The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1883-12-27
Our Georges Second Epistle Of the St.


/ 'iiho' guess tLcfc were people on DOafu
from every State in the Union. They come
here many of them, for - they don't know
what. Some in search of health, some for bus
mess, and some for pleasure. Many start from
home with no idea of what they will want to
wear, and the result is sometimes ludicrous
/ The morning | went on board the boat the
thermometer was al 50 deg. 1t was very hot.
and sat in the saloon out of the sun trying to
get cool, when | caught sight of lady that
made the sweat pour right out of lne. She was
evidently lady of wealth, was elegantly dress
ed, wore large diamond ear drops and rings.
and for a rough guess what do you suppose she
had on for an outside wrap? "A lace mantilla,
or some thing of that nature?" Not much no
lace mantillas for her, but one of these long
800 seal skin cloaks, Whew. it makes me
perspire again just thinking of it.
You do not sail Il great while on this river be-
fore You begin to enquire where the towns and
cities have gone, and you think that they must
have gone up North, while YOU have been com
ing down, and You wonder that you didn't meet
any of them. You get out your guide book and
map, and see that there are a towns or land
ings laid down between Jacksonville and En-
terpri>e, and that by good rights on should
pass one every three miles, on an average, but
where are they: am Il little Shy on this aver
age business, for know that il does not work
always. | remember once when I was on a
jury, that ! was cnyeigled into going into an
average on age. | looked around the room and
saw that had the dead wood on them as
was the baby sure and was safe enough. 50
threw my age III with the rest and they melt
ed it down and then added the whole pile to-
sether and divided it up by II. and I'll be
hanged if il didn't put 20 years on my life in
less than minute, and set some old duler back
just that same amount: since then when any
one asks me to 20 into an average, generally
thank them and tell them | never take any
thing stronger than water.
But average or no average where We're the
towns: They certainly are not on the river
where they can be seen. There Hill be Il mar
row wharf, and possibly building or Two in
sight, and that is all. The boat will run along
side the wharf, the capt. and mate will busy
themselves swearing at the men, who are hunt
ingaup the freight, W hich is scattered all over
the boat: the pur>er will stand with his freight
ilst, and look at every package and check il off
as it goes on shore and then the plank j. pulled
IN. little more profanity is INDUCED ill., the
lines are cast off and away we 20. Possibly the
towns are back from the river. but they
surely are not on it. But as | understand it.
all along the river where there is any ''ham-
mock" land, that il a knoll or higher land than
usual, someone will start an orange grove, and
few people will settle in that vicinity, few
miles apart and the man of the orange grove
will be boat and express agent, postmaster,
storekeeper, besides holding what local county
and state offices there may be TO ill in his odd
time with.
Occasionally there will be a railroad tcrmn-
Us. For instance. roco is the terminus of the
81. Johns and St. Augustine r. r., which i, II
miles long. Of course here is Il visible town.
Well, not 10 The naked eye. There i, Il wharf
and a railroad station, open at both ends, made
Of Imprinted hard pine. 4 little locomotive
about the size of a Jersey heifer, and car
little smaller than box of government envel-
ope>. And what do you think the fare wa, for
these II miles, year OF two ago. only s. 90!
This was the only way TO st TO ST. Augustine
from Jacksonville. You must 20 up the river
90 miles. and then take this road or walk and
one Very wealthy man did DO the latter rather
than be skinned, and lis said they brought him
back for nothing in appreciation of hi pluck.
There is now direct road from jacksonville,
aud the fare on this road is reduced a little
from $500 to 50 cts.
At Aston is the terminus of another railroad,
the ST. Johns and Lake Eustce When
heard the name Aston, | saw biz city-in my
mind, but when brought my eve % beam on
it. | saw Il wharf, an open freight house a loco
motive and three ears, good sized new hotel.
and man who sold me an orange and charged
me j cts. for tia Jersey cow that should think
would give about two quarts of milk Semi-dai-
y, mule tied to a stump, and an Old negro
who had on pair Of lavender pants. with the
legs at half mast and nothing else but woods
and swamp. If could have looked behind the
hotel, ! should have seen Il sulphur spring.
so | was told.
But it is not all this way by any means, but
il looked queer to see so little life at a railroad
terminus. Why out west, you let a man % out
in the night with lantern, and lay the termilI-
US of railroad down. so quietly that it would
not make the least noise. and when he went af-
ter it in the morning, he would find town
there of about 1000 Inhabitants and several
men, who had made themselves INDEPENDENTS
rich during the night.
In going up the river the first place one
looks for is the landing called Mandarin Is
miles up. In my mention of distances, | start
from Jacksonville, and no! at the mouth OF the
river, which is some . miles farther down.
is quite well known. because Mrs.
ii. b. Stowe has an orange grove and
spends her winters at her residence here, but
aside from that it has no special interest
The first real town is Pa latka - miles up.
Here is place with some kick. 1t has popu-
lation of about 2500 and is growing rapidly.
state, and it does not hesitate to shut up an
eye, and observe that in few years it viii
warm jacksonville, or words to that effect.
1t Will undoubtedly be IL great distributing
point, both by water and rail. 1t is the term-
nus of the Florida Southern r. r.. has a line
of steamers to Jacksonville, and Il line of small
er boats running up the river. There are sever
al fine hotels, the Larkln, Pu1nam, St. Johns
Carleton and some others. There are two
newspapers. which do Il good business. The
streets are paved with fine white sand, and are
shaded with wild orange trees, which when
was there hung full of fruit. | could not I'M
derstand why no one touched them. | rot OH
on back street where nobody could see me,
when a mOmentary spa>m of klcptomania
seized me, and at the same time seized an
orange from tree and peeled it. and put a
section of it in my mouth. When came TO,
asked the man who was tanning me, if he
could not get me drink: He inquired what
would like and | said vinegar, and would .
i Ike 1t out of a quassa cup, so as to take the
bitter taste out of my mouth. They ought to
put a notice on all those wild orange trees
warning strangers against stealing them or
will get killed yet While in Palat-
ka took a walk through the grounds of il Mr..
Reid. He had beautiful place. A grove of
orange trees, and garden filled with every
variety of flowers many of them i'll full bloom;
also IA vegetable garden, in which | saw bects,
turnips, cabbages, and other early vegetables,
up some six inches. Sweet potatoes i'll abund-
ance, and by the way, they do not grow at
all like our Irish potato, but have Il running
vine, with an ivy looking leaf.
Mr.. Hart also has beautiful residence and
garden here, with not only native, but all
N ..f 1 1