The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-24
THE PONCE DE LEON,
,.nucHARACTER OF THE ANCIENT
W. CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.

ronited - Significant Decorations
Tho Picture and It's Settng.
From, the Ne,o York EreRing Post
Or AUGUSTINE, FLA, Jan. lS.--In add
.;oD 10 being the oldest town in the United
Sto+os St Augustine is rapidly coming
80 concordance as winter resort, not
Iona for invalids who seek the balmy air
Of Florida, but for people with good health
and abundant means who wish to escape the
Low slush and ice of our Northern winters.
The old town, or, to speak more correctly,
,bs new hotels, are fast filling up with such
lrvuriouslv disposed travellers, and there
arc fewer invalids here this season than
.,,.r before. As a place becomes fashion
oble the balls, hops and similar goings-on
ID if less and less attractive for the
5byscallv weak. st. Augustine has
hacn Graduated from the class
~ ,bealth resorts and is rapidly becoming
,,bat il really proudly claims to be, the
.rinter Newport" BY nature it is admi-
,abIv ADAPTED for such a purpose. Blessed
With a singularly mild climate, there is yet
enough ocean ozone in its breezas to impart
ionic qualities to the atmosphere. Facing
tLe bay which is protected from the ocean
grrf
/ t5era Is abundant room for rowing or sail
. inc and here, as well as outside in the
ocean. there are some very good fish to be
| csnoht The drives and walks are pleasant,
and the studies of negro life and character
around about are unique and fascinating.
The first thing Northern man does after
Getting settled in his hotel is to go out and
look for an orange grove where he can pluck
tbe fruit from the trees himself st. Angus
e Il, oil bap f1S
4 and inst now the trees are loaded with ripe
/ tnit. The stranger can pick all he wants
4 for 1Sc. a dozen, and there Is a fascination
about this way of eating oranges which
induces most visitors to try it again and
again. some making it a rule to stroll out
and eat three or four oranges before break
fast or during the forenoon, just as the sum
mer visitors to Saratoga drink the waters.
do not find that the oranges are any bet
fer here than in New York. 1t is a fruit
which bears transportation well, but there
jsa charm in standing under the tree and
pulling the golden fruit from among the
glossy dark green leaves, which is not
known to the unfortunate who has only
picked his oranges off a plate.
The old fort of San Marco, built by the
Spaniards in 1892, is the next attraction. 1t
looks as if a boy could batter it down with
a popeun 1t is, however, a part of our
Il
ment fertilization it must be sketched or
photographed. The garrison, which CON
ssts Of a solitary soldier, is driven almost
frantic during the season by the hordeS OF
amateur photographers and would-be artists
who endeavor to ''taken San Marco The
local photographer has some views of the
parapets, in each of which the unhappy
Corporal appears wildly waving away the
intruder. Several cunning youths have ap-
81 xurifh ,l,rt
waistcoat cameras and have taken" the
fort under the very nose of its anxious
guard
But, after all, the greatest wonder Of st.
Augustine is the Hotel Ponce de Leon, re-
Gently finished; without doubt the finest
piece of hotel architecture in this country
probably the finest in the world. 1t covers
the space of about two of our New York
avenue blocks in width, and the depth is
equal to the distance from Fifth to Sixth
avenue, in other words, about six acres 1t
has 975 rooms, and the grand dining hall
will seat 800 persons, but these statistics of
dimensions no more give an idea of the
building itself than the statement that the
Koh-i-noor IS larger than a Walnut would
convey any notion of the beauty and bril-
hancy of the gem, and a detailed de-
scrlption is impossible, for the
reason that, being such a harmonious
"uuitS every ulluuUeSG ueutll 10 re-
lated to the entire general effect. The
hotel is built around three sides of a court
yard or garden $50 feet square, with an
elaborate fountain in the centre, surrounded
by ttower-be1s of tropical plants. The
architects, Messrs. CaTrere & Hastings, of
New York. chose the style of the Spanish
Renaissance for the building, and they have
closely followed the best models of that
period throughout the work. The selection
was peculiarly happy, not only because of
It's Inherent beauty and its adaptability fer
the purpose, but on account of the historical
associations of the town and the certain
lmpalpable yet perfectly apparent Spanish
atmosphere which clings to st. Augustine.
moreover, 1t allOwsa wide latitude, for the
style was the old monastic Gothic. strongly
iinged by long and close contact with the
Moors.
The material of which the Ponce de Leon
QUILT Is composite made by mixing
WIN cement quantities of the fine seashells
from the head of Anastasia island, relieved
WIN bold masses of terra Gotta trimmings
me color is peculiar soft gray, the shells
sFing IL a velvety lustre. 1t is really a
nohohth, the walls being cast in the ce-
hent, not built block by block. Two square
lowers 100 feet in height, with heavy terra
QUA balconies and innumerable little
FORMER windows and Spanish turrets,
- any UeilueDCy toward mOnOUOny
which the gently sloping roofs of the
gTqrVed Spanish tiles might have
Ihe terra Gotta which is used is
aot OF the ordinary brick-red hue, but
aaS rich, warm yellowish tinge, very pleas
nls 70 The eye. The immense front gateway
uicn gives entrance upon the garden, and
ne ciostered walk around, has the effect of
@Ie old monastery, while the graceful bal
.9uleS and rich central doorway are worthy
~ kings palace Passing through this
norway, which is in the form of broad
spanish arch, one enters the rotunda which
rus rus up through all four stories of the hotel.
o nue. sI DaSlc shape is square, which, by meanc
al srolned or coved ceilings, is changed to
o cl octagon, and above again to a
.nce This rotunda, with its carved
oa5eh columns, its tesselated pavements
s anI Che elaborate decoration of the coved
~ ncneS, Is in itself sufficient TO furnish
Material for weeks study. Every detail
appropriate to the style of architecture,
~ aFl ilas some direct bearing upon the story
= Nne Old town and the romantic Old
PauiSn knight for whom the hotel is named
, nao sailed to Florida in search of the Foun-
c anI u Eternal Youth. The eight massive
saat yea oaken columns which support til c
foS oS 1oor are each composed of
no Yu laughing Spanish girls stand
No.; oack to back, and sup
SSMtlhg the great weight of the second
so~ with apparent ease. Hero are the Of
uei lne newsstand, and all the offices OF
7 nav. u9leL Everywhere is a vista of magnif