Savannah morning news., 1886-06-18
FLORIDA SKETCHES.
PALATkA'S GRACEFUL SPIRES
AND STATELY EDIFICES.

A Terrible COnfiagratiOn-Rapid RecOv-
cry ry-CommerciaI Importance - Arte-
sian Wells-General statisties-COl. II.
L.. Hart, a Notable Pioneer-The City
Press-Rapid Advance in Real Estate.
The Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West
railroad is already considered one OF the
most important highways of the Penin-
sular State. Its volume OF business is
steadily and rapidly increasing, and the
trains move with clock-like precision and
regularity. Indeed, it has already be-
come matter for wonder how the people
in this daY, when speed is the chief desid-
eratum of the traveller, were willing to
submit so long to the tOrtuous naviga-
ton OF the st. Johns.
Leaving DeLand, pleasant run of two
hours brings you to Palatka. with its
graceful spires and stately editices. 1t is
located on a picturesque bluff on the
beautiful bay of the same name, which
iuts out from the majestic st. Johns. In
the rear the ground continues to rise to
the height OF 80 feet or more, affording
many lovely and commanding sites for
private residences,
A TERRIBLE CONFEDERATION.
In November, 1884, the place was visited
by disastrous fire, which well nigh
swept away all the business portion, in
Guiding docks and wharves. For time
the spirit aud enterprise of the people
seemed paralyZed, but soon the natural
advantages of their city asserted them
selves, and the work of restoration and
rehabilitation began. Earnestly and with
out abatement has it been continued until
at length nearly all of the yawning
vacuums are closed again with
SPACIOUS STORES AND OTHER BUILD
INGs,
decidedly metropolitan in their design
and architecture. Built of hard Georgia
brick and furnished with every modern
convenience, these solid blocks of busi-
ness houses present most imposing ap-
pearance, while the varied and extensive
stocks OF merchandise they contain
evince Enthusiastically the trade and COM
mercial Importance OF the town. The
slight fall in the St. Johns causes the
tides from the Atlantic daily to ebb and
flow up the river as far as Paiatka to the
height of Is inches, and the water is SO
brackiSh' that crabs, mullet and black
bass abound in the bay.
The new Jail, built OF brick, two stories
high, and equipped with steel cages for
criminals, cost $l2. 500, and is a fine struc-
ture.
PALATKA'S HOTELS
number five, and are one of the prominent
features of the town. The Putnam has
been rebuilt on more magnificent scale
than ever, and contains 1876 rooms. The
largest houses areclOsed, but the Phenix,
an elegant structure of brick, recently
finished, with new furniture, carpets and
bedding, all nice and handsome, and
table supplied with the best viands in the
market, keeps open the year round. The
writer was the guest of the clever prOprie-
tors, Messrs. Smith Il Edwards, who.are
deservedly popular. They can accommO-
date over 100 visitors.
RAILROADS.
PaIatka is already a railroad centre.
Within the past few days another iron
arm has been extended to the ocean by
the completion of the "St. Augustine and
Palatka'' road, which cOmpasses the in
tervenlng distance in single hour, and
direct communication has been opened up
with every important point in Florida.
The locomotive and machine shops of
the 'Florida southern and Jacksonville,
Tampa and Kew West railroads have also
been located here, which will greatly in
crease the trade and population of the
city. Owing, too, to the fact that the
THROUGH RATES OF FREIGHT
from the North are the same as to Jack
sOnVille. Palatka is becoming fOrmida-
bic competitor to the metropolis OF Florida
for the traffic of the interior. Already her
population exceeds 1000, and with the
completion OF other railroadF connections
and business projects now on foot, this
pIucky little city has the assurance Of a
bright destiny in the future. No less
than
THIRTY ARTESIAN WELLS,
about 250 feet in depth, afford an exhaust
less supply of the purest sulphur water,
some OF the jets rising to the height OF
near twenty feet.
There is, strictly speaking, no organ
lied fire department, but the city owns
one steam and one hand engine, and en-
Joys the protection of volunteer hook
and ladder company. In the light Of the
sad experience OF the past, however, these
means of defense against the fire tiend are
extremely inadequate. The educational
facilities also fall short of what might be i
expected, and the city needs more CON-
mOdious accommodations for her schools.
These, it is SAID, will soon be supplied.
Several building contracts for handsome
structures of brick have recently been
made, and it is thought the gaps in the
burnt district will be nearly all closed be-
fore Christmas.
MORE STATISTICS.
The town contains eight churches
three colored }, two private schools, three
saw and planning mills, two national
banks, an ice factory, public bath house
and ten lawyers. The following are some
Of the leading business firms:
Dry GOods-L. Falk and e. p. Deve-
ruX.
Hay, Grain and Building Material
VIM. f. Forland. This gentleman is also
Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Staple and Fancy Groceries-B. j.
Grooms, with bakery attached; b. f.
Barker and /. l.. Purcell.
Hardware and Building Material-E.
T. Lane.
Dealer and Manufacturer OF Harness,
Saddles. etc.-R. G. Sanderson.
Furniture and House Furnishing Goods
B. l.. Lieuthaland.
Undertaker-E. X. Tanner.
Wholesale and Retail Grocers-Rich-
ardson g. Co. and A. NJ. Haughton a.
Brother.
Clothing, Boots and Shoes, Etc.-M.
Loeb.
Drugs-Jackson & Ackerman and R.
Kersting.
Crockery and Glassware-M. W. King
4 Co.
Domestic and Imported Liquors-T. H.
Haley j. Co. and p. Cunneely. Mr.. Haley
10 from Indian Spring, Ga.
Meat and Produce Markell. X. Gray
a. Son.
Private Boarding-A. r. Cannon, pro-
prietor Florida House.
Skating Rink-Y. T.. Sparks.
PERSONAL.
4 n Unlhtvfn 49, IL