The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-03-27

THE ST. MARKS RIVER.
One of the most remarkable and beau
tiful rivers in Florida is the St. Marks,
and it seems strange that it is so little
known or, written about. Its entire
length is about so miles. Il rises or
heads in spring in cypress swamp, l2
miles east of Tallahassee, near the st.
Augustine road. The spring is about 100
feet In diameter and near 200 feet deep.
The water is very clear, Except just after
heavy rain,) and at the bottom there
eeems TO be large rock, that has been
split open by some powerful convulsion
of nature, through the assure of which a
stream of water gushes upward and then
flows south, forming river about 200 feet
wide and from s to 80 feet deep. The
spring is surrounded by very large
and tall cypress trees, whose limbs are
decked With long gray sombre looking
moss. The river flows in southerly di-
rection 10 or IL miles, to what is known
as the Natural Bridge" and there sud-
denly disappears in the earth, and rises
again in about 100 yards. The space in
tervening, perhaps should say bridge, is
covered with q dense growth of hard
wood timber, except the part occupied by
the wagon road. A canal was dug around
the bridge many years ago, by the Fed
ersi government, at an expense (so am
informed) of $4,000. It is about 100
yards long and in width just the length
Of my horse and buggy. 1t is dry how
deep it originally was, l can't tell; and /
can't conceive what it was dug for, as
doubt if vessel of any size ever passed
through it.
During the late war battle was fought
at the bridge between the Confederate
and Federal forces the latter were mostly
negroes, and there were quite a num-
Der killed and wounded. The ammunition
OF the Federals gave out and they were
compelled to fall back to their vessels in
the Gulf of Mexico. From the Natural
Bridge to the junction with the Wakulla
river, the st. Marks is over 200 feet wide
and from 10 to so feet deep. A short
distance below the bridge is what is called
the basin in the river, which is beau
tlfui sheet OF water near mile in length
and one half in width. The water in the
river is so clear and transparent that very
small particles can be plainly seen on it's
bottom it is cool and excellent for drink
ing in the hottest of weather. The
channel seems, as it were, scooped out of
solid rock. Every now and then springs
are seen bubbling up from the assures in
the rocks In the bottom of the river. sew
eral of them powerful sulphur springs.
Along the banks are numerous mineral
springs, whose waters are said to contain
great medicinal virtues, and majestic trees
and towering shrubs, many Of them very
beautiful. The soil along the river is
very rich and productive, and near it are
some of the finest grazing lands in the
State. Near the site of the old town of
Magnolia there are rapids in the river
which prevent sea going vessels from go
ing up to the Natural Bridge These
water power for manufacturing purposes.
The numerous and great variety of min
eral springs along and near the river
ought to make it the greatest health re-
sort for invalids in the State
The lands along the river are princi-
pally owned by non-residents, who are
holding them out of market. with the
hopes that there will be "big boom"
in real estate one of these days, and they
will find themselves suddenly rich some
bright morning in the near future.
THE DEAD CITIES ON THE ST. MARKS RIVER.
The st. Marks river is the abode of
dead cities and towns. A few miles above
the Natural Bridge is the town of Rich
mond; it was laid out soon after Florida
was ceded to the United States, and grew
to be quite little place and then died.
A short distance below the Natural
Bridge arose Rock Haven, a once gay
and fashionable place; its inhabitants
were principally composed of rich plant
ers' families. 1t ceased to exist many years
ago. Three miles below, in 1928, the
Hamlin Brothers of Maine, brothers of
Ex-Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, laid
ont the town of Magnolia, at the head of
navigation for sailing vessels on the St.
Marks river. 1t soon became quite a
commercial place of several hundred In
habitants. 1t had q bank and the ablest
conducted newspaper in the Territory,
edited by Augustus Steel, brilliant and
gifted writer and an able and fearless ed
itor. The building of the railroad from
Tallahassee to St. Marks took away its
trade and it languished and died. Not q
house now remains to mark the spot.
Three miles down the river, in 1859, Dam
iel Ladd, brother of Hon. g. w. Ladd,
late member of Congress from the Ban
gor District in Maine, laid out the town
of Newport, near some large sulphur
springs famed for their medicinal virtues.
It grew rapidly, and soon became -four
ishing little city of 1000 inhabitants and
several ine hotels thronged with guests.
II was the famed health resort in Florida
for invalids. There were several manu-
featuring establishments erected and it be-
came both 9 manufacturing as well
commercial city. During the war the
manufactures and . greater portion of
the city were destroyed by fire. After
the war the real estate in and around the
city passed into the hands of non-resi-
dents and its inhabitants left for other
parts Only two white men, George w,
and Joseph n. Ladd, sons Of Daniel Ladd,
and few negro families, reside psrms-
nently here. They beth talk of leaving.
Rev. Charles Beecher has nice residence
and little farm. he generally spends
his winters here. Therc has been quite .
number of strangers here this winter, VS.
iting the springs, and they ~ seem de-
lighted with them and wonder Why there
Rsx@A - .ss -. q 49, s.s.1 n rSl1 49,,