The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-13
GULF COAST RESORTS
PLEASANT PLACES FOUND ~ LOUIS
lana AND MISSISSIPPI.
Beautiful strip of Country Between
New Orleans and MobiIe-HOw
To Travel in the south.


Having looked over Florida with the re-
suit of finding it too warm and unhealthy.
and over Georgia and the Carolinas with
the result of finding few places III these
latter States about right as winter resorts,
1 turned my pilgrim feet towards Missis-
sippi and Louisiana last week. TO see If l
could not find in that part of the South
territory TO which I could apply the term
Just right" instead of that qualified form
of praise, about right which have used
in commencing the three Atlantic coast
States above named.
There is strip Of country along the gulf
coast between Mobile. Ala, and New Or
leans, La, about 200 miles long, which was
i'm many respects intended and fitted by ma
ture for winter resort territory. This fact
is patent TO the most careless observer who
passes by rail through the strip in question,
and it is made indelibly strong i'm the mind
of any one who will stop off at certain
points and inspect at close range the vari-
Gus natural advantages and attractions of
the gulf coast.
The principal places already in process of
development as resorts are Ocean Springs,
Biloxi, Pass Christian and Bay St. Louis.
These are all about up TO the average of
similar-sized Florida villages in general APP
pearance. healthfulness, climate. etc. and
in respect to their water side attractions
they offer peculiar and superior induce
mcnts TO visitors. The Mexican gulf is
better body of water than the Atlantic
ocean as a playground auxiliary. so to
speak; for a resort place it is as smooth as
a mill pond al most times. and, lying to the
south of the shore line the breezes from off
its broad expanse are milder and balmier
than those of the Atlantic. which saturate
Florida with the dampness that is always
feature of an east wind from off the ocean
The water of the gulf is warmer. and If
anything saltier than that of the sea. In the
absence of the roar and tumut that make
the boiling surf of the ocean side thing
Of dread and horror. the calm and placid
pillows that gracefully and noiselessly roll
in upon the gulf beaches inspire ones con-
hdence and familiarity. \ child will ''chum
up TO the gently ripping waves of the
waterside at any of the gulf resorts and
sail its chip boats thereon. while those
adults VINO like fishing and sailing can go
out miles on shore without fear of sea-
sickness. This, of course. when Father
Neptune is in his anna BILE mood. as ne near
ly always is i'm these waters When his
temper is up he can show his teeth
aqueous domain, but, as has been said he
rules this part of his kingdom in a spirit of
habitual benignity. No waters under the
sun are better stocked with fish than the
deeps and shadows of the Mexican gulf
and not only the gamieSt but the most de
liCious specimens Of the finny tribe abound
therein. The plucky tarpon and the lus-
cious pOmDanO are only caught off the
gulf coast and il will go without argument
that here truly and indeed is the fisher
mans paradise. Oysters. clans and
nf Il ~ira lion
fine and plentiful at all points bordering on
the gulf. remember one morning a BIZ
loxi the hotel waiter came to my bedroom
door before | was IN to get my breakfast
order. Later. when | sat down to the table
and didn't see the raw oysters / had ordered
/ remarked TO the waiter: You were
strangely and wonderfully previous i'm So
Letting. my order for breakfast. and yet 1
don't ind any oysters on the table "Oh.
boss, we never digs oysters to be served
raw for breakfast until youso done eat
your mush' said he. DE boy is right dar
on de shO' now diggn' 'em, and III have
70. oysters on. de table by de time yo' finish
yo' hominy.' he continued. And sure
enough, / looked out and saw the dig
gin was going on. and | got my oysters
fresh. fat and juicy, direct from water to
table, few minutes afterward.
FRESH SEA FOOD.
To those who understand and appreciate
the value of freshness in enhancing the
pala tableness Of sea food, this illustration
of how that class of table deicacy is
served along the gulf coast will appeal
quite cOnvincingly / think, as d confirma-
tion of my statement that from its water
side point of view the said resort district
offers some peculiar advantages TO visit
ors. And not alone in sea food, but in
game from its numerous stretches of bayou
marsh country which are the background
of all this coast section; these gulf re-
sorts furnish the fiat of the land to
their frequenters Everybody knows that
the bayous and marshes of Louisiana and
Mississippi are full of game, and that the
sportsmen and gunsmen find here all that
their most ardent taste desires. The
nearby markets of New Orleans are filed
with delicious fruits, meats, vegeta bleS,
etc, and gulf coast resort doesn't have
TO send north a thousand miles for its
table supplies as most Florida places
have to do. Stale stuff and canned stuff
are consequently no part of a gulf coast
hotel menu. as they too often are of the
layout one gets at some Of the best
hotels in the sO-called ''land of flowers ."
To be within from one to three hours
ride by rail of a large city where every
luxury or necessity civilization supplies
is readily obtainabe furnishes in itself,
10 my mind, an incalculable advantage
that the gulf resorts possess over their
Florida competitors. whose nearest source
of supplies of the size and class New Or
leans represents is Baltimore. twenty
eral appearance the winter resorts of
Louisiana and Mississippi cannot be called
beautiful, but they like most of the small
watering places abroad, arc certainly
unique and picturesque with peculiar
charm all their own. The pungent odor OF
fresh caught oysters pervades the air. and
the shells of that favorite biValve form the
clean and firm foundation of every walk or
road within ones sight. On all sides the
wheels of life move lazily, as If il were in
absolute and normal harmony with nature
here to talk. think and act calmly or even
| indOlently, in this soft and dangerous air
by the side OF this great CLASSY saline pond
which stretches away east, west and south.
Ike a vast liquid mirror and croons for
ever to the listless shore a low, sweet. SOM
nolent lullaby. People in the shops buy and
sell in "A quiet. Tve-got-a -day-to-do-it-in
manner; pedestrians creep snall-1ke along
the streets. and ancient dilapidated little
carts drawn by still more ancient and de-
crepit mules are to be seen on every hand
slowly dragged about the highways in slug
gish consonance with the whole aspect and
character Of local life here under this tropi-
cal sun by this tropical sea. No glare, no
glitter. touch nor faint of fashion is here
as yet 10 mar the charm of this lovely
coast, as these blighting features have
taken all naturalness and comfort from
FloridaS swell resorts Nowhere between
Mobile and New Orleans has the arbitrary,
unwholesome and peace-destroying domin-
| ion of style been set up. and throughout
| the entire length and breadth of this 200
mile strip of coast. TO dress and do one
and comfort is the one all-pervading rule
| observed by visitors.
GULF COAST ADVANTAGES.
From the foregoing facts and descriptions
it will be seen that in the matter OF their
relative merits and advantages as resort
fields the case of gulf coast vs.. Florida. as