The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-09-17
What Are We Here For?


The natural location of Palatka as a
town site, is head and shoulders over that
of any other community on the St.
Johns. Better facilities for shipments
| by water, either north or south, are not
to be had. Now we have excellent
railroad connections via the j., 7. & K.
W., the Florida Southern, the st. Au-
gustine & Palatka and the st. Johns &
Halifax railway systems, and soon We
| shall have the Tavares & Palatka rail
road into town. At no very distant day
we shall have railroad bridge thrown
across the river, the st. Augustine & Pa
latka, the st. Johns & Halifax and the
Tavares & Palatka railways running
right into the city thereon.
We are naturally the point of distribu
ton for all merchandise, south of us,
and by judicious management our mer-
chants can control the ira de of the East
Coast and South Florida.
1t is as easy for our merchants to float
their freights from the North to Palatka
| as to Jacksonville, and our merchandise
can be laid down to us just as cheaply as
to our downstream rivals.
Our harbor is equally as good as that
of Jacksonville, and it needs but proper
spirit of improvement to place our city
upon a remarkably sound footing as
distributing point. This port should
present a much buster appearance than
it does. Now and then we see a vessel
unloading at our docks, when, by judi
cious business management, we should
have business enough SO that instead of
one vessel being rare sight. we should
have five or six at time tumbling out
merchandise for our traders.
This latter state of affairs can be
brought about, and it is time that our
citizens should be made to see it.
We can induce active, shrewd, mon
eyed business men to enter into trade in
this city, if we hut show them that our
town Improvements are solid and
modern.
We must not suppose for an instant,
that In its present condition Palatka can
really boast of solid improvements.
1t Is true that the numerous brick
blocks in the city compare favorably
with those of Jackson vile or any other
city. But what are solid improvements?
Can any of our readers point to any en-
terpriSe that will give Palatka such a
sure footing as will water works and
sewerage!
AS we are now situated, are IRE pro-
tected against fire? Plainly not. Are
our citizens protected, in any way,
or any diseases arising from putrescent
matter? Not al any respect, and we are
at any time liable to have an epidemic
poucc down upon us and devastate our
town. Capitalists won't invest in any
town as open to attacks from fire as is
Palatka. No inducements are strong
enough to attract people to settle in a
town subject to epidemics. Memphis,
Tenn, is a good example for us.
During the yellow fever scourge peo-
pie fled the town, and no inducements
could be held out that would bring In
sewerage was plotted for the city, and
now there is in operation about forty
miles of sewers.
No epidemic of fever, cholera or any
zymotic disease has made its appearance
since the completion of the sewers, and
the city has increased in realth, lIopu-
idtiOn and solid Improvements to such
an extent as to render comparison with
any city of double its size in this coun-
try in favor of Memphis.
We can get the water works fast
enough. We must have the sew ers, and
are WiH hare them. Then, and only then
can we hold out inducements to men of
capital. a complete system of water
service and sewers would be worth at
least one half million of dollars to our
city, and would increase the trade of our |
merchants to that extent the first year. |
People settling in a city want to feel
safe from fire and sickness. We are To- |
Gated, naturally, as to be susceptible to |
very complete sewerage, at much less |
cost than any city in the State. Being |
so located, we have the say whether our |
citizens shall he healthy or sickly. For
our own sake, for the sake of our wives /
and children, our parents, relatives and |
at large, let us do what should |
be done in this matter.
DISCORD AND STRIFE IN THE