Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-03-28
A Letter From the Sunny South.
March %. 1881.

March 90, 1881.
Jacksonville one of the prcttlcst |
cities of the South, has population of
sixteen or eighteen thousand inhabi-
tants, whicli~is doubled in winter by
the food of visitors from the North.
Situated on the st. Johns river, 20
miles from the ocean. The streets
are bordcrcd on each side with mag
nificent live oaks with ie ;toOns of
southern moss floating like banners
from every bough at twilight it has
gloomy, funeral aspect, but when
the sun shines. it beams down with
such whiting directness as to make
any possible shelter haven to which
the scorching victim hastens with
more speed than grace. But when
once reached all the agony is over, as
it is always pleasant in the shade as
we have u constant breeze. Bay
street runs along for two miles on the
bay which juts out from the st. Johns,
and is the principal business street Of
the city, and one never tires of the
curiosiiics and novelties displayed in
its gorgeous show windows.
Aligators alive, or prepared by the
skillful taXidcrmist meet your gaze on
every side, some twelve feet long
others only few inches, real baby
gators. ,
Beautiful shells fromevcry sea and
ocean on the globe, of every cOnceiv-
able shape, tinted by the hand Of the
Creator with the most delicate and
rarest shades of color he has ever
yet bestowed on any of his handi-
work, some large enough to cradle
an infant, others minute, scarcely
larger than mustard seed, great
masses of sea weed dried and pressed,
pyramids of brain coral, sponges
fresh from the ocean. tho tusks of
sharks, sections Of huge bones from
the whale aud other sea monsters.
stands Of waving feathcry Pampas
grass of every eoudy dye human en-
gcnuity can conceive
And to Western eyes the unique
jcwelry composed of alligator teeth,
fish scales and the famous Florida
tbcan, so called, but supposed to be
driticd from the West Indies and
washed on the Florida coast by the
tide They are Of every color. and
intensely hard taking 4 lustrOus pol
ish.
The taxidcrmists here are certainly
experts; the birds they prepare are
beautiful beyond description, they
appear so lifc-likc that one almost
expects them 10 fly away. Tropical
birds of the brightest plumage poised
daintily on Il twig from their native
woods, with perhaps long legged
crane for company, then again, some
cunning little songstcr pcrchcd by
the side of a great solemn eyed owl
They are mounted elegantly, Will
surroundings suitable to their nativ,
habits; we broke one of the com
mandments, and looked covotously OF
a certain pair, and as the children
say "just for fun asked the price, an,
were told in pompous tones "On'
h hundred and twenty-five dollar
madam, and cheaplat that, we didn'
faint, but sigh went up from on
pocket, and little wish that w
were Jay Gould for at least iirtccl
/, minutes struggled around the plac
where our heart ought to be, and tn
only comfort was that little consolin;
verse which says at is easier for
B. camel to go through the eye of nee
die, etc." but the most of us wOul
gladly take chances with the camel
The s.. Johns river presents q live
T. ly view, dotted over with coastin!
schooners with their great towcrin
masts and white sails, fine sid
wheel steamers, Revenue cutters
sail boats, and fishing smacks 9
every description; often an occa
steamer from New York comes i
Y with flags and signals flying maxim
quite grand appearance.
The fish markets are quite intcres
T ting, great banks .of oysters in til
shell, huge chests of fish packed j
ice, immense turtles, crabs, clam
- shrimps and everything catable frol
the fish world. The vegetable MAJ
X kct has been splendid all wintc
Every kind of vegetable grown in I'll
L. S. is in the market and has bee
since the 18th of Feb, fine strawber
ries are selling now for 35 cents pt
quart. In Jan, they were $l.00 bl
decline as the supply increases.
There are nineteen hotels; boart
ing houses are inmumcrablc. TT
, hotels are conducted on a mammot
scale. The St. James takes precet
ence, has park in front; includiu
- the basement it is six storiC
high, covers an entire block, and
hight lightcl up by electricity pre-
m ents magnificent appearance. III
es. Everette and Carleton come next al
are quite tony, but those who regist
- at the st. James are considered "tC
utterly too, too," to be criticized
Too much can not be said of this d
- lightful climate ;at the present writii
i l., T..