The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-03-09


Jacksonville has a population of ten thous-
and inhabitants, being the largest city in the
state. Six railroads terminate here, and the
many steamship and steamer lines make it the
starting point for Cuba Jamaica and the Pa
hama Islands. The Indian name for this place
was "Warro Palatka," meaning COWS cross
ing over" In 1922 the town was laid out and
named for Gen jackson, the territorial gov
ernor. The climate the variety of trees and
foliage, make it very new and interesting to
me and the large number of negroes, every
where, add to the novelty of the scene. Only
about one person in five, whom | meet is
white. The true proportion, l understand, is
three blacks to one white.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla, Jan. II.
st. Augustine is the oldest and most interest
ing city in the United States. Everything is so
old that am continually surprised and enter
tanned. When a train arrives, the cars and the
station are surrounded by colored hackmen, or
"coons," as they are called and they have
every kind of vehicle from the incest of car
riages to the OK carts so frequently seen here
in the South. We hired one of these coons "
to take us about the city. One of the curosi-
ties is the oldest house in the United States
II was built in 1865 and is well preserved.
This building was erected for the monks, with
money sent from Spain for the purposes An
other curiosity is a portion OF the old wall that
once entirely surrounded the city. This, and
the gateway with its pillars, and the old fort,
are the only relics of the old fortications which
once defended st Augustine. Old Fort Marion
is most interesting. Entered from a draw
bridge, it is a massive structure, made of " CO.
quina and covers, with the reservations
more than twenty-five acres. On the outer
wall is the escutcheon, bearing the arms OF
Spain and Spanish legend. The city is on a
narrow peninsula between two rivers. In the
center OF the town is n square or court called
the plaza" where there is an Anticipated
market place, some trees and shrubbery, and
and an open building with blocks. where
slaves were formerly sold, called the " old
slave pen The streets are narrow some of
them not more than ten or twelve feet wide
and very dirty. No sidewalks. The buildings
ity about them is the overhanging balconies
built out from the second and third floors over
the streets, giving them a strange appearance
and making them dark and gloomy. The old
buildings are all made of "coquina,' ma
terial composed of coral and shells of various
sizes, forms and colors. The new building
material is composition Of sand Portland ce-
ment and shells
The principal hotels are the Ponce De
Leon named for the Spainard who searched
for the fountain of youth, and the Alcazar"
both OF Spanish renaissance style, and built
around an open court filled with fountains
and many tropical plants. The court is
Illuminated with various colored lights and is
surrounded by pillars and arches covered with
vines The Ponce De Leon" is the larger of
where we are stopping. There are no flowers
here at this season, to speak of, but an abund-
ance of foliage and color i'll the lemon, orange,
oleander, olive, magnolia and palm trees. The
orange trees do not blossom until the last of
February OF the first of March. The fruit
ripens from the middle of November to the
first of December, and remains on the trees un-
til May. Some kinds of trees have no leaves,
now, but are covered with Spanish or Florida
moss. Everything is slow. The people, both
blacks and whites, are indolent.
If the water from sui phur springs is healthful,
few weeks stay in this place would surely re-
store anyone to perfect health, for the water is
so strong | can neither drink it or battle in it.
AT a restaurant where we took lunch, ] called
for glass of milk, thinking that would be all
right, but even this had the same sulphurous
smell. told the waiter that he must have
watered the milk, but he said, No. the COW
must have been drinking large quantity of
the water" If the place that we hear about
the place '' of fire and birthstone" has sulphur
water like this, I'm sure | don't want to go
there.
ORMoND, Fla Jan. 10, 1898.
This is the very prettiest spot | have yet
seen 1t is ON strip of land between the Hall
fax river and the ocean. From "Hotel Ormond, "
facing the Halifax, can look across the river
said to be as wide as the Hudson, to the beau
tiful village beyond. On the stream are light
boats and pleasure craft. Fish of many vari-
man standing on their backs are plenty in the
spring" we are told. The turtles eggs are
found in large quantities, eighty to one hundred
in each nest, along the beach, These eggs are
used at the hotels to flavor the mullins for
breakfast; and the cooks make soup from
the living shell fish that are swept up the beach
in large quantities. Ducks are plenty. also
wild turkeys, deer and occasionally bears are
seen The climate is medium. The walks,
drives and bicycle paths are delightful. There
L. Al A ,Io A
great many beautiful shells are washed up by
the high tides.
There many magnolia trees here, (some
OF them taller, even, than the oaks, also palm
etto palms, and the graceful water oaks. In
and out among this mass of foliage are beau
tiful vines and creepers which climb to the
very tops of the trees.
The hotel proprietor, Mr.. Price, to whom
we had letters of introduction, has taken us
out riding several times. We drove from here
to Daytona, through forest of palm trees fes-
TONED with Florida moss. 1t was grand, and
so warm that was glad to take off my coat.
Daytona is the winter residence OF many
wealthy families from the north, who have
beautiful homes here. New Symrna, three
miles from Daytona, is the oldest settlement on
the coast, south of st. Augustine. All along
the bank for miles are scattered the ruins of
old Minorcan houses with stone floors, Chin
neys and wells, ruins of old sugar mills and
canals.
TAMPA, Fla, Jan. Is.
We came across the state from Titusville to
this place, which Is on Tampa Bay on the
west coast. The principal attraction is the
Tampa Bay Hotel 1t is considered the best
in this country; is second in the world. The
piazzas are of great length and width the ro-
tunda, in which the office is located, is very
large and filed with works of art the ebony
writing room is elegantly finished and furnish
ed the grand salon" is luxuriously fitted up
with rare pieces of furniture and the " solar
ium," which leads from the rotunda to the
dining room, is lined with fine pictures, bronze
groups, and beautiful vases. The casino is a
separate building in the park surrounding the
hotel, and is the place for recreation and en-
tertainments. The bathing pool is beauti-
full feature of the casino. 1t is fifty by seventy
feet, with depth of water from three to ten
feet 1t is surrounded by large dressing
rooms and there is always present competent
instructor in swimming. A fine orchestra gives
a concert every evening and during the dinner
hour, The porch itself is very attractive, and
near the hotel is an orange grove where the
guests go every morning before breakfast and
help themselves to all the oranges they want.
The Conservatives in the grounds are filled
with rare plants from all parts of the world.
The hotel is of brick and steel and is regarded
as an absolutely fire proof structure 1t
has every convenience, luxury and necessity,
nd 80 10,