The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-08-06
CITY OF THE DEAD.


CITY OF THE DEAD.
About q half century ago, as the
story has been told to me by an old
settler OF florida, the city Of st. Joseph,
Florida, was a fourishing city o1
thirty-ive or forty thousand inhabit
ants, visited by people from all parts
OF the country in the interests Of bust.
ness, pleasure or health.
At that time on a fine day pleasure
boat containing doctor, his wife, and
some other persons were out on the
bay Of st. Joseph, and visited a
schooner, in from some part Of the
West Indies when they learned that a
sick Negro was on board the schooner.
The doctor prescribed for the negro
and bled him. Then they all went
home without the least idea that his
little act of kindness would cause the
death of thousands Of people and the
destruction of the beautiful city. But
such was the case for the disease
proved to be yellow fever and they had
all taken it. Not knowing how to
handle it as we'll as they do now, it
spread like wild fire and a regular
panic ensued. People fled to the
woods and surrounding country and
even there died by hundreds with in
many cases none to minister to their
wants or bury their wants or to bury
their dead bodies. iSingularly enough,
it is said, that while so many died, the
negro who caused it all, by some means
while struggling with the disease,
managed to reopen the wound made by
the doctor and bled almost to death,
but from that time commenced to i'm
prove and finally recovered.
To-day all that remains of the city is
the cemetery, the tombs of which are
nearly all built Of brick and marble
above the ground, the country being
quite low. Some of the tombs are
quite costly and the Inscriptions show
that a great many died on about the
same date. The houses and business
blocks, many Of which were very fine
and costly, have all been carried away
SO that nothing remains but the streets
which can be readily traced by the old
brick sidewalks, and people even now
go there occasionally and get brick
from some old wall which they discover
usually out some distance, under the
water, for the waves and tide have
washed away several rods of what used
! to be wharfage and city.
A short time ago fishing party
were camped there and during day
when they could not fish they spent the
time looking round. They say that
the tombs are falling to pieces some on
account of time and the weather but
are not otherwise injured. During
their rambles they came upon what
seemed to have been the bottom of an
old open well, though now it is just in
the edge of the water where the bank
has caved and fallen. A barrel had
been sunk in the ground and it may
have been where some one buried fine
table ware, as pieces of the finest ware
were found there, or it may have been
the bottbm of an unused well and only
refuse deposited there. Still I would
sooner think some one hastily buried
his or her fine china, cut glass, ETC.,
there during the panic and the waves
driving in had brought ruin to it all.
There were a couple of very fine
though small bells, (of course the
handles were rotted away several
door keys, and various other things.
But what excited the most interest of
all was a copper coin about the size of
the old big cent of fifty years ago.
On one side was the picture, or figure
rather, of a woman in flowing gar
ments and around the edge the words
Am I not a woman and sister, and
the date 1885, Tor 81; on the other
around the edge 1.-THE United States of
America" and the Gate, and across the
middle the word Liberty" Now the
question arises is it a rare old coin? or
is it medal presented on some occa-
sion? Those who found it would really
like to know. The old site is attract
ing a good deal of attention and there
I, is a strong probability of its again be
coming an important center of ship
ping and commerce. The harbor is
excellent, and the old roadbed would
need brit very little repairing to make
it ready for the rails. Quarantine
regulations are so much better now
and the fever is so much better under
stood that probably no such thing will
occur again.
MRS. L. H. PRATT.
Cramanton, Fla, July 81, 1896
SEEN IN THE EAST.
Since leaving Buffalo I have had az