The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-11-21
OUR CITY.

| passed through one of the seVerest
trials a community is ever called up
on to endure. 1t seems tame to one
who simply reads that the business
portion Of the town was destroyed
by FIRE one year ago, but the account
to us ia the record of fearful ex-
perience. The people of Chicago
are justly proud of the phenomenal
growth and prosperity of their city,
but each Ta'atsan can take TO him
eeif equal credit aad claim a place
in public consideration according y.
For if Chicago has done greater
things, the glory must be divided
among nearly a million claimants,
making tie share of each almost in
tinitely small-with us if the divid
| end is smaller so also is the divisor,
and our individual shares proper
tionately large.
Only dozen years ago, and real
estate here bore merely nominal pri
ces; Palatka was sleepy little viii
iage satisfied with two mails per
week and three stores. The occas-
sional tourist who spoke of us from
personal experience was careful to
| say Palatka was pleasant resting
place on the st. Johns near Jack
sonville-now the whole world
knows US, and our exceptional ad
vantages are seen and celebrated Of
ali men. Few then dared to think
of the time when railroads would
pour wealth from every quarter in
to our city, and that the wharves
surrounding our spacious peninsula
would be thronged with vessels
seeking and bringing freight. The
great hotels of Larkin and Oryis
gave to the world that opportunity
of making our acquaintance which
alone was needed to ensure for US
host Of friends. Then came our
| FIRST rallway-the Florida Southern
and tide of prosperity began to
flow in upon US which suffered no
abatement till the calamity of 1884.
Then the fire buried the Palatka
of the past in q heap of ashes, brush
ing away as with the wing of the
great destroyer thousand bright
| dreams based on our past prospect
ty. For one night we mourned as
do those who bury their best below
ed, without comfort or consolation;
but bright smiles were seen on the
stern faces which surveyed the
smoking ruins next morning and
then the future of Palatka hung no
more in the balance. All went will
ingly to work, and the present city
is the result OF thsir labors. II We
are even now in transitional state
what is our future
Let answer be made after careful
inspection of our new brick blocks
Jet the two bundled hammers now
building the new Putnam ring out
reply to be heard Of all men. Let
the dreamer who loved our city of
old rejoice with sigh that she is
changed--iet those who see US now
observe carefully, for the present is
but transitory, like the dress in
which bride shows herself after
the wedding to her admiring friends
let those who plan for the future
prepare carefully for we must build
oil broad foundations if we would
fill the measure of public expecta-
ton and our own need.
The river is already crowded with
stream business attracts vessel
commensurate to its needs-our rail-
roads extend further and further in
to the fragrant south, and rich lands
return of their luscious abundance
from the chill north and busy west
eager hands reach down and par
take of the portable sunshine which
natures alchemy has changed and
sweetened into golden fruit Soon
viii come also the hum of machin-
cry, the rush and roar of a great
Wholesale trade, and the wearied