Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-26
UP THE BEAUTIFUL ST. MARY'S.
Its Importance as a River to Geor-
gia and Florida-.Other Matters.

Its Importance as a River to Geor-
Sia and Florida-.Other Matters.
ST. MARY's, GA, Aug. 23.-Edttor
Morning 4Ne,cS: The st. Mary's river
rises in or hear the Okehnokee swamp
and empties into the Atlantic ocean. 1t
is narrow, crooked and deep, so that
| twelve feet of water can be carried as far
| as Traders Hill, Ca, which is called
eighty miles above ST. Mary's. Sixteen
feet or over can be- earriAd up as far as
Orange Bluff, Fla, as well as Kings
| Ferry, Fla. which is nearly fifty miles
from the sea. Seventeen feet
or over can be carried as far
up as Germantown, Ca, which
| is little below Kings Ferry. The river
| is noted for good health, the softness of Its
atmosphere and purity of its water, which
is extensively used for drinking. 1t can
be carried to and from long European
voyage and retain it's purity. This is the
| evidence OF many captains of vessels who
| have experienced it.
The river which at certain seasons of
the year has on its borders many fragrant
| and beautiful wild flowers that perfume
| the atmosphere), has many elevations
upon it, and it will some day when better
known become dotted with grand attract
| i've residences as on the st. Johns.
The principal places on the Florida side
| are Reeds Bluff, Township, White Oak,
| Brick Yard. Woodstock, Kings Ferry,
Orange Bluff, Chalk Bluff, Vernon Park,
Prospect, Calico Hill and DicksOn's
Field. On the Georgia side, st. Mary's,
Point Peter, Griffn's Bluff, Scrubbv Bluff,
Oakwell, Piny Bluff, Merrett's Bluff, Ger
mantown, Temples Bluff, Flee Hill, NAL
cites Landing, COlemin, Corners Land
ings, Camp PInkney, McLloyd's Bluff and
Traders Hill.
THE PRINCIPAL BUSINESS
is now done on the Florida side, at Kings
Ferry and Orange Bluff, and while in
many parts of Florida people are pining
under blasted hopes, based upon the fact
that they invested their all under false
representations as to the productiveness
OF the soil, and whose hopes of future
prosperity hang upon very slender
threads, and in some instances on broken
links, the country around these places
| shows evidences OF healthy prosperity.
Lean truthfully assert that 1 believe for
an area Of ten miles from the ferry and
! the bluff, which includes billiards. sta.
ton on the railroad, more solid prosperity
| exists, all things considered, than in any
portion OF Florida within my knowledge.
The growth on the lands denote strong
| productive soil, and when the crops are
| average corn saw equals any section OF
Marion. Alachua and Columbia counties,
| and the general health Of the county is
good. / consider it much healthier than
| any of the interior counties, and in years
past l saw much of what is really the
! garden spots OF Florida. Kings Ferry
contains two steam saw mills, owned by
Messrs. J. Mizell Il Bro, which give en-
| ployment TO many hands, large number
of whom have nice little farms OF their
| own. They also run store
in connection with their milling
business and are very popular
with their employees and the people who
trade there. billiard d Baily also make
the ferry their shipping point, so that
many millions of feet of lumber are
shipped from Kings Ferry and Orange
Bluff annually. Orange Bluff contains
one steam saw mill, called the money
maker, and is controlled by l.. A. Davis e.
Bros, who are exceedingly popular. In
| fact. all the mill men, the MiZell Brothers,
the Davis Brothers and Hilllard a. Baily,
nine miles by rail from the ferry. are per-
fectly reliable and highly esteemed not
| only as gentlemen of sterling worth as
| business men, but from social stand
| point also.
THERE is BUT ONE STORE
at Orange Bluff, owned by the Davis
BrOJuerB, VINO 10 u uu6 DusiHebb, as well
as the Mizell Brothers at the ferry and
| Hilliard & Bally at their station, where
their railroad crosses the Savannah,
FLORIDA and Western.
Orange Bluff is certainly beautiful
place. containing mill kept In good Or
der and a number Of neat residences,
which are nicely painted. Kings Ferry
has two sides. One side is owned by the
Mizel Bros, and the other side by many
| rot ha,.o NJ
dwellings and the following business
houses: D. Herring, j. K. Davis a. Bro,
w. #. Russell, T. j. Higginsborham, II.
Il. Wright, physician, aud son, drug
gist: DR.. T. d. Hawkins, physician and
druggist; II. E. Blair, jeweler; Miss f.. S.
King, millinery. There are three stores
at billiards, and many thousands Of
goods are sold at the ferry, at the bluff
and at billiards, and the Savannah drum
mers, as true to their interests as the
needle is to the pole, generally know
where to go, and never fail TO visit these
places in and out Of season, and furnish
many goods to the enterprising mer-
chants there.
NV greatest objection TO billiards. Is
the absence of shade trees. One OF the best
saw mills In the South is located there. /
was informed that it can saw zoo logs per
day, The mill has a steam carriage, line
rollers and all Of the new inventions and
appliances, and its owners know how to
run 1t 10 the best advantage.
My only objection to part OF Kings
Ferry is its narrow streets. The Mizell
side has wide streets. Both sides contain
many beautiful trees. Since alcohol has
been banished from the place Kings
Ferry is one OF the most orderly places In
Florida, which is the pride OF It's people.
1t contains a very neat white Methodist
church and three colOred churches.
DR.. l.. T.. Anderson, a noted dentist,