
that charm, and comfort, and fascinate the
unfortunate invalid.
If the merits Of these coast towns as water
ing-places and as a resort for inyalids had
been written up as faithfully as Florida has
been, these hotels and towns would have been
filled wears ago. summer and winter, with
invalids and pleasure-seekers from the South
and North. Notwithstanding an occasional yell
low fever epidemic These cpidemcs have
been rare in these towns, the Bay OF ST. Louis
from only three since this disease
first appeared on this coast two OF them very
light. Those who have visited these towns
and the watering places and health resorts OF
Florida say that the Southern Mississippi
places are vastly more pleasant and
desirable than those Of Florida.
FISH AND OYSTERS.
Like all the towns on this coast, fish and
oysters, shrimps and crabs, abound here nearly
the year round. The boatmen open oysters
fresh from the oyster fields in front and take
them to the houses every morning. and sell
them Tor % to 30 cents a hundred. 4 good
large reddish or five or six founders Just tax
en- from the briny element are sold for %
cents, and soft shell crabs 10 to % cents a
dozen, hard shells at , cents dozen. Child
rem catch crabs buckets full OF them, at high
tide, with a string an ounce or two of meat,
Or a meat bone, and hand net with a handle
to it. No wonder that the Indians loved this
and hated TO give il up to white
men.