The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-03-26
SHADY SAVANNAH.
Most Beautiful City of DixIe.-its
Streets and Parks--IndustV and
Progress of the hegroes.-confed-
crate Monuments and Cemeteries.
correspondence Of the PnEss.l

II
crate Monuments and Cemeteries.
| Correspondence Of the PREss.l
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla.
March 10. 1888.
| 1t was with reluctance that we left the
quaint, musty, dilapidated old city of Char
lesion, for We were pleasantly located at
homelike hotel and had met and become ac-
quainted with many courteous residents OF
the city, who gave us much information and
in other ways rendered our stay there very
pleasant. As the tourist passes out Of the
city journeying southwark. 1t Is still more
forcibly impressed on his mind that he has
left the North behind him. Vegetation,
shrubs and trees Of all kinds are Of differ
ent order and nature than those with which
he Is familiar at home. The colored quarters
are more prominent fraction of the country
than heretofore and the general aspect Of
things betokens that he is nearing the land
Of sun and flowers. People were to be seen
preparing the soil for the new crops, and al
ready the new cabbage turnip and lettuce
plants were Of very considerable size and the
pea vines were just in full bloom. This to
eyes fresh from the snow and ice covered
fields of New England looked rather TRANCE,
and we wondered If it was really so short a
time ago that we left home: or we're we
dreaming? But we could notice but little
Improvement in the character of the country
through which our route Of travel lay. 1t
was still the same fiat monoton0us type OF
land, so that one would hail with satisfaction
the sight Of hill, no matter how slight the
elevation Of it. The land and the people had
the same tired out and wearied aspect as
that through which we had passed for SO
long distance. As we progressed on our
way the land grew more and more swampy
SO that for miles not a habitation Of any sort
would be seen, and scarcely human being
save the section and other men connected
with the railroad. AS we penetrated still
further into the swampy country, rice fields
began to be seen and the arrangements by
which they are flooded with water at the pro-
per time diverted our attention from the
otherwise uninteresting landscape. We cross
ed, in the course Of our afternoon the Edisto,
Alta Maha, AshepoO, Lalkatehie and other
rivers, and after a ride OF nearly five hours
arrived at the beautiful city of Savannah.
After leaving Washington no city in the
South can for beauty OF situation and natur-
al loveliness claim to be rival OF Savannah.
The town is Of about 4,500 population and
seemed to us TO be the most busy, and had
the most contented and happy appearance OF
any city south Of the Potomac. The city has
an admirable location on noble river, bear
ing the same name as itself, and Is only
twelve miles from the sea. Ehe streets are
laid out in the most perfect manner, broad |
straight and level, and cross each other at |
merous squares is delightful little park and |
in it is a monument or statue. The streets
are closely lined with those splendid shade
trees the magnolia and the live oak. The
live oaks in and about savannah seem 70 De
perfectly at home and apparently the favor
ite shade teee Those noble trees and the
system of streets and parks are the glory OF
the place, and make it the most charming
city Of the far South. Many OF the streets
are paved with Asphaltum, and as they are
so very level and straight. lined as they
are with such beautiful trees, drive over
them in the genial January air OF Savannah
Is an experience not easily forgotten Dy the
wayfarer from the North. The residences,
stores. and public buildings being constructed
mostly of brick, give a solid and substantial
appearance to the place, and the tasty homes
OF the citizens seem to be the abode Oh COM
fort and plenty.
thing enormous, 1t being the second cotton |
port OF the American Continent. A Visit 10 |
the cotton docks Is a trip worthy Oh any one |
who has the inclination and time TO devote 10 |
IT, Here one gets some idea OF the magnl- |
tude of the empire of the cotton king. Trains |
from the interior OF the State and other |
States are being unl0aded OF the almost |
countless bales Of cotton, which are to go In
to the grasp Of the huge hydraulic
compressOrs which, close at hand, are walt
ing for them, and from thence on board the |
big ocean steamships lying at the river side
of the docks. These hydraulic eompressores
are a rcent invention and OF immense power; |
A bale of cotton weighing 450 pounds and |
which has already been s0lidly pressed on /
the plantation where 1t was grown, Is on It's /
arrival at the cotton dock placed In one OF /
these huge presses, and In less than one min
ute is reduced from four feet in thickness to /
one foot, and also securely strapped and /
bound for shipment.
At the same time, some idea Of the business |
capacity of the colored man and the conf
dence repOsed in him, may be gained when Il
it is stated that during three hours we spent
in six of these large establishments, the only |
white people to be seen were the gentleman
escorting me through these docks and my
self all the labOTers, and their Overseers as
well were cOlored, and the work was going |
on with rush and without interruption.
The picturesque points of attraction in
and near Savannah are many and OF rare
beauty. Forsyth Park Is the most lovely |
spot in the city This little gem Of a park
contains about twenty acres and Is inclosed
by graceful iron fence, and filled with state
ly pines, graceful live oaks, beautiful magno-
las, and all sorts OF seni-tropieal shrubs and
plants, that contrast strikingly with the ex-
quisite scheme of garden beneath, laid taste
fully off into winding walks, grass swards, |
vivid groupings of bright flowers Of all spe-
cies; and fantastic mounds OF luxuriant
vines. There are number OF fountains In
the park the one In the centre being strlk-
ingly picturesque. Near 10 TINS locality
stands the monument erected to the memory |
of Pulaski the brave pole, who fell hghtlng |
for American liberty during the war OF the
Revolution. In the next square was unveiled |
the week we were there, (Feb. 22l the nlOnu-
ment to the memory of the heroic Sergt. Jas
per, who fell mortally wounded in the siege |
or Savannah during the same war.
To the north of Forsyth Park proper Is the |
new park extension which contains the Con-
federate soldiers monument. This is struo-
ture Of graceful and simple design, about
thirty feet in height, surmounted by figure
of a Confederate soldier. As the soldiers
monument at Augusta in the same State as
Savannah, which was erected just after the
war contains Inscriptions of a bitter and sec
tional nature, we were quite curious TO know |
what sentiments We're expressed on this
monument in Forsyth Park; We carefully
noted the eastern face which read; "TO the |
fallen Confederate soldiers" On the west
eln face this tender and graceful sentiment;
"Breathe upon those failed, o Breath, that
they NAV live again." The effect Of the
monument and its inscriptions Is teaching in
its graceful simplicity.
-Four miles from the city is Bon0venture
Cemetery, the most beautiful and romantic
suburbs OF Savannah. Great broad avenues
of gigantic live oaks, draped in massive tes-
tOOns of pendent gray moss, give the spot It's
glory, and lend to 1t a funereal aspect. Here |
In this most beautiful of cemeteries over |
looking an arm Of the river, rest those, whose !
warfare in life has ended. No tourist To- Sa-
vannah should leave the city till he has seen !
Bonayenture as II Is unique among the ceme-
teries OF this country J, II. b.