The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-02-03
From the South.
DUvAL HOUSE, FLA, |
ian. Dist. 1881. {

Jan. zlsg, 1901.
EDITOR DEMOCRAT:
DEAR SIR-Believing that a letter
written from the land of flowers would
be of interest to many of my friends
and the readers of the DEMOCRAT in
Preble county, l have dared to ask
space in your paper for a display of my
literary ability. Our trip from Eaton
to Jacksonville, the metropolis of Fla,
was attended, of course, with the for
tunes and misfortunes of the traveller.
At Chattanooga we were warmly wei
coined by our friends of the Stanton
House. After visiting old Lookout
Mountain and other places of interest,
we left for Atlanta, Ca, and at the
Kimball House were kindly cared for
NOT particularly on account of our
good looks, but because we were sup
posed to have plenty of money to pay
our bills. Here we visited n of the
largest cotton presses, as also cotton
manufactures, in Georgia, and also
called upon Gov. Colquett, and were
entertained by his honor for neal an
hour, and on leaving his private office
was honored with his autograph. So
you will discover we were no ''small
potatoes" in the Capital of ia. We ar
rived at Macon, Ca, at Up. M, and
registered at the Brown House, where
we spent the Sabbath going to church, |
of course. Many fine buildings were
destroyed here during the war, but the
city is fast building up and has now
p, 900 inhabitants, about two-thirds
colored. At Z As a. m. or Monday, we
left for Brunswick, on the coast. Ar
irving at B. we were only allowed fiji
teen minutes for planting ourselves
and baggage on the steamship I. H.
Plant, and at nee began to prepare for
sea sickness OF old ocean, but fortu-
nately for Us the waters were calm and
escaped any bilious inconvenience.
On arriving at Fernandina we were es-
corted as guests to the Egmont House,
with the understanding, OF course, that
on leaving we were to pay our bills.
Here we visited the beach, finding
some nice shells, after which we killed
three robins, shot at several large birds
and return d to the hotel well satisfied
with our first cruise. Fernandina is a
After spending two days here we went
to Jacksonville by rail. Arriving in
due time, we secured quarters at the
Duval House, kept by Bolly Lewis,
formerly of Cincinnati, O.. The "Du-
val'' is a frst-class house, and Bolly
being a little ~prejudiced in favor of
Ohio men, we can assure all such per- /,
sonal favors here. Jacksonville is a
city of Is, 900, two-thirds colored. No
show for ssthe shot gun argument"
here. There are at this time about
5000 Northern visitors, including many
Southern visitors from other States,
who are here, to attend the great State
Horse Fair, commencing or Tuesday
next. Eli Fisher and daughter, of Ea-
ton, are here, andwill remain until af-
ter the fair. On the 10th we left on a
steamer for the upper st. Johns River,
visiting Mandarin and the cottage of
Hariett Beecher Stowe, the author of
Uncle Toms Cabin. Her cottage is
very neatly built and situated among
the live oak, orange and magnolia trees,
with an abundance of flowers. Mrs.
Stowe, her husband and two daughters
were a. the landing, a short distance
from. her cottage. Harriet Is a tall,
spare lady, with fair complexion and
rather homely, if 1 am to judge, while
the Prof., her husband, is a very small
gentleman, and not quite as fat as my
self. The daughters command the airs
of educated ladies, but cannot be called
handsome. From acre we landed at
Tocci Landing, whence we proceeded
by rail to the old famed Spanish city of
st. Augustine, with its quaint, narrow
streets, some being only from II to 18
feet wide. Here is the Plaza used $50
years ago, for the various sports and
entertainments of the Spanish people.
Old Fort Msnco, built by the Spanish
Government 265 years ago. is still in a
good state of preservation; it is built of
she'll stone, the walls are from three to
foul feet thick, with from thirty to for
ty rooms or dungeons underneath the
massive structure. Old Nance was used
by the Confederates during the late
war, and was, l believe, held by them
during the entire rebellion. Here is
also the old Spanish cathedral, built 800
years ago-it is built of the same mate
rial as the old fort, and is'so well pre-
served that worship is regularly held
in it; the chime bells and old clock are
still to be seen in the front tower. We
gained admission and visited the inte-
rior of this, the Oldest house of worship
in the United States and were much
surprised at the ornamental grandeur of
the altar, the same being adorned with
golden images, moulded and fitted by
the hands of artists 800 years ago-the
seats are made of black walnut, very
peculiar in shape. About rs or 80 U.
s. soldiers are quartered here, l sup
pose for the purpose of caring for the
old fort andcannon, there being twelve
40-pounders placed in position on the
walls, besides several brass cannon in
and around the fort. There are about
10 or II tons of cannon balls stored
here, besides other munitions of war.
But enough of this, the oldest town in
the United States. We now return TO
Tocci, a distance of Is miles aging
only Is cents a mile-and from the
steamer Water Lilly we are landed at
Petalka, % miles up the river, among
the orange groves, where barrels of
this fruit lay rotting under the trees.
We here made the acquaintance of Col.
Hart, a New Yorker, who came to Flor
ida in 1S56-a stage driver-and is now
worth his millions. He is said to own
three of the best orange groves in the
State. In one of his orchards he has
600 trees, 45 years old, and for the past
81 years they have averaged him 2000
oranges to The tree. He pointed out a
tree that he assured me had for the past
u years averaged 1000, and had netted
him two cents apiece. We have seen
~alligators of all sizes, and will, if pos
sible, bring several home with us to
present our friends. We intend re-
naming here until after the fair, and
will then go to Chattanooga; from
there to the Hot Springs in Arkansas,
take a hot bath and come home. l am
much improved in health and would
much prefer to remain here until l. am
assured of warm weather at home, but
my financial condition admonishes me
of the fact that 1 must soon return to
the office of Beatty 6 Sayler. Hence, 1
go. Yours, &C.,
j. r. beatty.
P. S.-Charlie and Oscar are both.
much improved in health. Thermome-