Morning journal and courier., 1881-03-14
CORRESPONDENCE.

CORRESPONDENCE. St. Augustine, Florida Its Streets, Ho. tels and Other Pofats of Interest-Or- ange Growfng-Jncksonvfll and Fer. nandina.
 ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida, March 5. To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER: The Florida House, at St. Augustine, kept by Harvey Reamer, a we1l-known Connecti- | cut man, had one room vacant, and that good one, and it was allotted to the weary after sail on the St. Johns of two hours, and ride on the railroad of fourteen miles, at fourteen cents mile. through the wilds of
 Florida. rest and good dinner prepared the minds for 8 carriage ride to view the wonders of the city. First, most of the streets about sixteen feet wide. The Florida House fronts on two of them. The
 Magnolia House, nearly opposite, is on a street of equal width. Each can accommo- date from one to two hundred guests. The St. Augustine fronts on the plaza, square of about two acres. In the plaza is an old Spanish monument and the old market as
 well as monument to confederate soldiers The gates to me are novel One cannot 20 In and out without opening or shutting If
 left open nothing can get in without shutting and 0tce cersG. The St. Augustine Hotel is situated with it's long, broad galleries over
 looking the harbor, the beach and the ocean.
 The old Spanish fort is within a very short distance. The sea wall of perhaps mile-or so is a frequented resort. Boarding houses
 are all over the city Very many people
 spend the winter in them and the hotels.
 The houses are mostly very quaint, the gal
 lerles projecting over the walks, and in one
 instance low enough to come in contact with
 our carriage top. A number of handsome
 modern houses have been erected and are
 occupied by New Workers for winter resorts.
 Flowers in full bloom are showing themselves,
 although the past winter has been disastrous
 to their life. The weather to-day is such that fires are made on the lower floor, while
 we up stairs are writing and lounging with windows wide open.
 The most elegant place in the city is owned and occupied by a widow. It was the home
 of resident who died of grief for his wife,
 who offered herself 8 ransom in a prison
 while he could transact business. She died,
 and he grieved and died. By his will the
 property was to be sold for the benefit of
 colored people of St. John's county, reserv- ing corner lot for the use of one slave He
 is believed to be 113 years old. I saw him
 walking with a cane and heard him speak in
 as strong voice as my own. Being little
 doubtful the driver informed me that his
 grandmother lived to 1OS years of age. The
 present owner of the place has made every
 effort to purchase the lot of the negro but
 he will not part with it. ''Massa Smith
 built me the cottage and gave it to me- I
 want to die in it" The old Spanish cathe-
 dral is yet unoccupied It is said St. Angus
 tine preached the frat sermon preached in
 in the city in it, 315 years ago. Remains of
 the old Spanish walls and gates and the
 breastworks are yet to be seen The city on
 the whole reminds me somewhat of Quebec,
 but more especially of San Antonio, Texas
 The stores are filled with Florida curiosities
 and relics; photographs of ruins, the forts, the
 rr,all ftn klol,
 trees, etc. A view from the top of the high
 est building discloses a full view of the
 ocean, from whence at this moment the wind
 is in high glee. The climate is splendid un-
 doubtedlys; and this city, if of easy access at
 reasonable rates over good railroads would
 become more popular winter resort The
 entire system of southern railroads is being renovated, and will in time reach Florida,
 and when this is done Florida will become favorlte. Orange groves are being planted,
 but people become tired of waiting for crop and many feel unable to hold on and sell out. The production is multiplying and the consumption IS as fast increasing. So that the price will keep up for a long time. One gentleman from New York State whom we met is now on the way to the further part of Florida with his wife, in tending to locate, plant and wait. There is no more doubt of the income in time from well attended, well located orange grove than from sheep or cattle ranche. Either, how ever, does better where necessity compels the man to attend to business himself. Patience, capital and diligence are necessary to insure success in anything. Most of those who have succeeded are those who came for a change of climate, or on account of health. Others have not the courage to endure the privations and climate at all seasons in Flor ida.
 Florida is a peculiar country. The old buildings of St. Augustine are made of shell IL ] beach. The old cathedral is of such. You can pick out the innumerable shells from the old walls all over the city, compressed by ages, cemented by the surf of myriads of years into stone, which when fastened be- comes exceedingly durable, as evinced by the ~ many old walls, the old Spanish fort, the 3f5 years old cathedral, and the monuments in the plaza nearly 100 years old.
 Jacksonville and Fernandina, near the mouth of the St. Johns river, are interesting cities. Each has it's good hotels for winter watering places. It was a few years ago the general remark that nothing good to eat could be found in Florida; but now I will make one quotation from stranger who was seated at Palatka table, Said he: ''This is better than the New Haven House!" What higher compliment can be paid to hotel? Jacksonville has four first-class ho- tells, holding each from 100 to 300 guests, and there are good boarding houses in every part  steamers Oh the St. Johns river can be well spoken of in all respects. On the Ocklawa- ha river they small, but are always filled because of the great interest kept up by the beautiful wildness of the route The climate is so lovely that the March winds are forgot ten by the visitors
 About everything eaten here, except fruit and fish, comes from New York-the potatoes, the beef, the flour, etc. Shad are caught and packed in ice by the thousand for the North. They generally small in size. It is not every place in Florida that can raise fruit. The low lands cannot produce it, and B great deal is low. Scrub palms by the mil lion can be seen in every place. Pine forests are so far from navigation that they do not always pay to cut. Large tracts of pines being burnt for clearing lands, and splendid sight are the fires at night ''Green Cove Springs" Orange Park and host of other places are springing up like magic. ''Manda- rin, Mrs. Stowe's place, is in sight of all the steamers passing. M.