The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-11

and Atlantic railroad was finished
TO River Junction in 1888. It
lands and receives passengers at a
little platform on the eastern side of the
river. just below the Florida Central and
| Peninsular wharf. From the river to the
junction the trestles and tracks of both
roads run parallel. One mile above the
river station the ChattahoOchee and Flint
| rivers have their confluence, forming the
Apalachicola river. From here to the city
and Bay CT Apalachicola 1t is a distance of
/ l2O miles. cambridge. the present head Of
navigation on the Flint is 80 miles above
this point. Columbus, the head Of naviga-
lion on the Chattahoochee. is 240 miles
above us.
The steamboat business is a big thing on
these rivers, and it must be profitable, judg
| ing from the number of boats running and
the superior character of the vessels them
selves On no river in the south (the st.
Johns and Mississippi alone excepted) does
the traveller meet with such elegant and
| comfortable and fast-running steamers.
| There are five boats in active service, all of
them triple-decked aud fitted with all mod
ern improvements, including electric lights
and safety appliances. The names and
captains of these steamers are given below,
Fannie Fearn, Capt. Mum.
Milton II. Smith, Capt. Scull.
Ellis, Capt. Lapham.
Naiad, Capt. Whitesides.
| Lotus, Capt. Randlette.
| All of the boats ply between Columbus
and Apalachicola, the round trip consuming
| about six days.
~
| Apalachicola, or 'Apalache," as it is
called for short by the boat people, possesses
the distinction of being the only American
port OF Importance which is not reached by
any railroad. All communication with the
outer world being by water, the steamers
| passing ChattahOochee are, of course, the
| sine qua non of the traveller, as well as the
citizens of Apalachicola. The government
| pays So COO per year to the steamboats, for
carrying the mails there, and at this little
station the pouches and bags are trans
| ferred to and from the steamers There is
| telegraph line to Apalachicola, which ex-
tends across the country from Mariana, on
the Pensacola and Atlantic railroad.
~
The agent of the Florida Central and
PenlnSular and the boats at the river
station is genial Joe Albert, who has been
here several years. He is popular with
| everybody, and is as clever as he is red
haired. He and his amiable little wife keep
the Riverside hotel, and set an excellent
table, and provide the traveller with clean,
comfortable room. They do all in their
power to make their guests feel at home,
| and certainly contribute much toward
making stay at that quiet and lonesome
place endurable.
The student of human nature can find
rich field here in which to pursue his inves-
| LEGATIONS. All sorts of people stop here-old
and young, rich and poor, male and female,
American and foreigner, Jew and gentle,
| military and civilian, business man and
| tourist, drummer and man of leisure. Hav-
ing some time on my hands one day, l be-
came interested in some Of the ''scribbling''
| left on the walls of the hotel Office and hall
way also in some of t 10 bed rooms, and as
some of these pen products are quite origi-
nal have preserved them.
~
One would-be poet, who seems to have
struck the place when the boats were badly
out of schedule, writes:
Great God of love,
Look down from above,
Upon us in tender compassioni
And send us a boat
Anything that will float
| No matter what the fashion,
This is signed 'W. L. F.,n May 4. 1886.
| Underneath is written the feeling sentence:
81 indorse the above"
! [Signed.] W. K. AULICK,
Lexington, KY.
Another scrub poet, who has failed to
| give his name, writes in a bold, defiant
hand:
Men that travel on the river
| Are sure to get worried,
| For you can just bet your liver
| These boats can't be hurried
A rhymester (who is probably from
Savannah gives us the following beautiful
lines:
| The rose is red,
| And its leaves are green;
| Here is my name
| When amt to be seen.
| "A, J. AMARAN.
"Miss Addie Fountain" under date of
"June, 1887" writes: Detained here three
days and four nights" IF Miss Fountain
had remained much longer she would have
probably become liable for "street" taxi
An unknown Eoralist inflicted upon us
the following:
In God we trust,
| But the devil is to pay.
June 1, 1883.
ga. Ludwig. June 5, 1885," seems
to have left his rabbit foot
at home. Here is what he writes {:
"Got here Just in time to be too late for
the 1920 train. o, Lord!"
| was greatly moved by the following
lines, the author of which failed to append
his name. Says he:
o, Lord make us truly thankful
For the blessing we are about to receive,
| For the BOAT IS COMING!
Another party writes Immediately under
this: AMEN
A good many autographs adorn the walls,
the authors of which-if perchance they
should read this article-will smile as they
recall the episode.
Atlanta is represented by IA. F. FrizzelI
representing F. E. Block" Jacksonville by
Bert Clarkson, April z, 1882" and Balti-
more by Nat Rosenheim." Apalachicola
has representative in "E. H. Hopp." and
Fort Gaines in 81. f. Thompson" "F.
Hugh Coryell, Chicago, ILL.," registered on
the office wall June %, 1889, but strange to
say, indicated no preference for the loca-
ton of the worlds fair. ''Sadie Hopkins
| Newport, K. L." left her chrography on
the wall, also &c. H. Floyd" and "W. F.
Hancock"
Sig. NJ. Goodman of Savannah says
Come, take us away. Aug. %, 1885"
In one of the rooms l find touching
tribute to former proprietor of the hotel
and predecessor of friend Albert. Some one
has written:
John P. Jordan, formerly Propr. of this
place."
Beneath which is inscribed:
''See that his grave is kept green"
~
The gentle zephyrs of evening fan nv
cheeks, the soft murmuring of the river
lulls my senses to repose, my revere glides
into unconscio usness, and my unfinished
cigar drops from my hand as lean back in
my rocking chair and gently sink to sleep.
| Harkl am | dreaming or is il the whistle