The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-11

ably situated In the up-to-date city OF
tampa by about 3 p. m. the next day.
This sail OF 30 miles on the great Gulf
OF Mexico was most delightful and
VIII long be remembered. / hope We
landed at Port Tampa, some nine
miles from the city. Then came Port
Tampa City, hen West Tampa-both
separate t~owns-then Tampa and Yebo
City. which are under one government.
For five days I enjoyed myself in this
progressive Florida city and could
write pages descriptive OF its many
attractions and great progress. IL space
did not forbid Here / met Mr.. and
Mrs. J. V. Waters, OF Southport MIR
Waters is engineer on the Hillsboro. q
government boat With Mr.. Waters
and his brother and Captain ". p.
Sharp. / spent q delightful even;ng,
taking dinner with them aboard the
boat. Here / also met Mr.. S. p. Col
lier, n of the Atlantic Coast Lines
most popular young soliciting agents.
He lives at Lakeland and when I left
Tampa he accompanied me as far as
Sanford. AS we passed by Lakeland
Mrs. Collier and a lady friend were out
TO see him n ] had the pleasure of
meeting them. Town after town was
passed in rapid succession. till Jack
~sonville, the metropolis of the Land
OF Flowers" was reached. This days
ride on one OF the great Plant Sys-
TENS splendid fast rains across the
progressive state OF Florida was indee'
pleasant n instructive and will long
be remembered. Enjoying a good
nights rest at the Windell hotel. ]
was ready early in the day TO begin
another long and delightful days
travel across the states of Georgia.
South Carolina and a part OF the Old
North State 20 Wilmington. passing
through many towns, villages and the
pretty southern cities Of Savannah
and Charleston.
Leaving Wilmington the run through
to New York was made on the splen-
did up-to-date fast trains of the great
Atlantic Coast line and Pennsylvania
roads. passing the fine cities of Rich
mond, Washington. Baltimore, Will
mington CDel.). Philadelphia and Jer-
sey City.
Leaving Havana with the tempera-
ture at about 80 degrees 1t gradually
fell till New York was reached. North
Of Richmond the ground was partly
covered with snow the Potomac river
n other water courses were frozen
over or mostly so, and thousands Of
people were seer skating, while others
were gathering and storing ice.
Reaching New York I soon find my
self comfortably located at the splen-
'i'A i1ONOA ~hA u. HoA oSb. ~
North Carolina, proprietor, at Nos.
663-665 Broadway. After a refreshing
nights rest / was up early taking in
the sights of Broadway and other
streets, now and then coming VI
against one of those twenty to THIRTY
story sky scrapers, till IL o'clock, when
l crossed over to pier %, Brooklyn.
boarded the Ponce n was steamins
out of the ice covered harbor for Poto
Pipn yUa naccQd dnyUn tho hal.hOr nv
the Statue of Liberty. out through the
Narrows, where frowning shores are
grim with giant batteries, past that
low line of sand which, with innocent
seeming, conceals a powerful defense
and out onto the broad Atlantic ocean,
leaving the great city with it's millions
of people and many interesting scenes
behind us.
The Ponce was crowded with passen.
| gers and the start was very pleasant
but during the night we went into a
great storm which lasted till the next
Wednesday morning. Almost all OF
Tuesday night the ship ~'hove-tO," as
the sailors term it. The wind was
from the west and the steamer faced
it and was driven back many mile:
off her course. The waves often went
over the vessel and from Sunday night
to Wednesday morning l did not ge
outside the cabin, but was sick all thu
time, eating nothing during that time
except a few apples and crackers. w
were practically sealed UP. not being
able to as much as have a portfolio
open most of the time. On
window was mashed in by a larg'
wave and one of the portfolios wa
knocked out. The dishes on the tabl
had to be racked in and then otter
they would be thrown to the floor. IT.
add to this, the boiler got out of orde
and a dozen or so men worked TO
hours on it. but the passengers knew
nothing OF this until the next day
Nearly all were sick more or less o
the time.
My roommate was MIR. Henri,
Moser, of Mt. Healthy, 0. His wifi
and married daughter, with two small
children. occupied the room adjoining
US. We were all sick at h sam
time, more or less, and I was afrai'
that the little eight weeks old hab,
would never reach San Juan alive, blu
it did Mr.. Moser's daughter, Mrs
E. Cloper, was on her way to join he
husband, who is teaching school i
Porto Rico. and Mr.. and Mrs. Nose
were accompanying her.
After the storm, which was tn
worst in the history Of the STEAMSHIP
company's service, so I was told. pass
ed off. we had fairly good weathe
till San Juan was reached, but 70
four days we were literally dwelling
in the hill and mountains Of the sea.
Hoping to soc write you again an
that all connected with The Messen
ger are well, 1 am.
Respectfully yours,
]. A. CREWS.