Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-01-29
THE SUNNY SOUTH
interesting Letter From Former Resident
FRUITDALE, ALABAMA, January 9. '03
CHAs. PHILLEO, ESQ.

! t'RUITDALE, ALABAMA, January 9. '03
| CHAS. PHILLEO. Esq.
Grand Rapids, Wis.
| FRIEND CHARLIE:-l don't suppose
| you have much time to read letters
and much less time to write them but
infiict one on you aS an experiment
and you have a waste paper basket
and know where to deposit it.
After leaving Grand Rapids on the
10th Of December l spent d few days
in Chicago leaving there on the
morning of the 23rd arriving in Fruit
dale the evening of the 24th for
supper. The weather at that time
was very warm here and quite good
many roses were in bloom out of doors
but since that time We have had a
number Of cold frosty nights the
thermometer getting Gown TO IS
degrees below freezing one night and
blasting the buds Of the roses and
other flowers that were nearing
bloom but has not hurt the foliage.
Although it is frosty at night when
the sun shines during the day it gets
quite warm and wien | am here |
work out every clear day upon the
ground digging bulbs IL my shirt
sleeves
The morning Of the 29th, Read and
L went TO Mobile and that afternoon
took my first salt water trip in a
voyage across the bay CT about two
hours. At one point we could look
down the bay and cut toward the gulf
TO Where the water washed the edge
OF the SKY. Across the bay we found
Il nice country and some of the most
beautiful scenery that it has Yet been
my privilege to behold, truly southern
and struck some points OF historic
interest.
| stood upon the spot and a part of
the wharf upon which FarraguL landed
his land force that he sent up the
back size Of the bay to storm the forts
behind Mobile at head of the bay
before his great battle upon the bay
aud also upon the hrSt earth works
that they threw up for their protection
and again upon the line of works
where they first met the rebS. Ate
dinner in an old hotel looking out
through hole in the door made by a
piece Of Il rebel shell, the hole just the
same as 1t was forty years ago. This
hotel Was owned by a loyal man and
SnGlled in the earlier years Of the war
by the rebS and while | was there
some little boys digging in the garden
unearChed a part OF shell that had
lain there all this time. This place |
speak OF was a great bathing and
summer resort 'befo de wa and was one
Of the most beautiful places | ever saw,
not So much the buildings aS the
lawn and grounds, the trees and
Shruobery having been planted long
years before tile war and grown tU
enormous size, in fact in one part Of
the grounds stands Il large live oak
that was used in early days as their
court room, the jury percblng them
selves in the lower limbs of it. These
are but few of the interesting things
L found and saw. | was in pineapple
plantation and saw tAG plants grow
ing with the fruit upon them and
on another trip [ have taken since
have had a chance to observe the
working of their convict contract
labor system and have partaken Of
true southern hospitality in four
o'clock dinner at millionaire lum ber-
mans home.
The first of next week | expect to
start on another trip down in the
vicinity of Mobile to look over
another tract of land aud shall soon
be in shape to decide upon the loca-
tion Of our company and then begin
to get it under way. We are meeting
with all sorts of encouragement in it
and hope to have it under operation
in the near future. Mr.. Read looks
about the same as he did when
he left US. I can see but little
difference but it looks odd to see him
Juggling a baby around.
Sincerely yours,
j B BRIDGE