Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-01-29
s1Aun1on TO JACKSONVILLE
From 4 to "a Degrees Fahrenheit

Town. rearing IrOSI DlGe, ana Tue mrs
: man to look at the Thermometer re
I marked, this 10 q record breaker TO
| the winter. only above" Thursda,
, was walking the streets of jackson
Vile. overooat thrown aside, Goa
thrown open. in warm perspration
mercury at 81. and the next day sit
; ting In my room in my shirt sleeve,
writing, without fire, mercury at "A
and am told, they are bathing in the
sea at Palm Beach, 300 miles further
south Virginia and Florida-frcs'
biting and sea bathing. What a big
county Is this OF ours.
Snow covered the fields in Au
gusta several inches deep when l left,
over the mountains in Albemarle
there were some bare patches, which
got larger as we sped along through
Nelson aud Amherst, but the streams
were locked in ice, and at Lynchbure
The James was frozen hard from bank
TO bank and covered with skaters,
having great time. rs far as We could
see. Everything indicated the severe
weather We were having in Virginia,
but before Danville was reached. the
snow had entirely disappeared and no
ice was encountered after leaving
North Carolina.
Came by the Southern aud have
rarely made more expeditions and
comfortable trip. although the cars
we're crowded, day coaches aud Pull
mans. all seeking a higher tempera
ture. The coaches were warm and well
ventilated and the train men atten
tive. How much it adds to the pleas
ure of a journey to be in charge of
pleasant and communicative conduc-
tors and agents. One cannot appreci-
ate it here in the south till be travels
in the north, where he receives scant
courtesy, no moro than the law allows.
Ii the manage ment Of the Southern
is notable for one thing more than an.
other. 1t is for the good manners and
accomm odation of its officials from
the ''head man" down to the brakemen
and porters. II you don't see what
you want, ask for it, and if you don't
understand what you see ask about it
and you will get satisfaction if it can
be had
We made short stops and few of |
them, and by 1880 Staunton time, We
rolled into the Jacksonville Union
Station. and was soon driving up
Main street from Bay, betw two
long rows of pretty palmetto trees.
vel picturesque and looking as differ
ent from Staunton drive as though
lt were in another continent. THIS
was drive the great fire Of May 3rd
1901, had not reached or there would
have been no palmetto trees. But |
had been looking out for many blocks
Tor some signs of the fire, but the
own looks better than it did when
asst saw it four years ago There are
10 vacant lots to be seen for square
sfter square, and the houses are large
Ind handsome, with many magnificent
buildings where ordinary ones stood
before. Many firms can be found in the
IA me SPOT they occupied three years
lgo, out in larger aud better homes
"a May, 1901. abou. 2,400 buildings
we're wiped out of existence in a day,
low not quite three years after, there
IRE about 8 400 new houses in the city,
md the new Jacksonville is far better
han the old. This is the fret genuine
'Ph@uix" ever saw that had risen
mt Of its ashes" have just been &
eading in a copy of the Jacksonville {
Times Union of May 4, 1901, the day
.fter the fire, some comments of prom
nent citizens upon the calamity.
mong which is that of Bishop w eed, {
Who is we'll known IN Virginia. This
distinguished clergyman and Ccnfed
rate soldier seems to have spoken
imost like he were inspired He said
hen. while the site of the desolated !
ity was enveloped in the smoke of it's !
ulns, while the calamity is wide
pread and the suffering will be great,
et I expect to sec q more beautiful
jacksonville rise from the ruins.''
DR.. Neal Mitchell, prominent ply
ycian, said too, II mistake the deter.
of our citizens II we do not,
q the course of time. see much more
and beautiful city than
hat in which we have all taken so
1uch PRIDE"
Notwithstanding all that had been
oped for and expected Of these ener-
etic and ambitious people, the won
or Is still to them and all visitors !
hat so much has been done and in
ueh an incredibly short time. N.