The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-09-28


nearby towns. In the days before the |
war, Pascagoula was one of the most |
noted summer resorts In the south, |
where 1t Is said the wealth and beauty |
of the aristocratic planters families |
from all the gulf states paid homage |
TO the shrine of fashion. Here was a
hotel. now gone to decay, fronting the |
sea, with a capacity for more than n
thousand guests. The changed condi-
tons of life in the cotton states have
made IL more fashionable to spend the
summer at northern resorts, but fa-
nous old Pascagoula. now but a
quaint. slumbering village by the sea-
still presents the charm Of a beautiful
location on the live-oak shaded shores
of the gulf the broad expanse OF blue
water. dotted with islands before 1t
and the wide river winding its way to
the ocean. Age has given this locality
a. hoary aspect, as typihed in the
woods, groves and individual trees.
gray grown with hanging moss, as one
says. "the mourning drapery for
past, dead and almost forgotten"
Ocean Springs.
Thirteen miles westward and fifty
seven miles from Mobile. is Ocean
Springs. which is not on the ocean at
all as it's name would indicate, but
Ii has some fine mineral springs to
give il character and restore the in
valid to health. 1t is on the most ele-
waited site along the Mississippi coast
and has a frontage on the gulf of three
miles fine shell road and driveway
extends the entire distance in full view
of the sound and bordered with mann
moth live oaks oh, what oaks! This
live oak OF the extreme south Is re-
markable tree Of toughest fibre and
picturesque model, symmetrical in out
line. but full of Irregularities. The
branches run in zigzag fashion and are
of enormous size. The top is usually
oval the lower limbs extend horizon
tally forty and fifty feet from the
trunk and not more than ten or twelve
feet from the ground. The trunk, there
fore, iS short. The wonder Is that
these branches. large enough to he
trees themselves, do not bend and
droop toward the earth from their own
heaviness. There is one here that has
| 100 feet spread. There is an old oak
near Mobile whose branches cover an
acre of ground and measure 176 feet
| from tip to tip.
All along this entire driveway in
| Ocean Springs, on one side only, and
| fronting the water are the fine homes
| of people from New Orleans and other
| cities who come here for the summer.
| Many of the houses are colonial In
style, with spacious grounds and album
dant shade. A peculiar feature is that
| ca IN house owner owns to the deep, or
| naviga ble water in front of his lot, the
| water being very shallow inshore, and
| nearly every home has its elevated
| board walk out to the Shannel for
| boating and bathing when the tide is
| low. This walk is laid upon posts ten
| to fifteen feet high with hand railing
| for safety. There are seats along at
| intervals for resting and at the eX-
| treme end a small shed or pagoda for
| bathers, with steps for descending to
the water. The entire water space in
front of the town thus has the ap-
pearance of being gridironed with
these broad walks or piers which eN-
tend out into the bay about the length
of city block. more or less. with "A
little house perched on the farther end.
The water front thus presents scene
novel and striking, unlike anything
|
visitors will find at Ocean Springs,
restfulness and quietude so conducive
to longevity and happiness.
Biloxi.
| Just across the bay, four miles, Is
Biloxi. very odd in name, novel in its
character. and one Of the oldest towns
in the United States. II was settled
in 1899 and was the first colony plant
ed by the French. Here is found the
old civilization in the narrow old
streets. the old fashioned houses with
small windows and panes. and the new
in elegant modern villas and mansions
of the wealthy residents of the CreS'
ccent City. with fine new churches anc
business blocks. hotels with every con
venience and ten miles Of shell roac
along the bay. Like Ocean Springs
these summer residences face the wa
ter along the bay road with larS,
grounds, immense live oaks and mag
nolias, flowers and shrubbary that give
an air of wealth and culture. The BAY
hera is also grdironed with the elevat
ed board walks. or piers out to deeI
water. So numerous are these pier!
, and so closely placed, the bay has the
appearance of being covered will
flooring taking a walk on stills" Th'
Biloxi river runs into the bay here anC
at its mouth is a lighthouse. The milo
climate and opportunities for fishn'
and hunting make it Il charming place
to spend the winter; over 1,6OO tourists
visited here last winter. The people q
small means can come here because q
cheapness of living and convenien
railroad travel
Beauvoir.
, In five miles Beauvoir is reached
another resort made famous as tn
; summer home of jefferson Davis, who's
Z villa is plainly seen from the trail
. nesting among live oaks and mag
/ nolias, his large vineyard extending
I back "A long distance. 1t is typica
2 southern mansion of the colonial style