The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-05-05

and forts were maintained as Spanish
settlement until 1921, when Florida was
purchased from Spain.
The fort-a fine example OF moat,
drawbridge, poftcullis, bastron, tower,
rampant, dark dungeon and horrible pit
for secret death-remains welipreseryed.
II is one of the most interesting an
Equities ofthe place, and will fully meet
all the requirements Of the most exact
ing tourists.
The cathedral, the city gates and the
oldest house, Of which there are Mt least
three, the old slave market and the sea
wall, the narrow streets and projecting
porches make up the features which
strike the eye and convince that one is
not in an an American town.
The stone house, high walls about
the garden, the low arch-ways Tor en-
trance, the rudely finished wells in the
court yards-all speak OF an older time.
The streets are narrow, the width vary
ing from six feet to fifteen to seventeen
feet. They are not paved, and have no
sidewalks. Pedestrians and vehicles
move along together, while notices atfix-
ed to the walls announce a fine against
drivers who turn corners at pace faster
than walk.
An artist who would leave all his hur-
nv behind him and come down to this
place for somewhat OF stay, would find
wealth of material here awaiting the
touch of his pictorial pencil, for the city
lies upon the shores OF tidewater, and SO
has always pictures of water, OF ships, Of
sails seen against the sky, OF docks, oil
dismantled wrecks upon the beach,
while away from the water is the open
square called the Plaza, where are the
slave market, the fountain, the waving
tops of the palmetto and the prickly
points of the Spanish bayonet, the
groups OF loungers upon the benches
under the shade of the wide spreading
branches from which hang the long
punches OF moss, so wonderfully adapted
for adding effect to picture.
But the artists pencil would find the
most difficult work in the treatment oi
the gardens. The low stone walls, the
odd little porches, verandas and Gu,
priciously placed windows, the arChed
entrances and square towers, the great
gateways are not alone, for everywhere
among them arc the climbing roses, Gov
cred with thousands, as 1t seems, Of
roses in bloom, oleanders, both pink and
white, grown here to trees twenty feet
high; the white honeysuckle, one OF the
sweetest OF flowers, climbing every
where, and the Clematis, and the cactus
in great variety. But the lilies must
have sentence by themselves. They
bloom here in fields Elysian, and have
for company the spray which falls IRON
u cooling fountain near by.
Ponce de Leon came yoyaging hithel
in quest OF the fountain OF youth. In
stead OF youth and life he met death al
the hands of the aborigines. Yet al
this remote period the inhabitants Of
our Northern States are beginning tc
taste here i'll Florida the waters OF re
juvination, which the Spanish voyaSel
failed to find.
These new waters are flowing, how
ever, not from the st. Augustine o.
which have been writing-but from
new city, called also st. Augustine, bu
founded and built by a gentleman iron
Boston, under the magic touch OF whose
ambition, wealth and taste has beer
reared an Aladdin building to surpass, i
possible, the beauty OF the palaces al
Versailles and eclipse the magniticenct
Of the Alhambra itself. 1t is the HoteI
Ponce de Leon, built by Mr.. Flagler N
a cost Of three millions OF dollars, but il
belongs to the new st. Augustine and SC
not to this letter, which treats only O.
st. Augustine, the Oldest city in the
United States. c. D.w.