Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-05-09
A MAY BAY PICNIC.
Tallahassee Turns Out en- Masse at
Wakulla Spring.


Wakulla Spring.
TALLAHASSEE, May "A party Of
about forty ladies and gentlemen of this
city visited last Saturday the celebrated
Wakulla Spring, to be present at the May
day picnic, given annually by the good
citizens of Wakulla county on the first
Saturday in May. We were conveyed in
eight or ten vehicles, including the band
wagon, and as they moved out of the city,
the band disc0ursing sweet music, all
hearts felt happy at the thought of
seeing the once tabled but now
historic fountain of youth" The
spring is situated near the centre of Wa
kulla county, about sixteen miles SOUTH
west from Tallahassee, and is destined to
become one of the most noted of both
summer and winter resorts in the South
ern States. The road leading to the spring,
after descending the highlands from the
capital city, runs for the most part through
a sandy, pine level, with but few cabins
and farm houses to be seen along the way.
The sand being deep much of the way the
teams necessarily moved slowly, giving the
eXcurSiOnists ample time for observation
and conversation. | know not the mOduS
OperdRdi of ''killing time employed by
the occupants of the other vehicles, but
in the ''city bus" occupied by your cor
respondent and his fellow VisitOrs-P. ID.
DeMilly, Fred f. Minis, and j. H. Acree-
there was evidently no disposition to
taciturnity. General conversation and
anecdote, with now and then a song, both
grave and gay, were freely indulged, and
thus the time passed pleasantly. After a
four hours ride we arrived at the spring.
Some of us had never before seen it. We
had heard much of it, but had formed no
proper conception of its magnitude and
beauty. 1t is the largest and
most beautiful spring ] have yet
seen, being much larger than Silver
Spring of Marion county. When looking
into its blue depths from rOWbOat about
the centre Of It's surface, it looks like the
inverted dome of the sky, the shells scat
tered here and. there over the bottom, look
ing like so many stars. Fish, large and
small, are sporting about in this crystal
sea, and now and then an alligator NAV
be seen. About 80 feet below the surface
is ledge of rock extending many feet,
the upper edge projecting over, with a
number Of holes or assures In it, through
which the fish dart up and down, seem
lngly happy in the limpid waters of this
neither heaven. From this ledge it is
about sixty feet farther to the bottom,
making the whole depth, at the deepest
place, about 140 or $50 feet. The area of
the spring is about four acres, somewhat
elliptical in form, bOrdered round with
trees, shrubs and grasses-a huge dia-
mond set in emerald! The water of this
spring is so transparent that one may see
on bright day a half dime, or grain of
corn, at the bottom, say 14O feet below.
Let us now speak of the dinner or pic
mic, for 1t was worthy of mention. 1t is a
custom Of the people of Wakulla county
to have picnic at this wonderful spring
on the first Saturday in every May, when
all who will may come and enjoy this an
nual festival. The baskets of refreshments
are spread at one common table, and are
excellent in quality and abundant in guam
tity and variety. On this occasion fresh !
fish, just out Of the spring into the frying
pan, we'll cooked and seasoned, were
served to all who wished, as we'll as
chicken, ham, pickles, loaf bread, biscuits, !
pies, custards, cakes, coffee, iced water,
etc, with genuine hospitality. Your cor |
respondent would tender his acknOwl- !
ments to Senator Swearingen and Mr.. 5. X! 4
CausseauX for their kind attentions on this !
Interesting occasion. There were not less
than 800 people present, and all were |
abundantly supplied, with enough refresh |
ments left to feed as many more. Besides
the feast and bOat-riding on the spring,
the young people enjoyed the dance, ami
mated by stirring music. Old and middle |
aged people sat here and there in groups /
in pleasant conversation; the children
skipped and hOpped in juvenile sports;
While young men and coy maidens passed |
significant glanceS at each other, as much /
as to say, IL have something sweet to tell /
your All seemed to enjoy themselves, !
and as for myself, felt that it was good /
to be there.
WakulIa Spring is destined to be one of |
the most noted resorts in the South, and !
at all seasons of the year. Already DIR. |
SlossOn, of Cincinnati, has purchased the |
spring, with body Of land surrounding
it, and has begun erecting a hotel and |
other buildings with view to the estab- |
lishment OF winter sanitarium. A pre- |
limiuary survey of the proposed Thomas |
vile, Tallahassee and Gulf Railroad runs |
within half mile of the spring, and when |
this road shall have been finished, and |
the spring thus made easy of access from |
Tallahassee, ThOmasYille, Pensacola, |
Jacksonville and many other points, Wa. |
kulla Spring will be visited by more eX- |
cursion parties than any other single OBJ |
ject in Florida, for 1t is certainly a thing /
of beauty, and Keats, you know, says
"a thing of beauty is joy forever."
l have not time and space to 90 into 4 |
description of Wakulla county, hut will |
simply say it is far above sac average i'm !
Florida, having some excellent lands. |
fine timber, good stock range, valuable |
fisheries, and a very hOspitabIe poapIa
In the language of Rip Van. Winkle, NAV |
they live long and prOspers
Among the more prominent citizens
present or this occasion, were DIR. J. L. |
crawford, now Secretary of State; Hon.
Ehos. +. Swearingen, State Senator: Hon.
Geo. W. Tulley, Assemblymans ". Ii. |
Walker, late Sheriff of the county; Nat
Walker, Clerk Of Circuit Court; W. w.
Walker, merchant; Mr.. 5. h. Cansseaux,
o thriving farmer who has takea ais din
ner on this first Saturday ia May for the
last thirteen years at Wakulla Snring,
Judge D|val, late County Judge, aud
about p. IN, the crowd dispersed and
our party returned to the city, having en-
loyed the Gay finely. Long will we re-
member our visit to Wakulla Spring. /.
~ Y d