The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-13
A STORY OF THE 'THIRTY's."
The Bird on the Exchange Steeple
Shot by q Camden County Planter.

1
Shot by a Camden County Planter.
1t isl mooted question whether the gilded
| bird on the spire of the city exchange was
cut out to represent the bird Of freedom OF
a buzzard. It was doubtless made by an
amateur artist. and is as old, if not older,
than the old clock which has just been taken
out Of the steeple.
It is said that there is hole in the bird
made by bullet The story as to how the
| bird got shot takes one back to the years
when the present century was quite young
and Savannah, though lively, active COM
mercIal city, was, for all that, quite small
| boy. The old cemetery on South Broad was
| then out of town. Although rather short"
| in population, the town was long" on
every other requisite necessary to make 1t
| lively.
1t was the favorite resort for planters
who wanted a change from plantation life.
The sea islands and the coast country was
then divided into large plantations
High-priced sea island cottons, and the
| then equally remunerative rice crops and
! the increase in slaves afforded an ample in
come to the planter, who lived in comfort.
He was not only planter, but "lord of the
manor, whose broad acres extended farther
than one could ride in a day. His hospitality
was proverbial, and fortunate was he who
was planters guest. His hospitable board
was not only laden with the products Of his
own fields and gardens, but with whatever
money could purchase in the form OF Wand
or edible. The southern planter was no
| idler; his business received close attention.
| There were thousand and one" affairs to
be looked after by him. He understood the
worth Of seeing for himself what was
going on about his vast domain. In the
busy season he was early in the saddle.
and oftentimes it would re-
! 30 I'D
his hard days riding He was as q rule an
enthusiastic sportsman. and was an adept
with gun and rife, rod and line. He also
| had a library in which could be found all
the classics, works on science and the latest
| English literature.
The occasional visits Of the Georgia
planter to Savannah was boon to the inn
keeper. The planter, while careful man
at home or when in business elsewhere be-
came almost profigate when he was on
| pleasure. He spent his money like
PRINCE The planting season having
| closed, 1t was not unusual for the
| planter to fit up his boat-usually a big
cypress log followed out and shaped into
beautiful model, and manning it with
! dozen trained and stalwart Africans, come
% Savannah with his family. The muscles
| OF the strong black arms could doubtless
have brought the boat from the plantation
10 tha city between the rising and the set
ting OK the sun, but the planter was in no
hurry, and sometimes a week would be
spent in Oaversing a hundred miles, stops
being made on the way to pay
social calls long deferred. When at
last the Roat grounded at the
exchange. the planter and his family, if
| they were with him, received a warmi per-
sonal welcome from his factor, and the
next to greet him was the inn-keeper. The
| planters custom was worth having and
nothing was left undone to keep in his good
graces.
The favorite hotel in those days was the
City hotel, the building on Bay street the
lower floor Of which is now occupied as
| stores by Herman & Kayton and Isaac G.
Haas. 1t was a grand hotel, the largest
and best to be found south of Baltimore
| When people arrived from up the country
| they were shown the City hotel with that
same proud feeling with which the present
Savannahian exhibits the De Soto
Under the management of "mine
host" Peter Witberger, a thrifty Jersey
Dutchman, it becaue deservedly popular,
and Wiltberger made enough money out of
the house to buy and build the Pulaski He
was much liked by the planters and his
mouse became the recognized headquarters
for them.
1t was one day in the latter years of the
second decade, or in the early 30s, that a
| NUMBER OF planters were gathered together
on the stoop or piazza of the City hotel. when
discussion arose as to rifle practice. In
those days sixty yards was considered a
good distance to shoot, and banter
was made that no one III the party could
hit the gilded bird on the vane of the ex-
change steeple. The distance from the
hotel TO the bird was just about 100 yards.
Those who remember the old small bore
kentucky rifle and its flint lock will I'M
derstand that it took careful loading
and a steady nerve TO do good
shooting. The Vesuvius-like flash of
the powder in the pan was
not calculated to aid ones sighting. In the
party at the hotel that day was Col. Richard
F. Floyd. planter Of Camden county. He
was son of Col. John Floyd, after whom
Floyd county is named, and himself a
veteran of the Creek war, in which he
served under Gen. Andrew Jackson. Col.
Floyd accepted the wager that he could hit
the bird on the steeple. Going to his room
he headed his rifle with care, and step
ping out on the piazza he sent a bullet
through the bird, the force turning the same
around. 1t was considered most wonder
full piece of craftsmanship, and the story
was the topic of conversation for years af-
forwards. Col. Floyd vas au uncle on his
mothers side Of Mr.. Marmaduke Hamilton
of this city.
z. Nj. G. AS PLAY BALL
Theu Dafaat the CaukroI pa31~oad