The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-04-23
I'm ANCIENT BILOXI.
ITS HISTORY DATES FROM GEN.
TURIES AGO.
BRER HALL TELLS A FISH STORY
The Traces of other Ages-Present Indus
tries of the Town-Truck Garden
ing not Successful = Great
Place for Fine Roses.
Editorial Correspondence
BILOXI, MISS, April &c

l have before written Of Biloxi for
NEWS and TELEGRAPH-COURIER
readers, but I have not mentioned the
fact new to me, that this quaint town
is the second oldest city in the United
States, ranking next to St. Augustine
in this respect, and dating it's settle
ment from 1897 by d'Iberville. The
fishing and sailing occupied so much of
my time last season that it has re-
NAMED for me to learn that this dis
trict is covered with old shell mounds,
with remains of bones, pottery, arrow
heads, etc.. showing evidences of a
prehistoric race, which would keep
Frank Lyman and Joe Bendt occupied
from now until Christmas, resurrecting
skeletons and other uncanny reminders
of long ago. But they are here just
the same, and were it not for an at
tack of the Biloxi fever, (pure laziness)
from which I am suffering, I would dig
up few samples to bring home,--but
alas, the spirit is willing and the flesh
weak.
The Pottery Works.
Writing of pottery, the art of mold
ing it is not confined to past ages. The
Kenosha visitors of last season will re-
member the guide post at the corner
Of the lane leading to the Orr pottery,
bearing the inscription, " Where is that
burned pottery at?" Well, this pot
terry has grown to be quite a place of
resort to the tourist. George E. Orr,
the proprietor, is a son Of the soil ;
and makes his wares Of the natural
clay. He has an odd little building on
one Of the narrow streets of this odd,
old town. He has built his own fur
mace, and has experimental with every
variety of clay along these shores, and
the result is many beautiful tones of
yellow, green, red and bronze. 1t is
most fascinating to watch the pOtter'S
crude wheel rapidly turning and all
the while his def fingers grinding the
moist lump of clay into odd pieces, no
two alike, showing the peculiar genius
of his artistic brain.
Here's the Fish Story,
"Confound the pottery:" | hear
Jackson, Yule and Theirs exclaiming,
" how about the fshing?" Well, fellow
members of the Annanias society, to
tell the truth about it, I have been here
seven days and haven't as yet caught
anything excepting a cat fish, and a
huge gar which Mrs. Hall hooked and
which rent the tackle as though it had
been cotton string. The wind has
blown steadily from the southeast for
more than a week, and we have been
unable to get shrimp for bait. No
shrimp no fishing, and SO we are wait
ing patiently for favorable conditions
and just as soon as all signs are right,
we have a two days trip to Bayou
Gravline all arranged for. We have
seen no porpoise caught, no sharks,
nor have we been towed all over the
bay by a man eater. All of these eX-
periences seem to have been reserved
for more active members of the Anna
Mas society. For the coming week,
however, we have great expectations.
odoriforous Shell Roads.
The shell roads of the coast towns
are famous, and Biloxi has it's share of
the beautiful drives, having about fif-
teen miles Of these artificial streets.
They begin at the railway station,
where the visitors eyes and nostrils at
once note the peculiar spectacle and
smell Of the departed oyster. One
soon becomes accustomed to the odor,
however, and after time it ceases to
be disagreeable.
Transformation Is at Hand.
Most of the Biloxi streets are narrow,
and many of the houses a century old,
densely shaded and moss veneered,
and the general aspect is one that in
vites veneration at every turn, but
within the past few years modern man
sions and business blocks have broken
into the quaint scene, which signifies
that a transformation is at hand and
soon Biloxi will not be known only as a
resort, but as brisk business point as
well.
Where it Pays Not to Run Factory.
| I learn from those who have tried it,
that garden truck farming in this Sec
ton does not pay. Early vegetables
ripen in Florida two weeks earlier than
here, and the growers there get the
benefit of the high prices. By the time
the crop of this region is ready for mar
ket the prices are down, and the freight
eats up the profit. At least two north.
men have engaged in the business il
this county, and after giving it tria
for two seasons and losing considerable
money. have given it up. The only
branches of business which seem to bt
making money here is the bank an(