The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-08-26
ST. AUGUSTINE.

10 mention tnat you nad Deen 10
Florida unless you had seen the sights
IN this interesting place. 1t is thirty
seven miles east of Jacksonville, on
the lire of the East Coast Railway.
1t is situated on the Matanzas bay,
which separates it from the Atlantic
coast, and it enjoys the distinction OF
being the most popular spot in the
peninsular State.
Its streets are narrow, some OF them
only twelve or fifteen feet wide; the
interesting streets are still narrower,
Treasury street being but seven feet
wide. There are no sidewalks in the
old town; the houses are built of
coquina stone Ga curious shell forma-
tion) and many of them have over
hanging balconies, which make it
possible to shake hands across the
streets. The pillars of the old city
gateway remain, but are simply cher
ished as landmarks of an early day
when defense was the first thought of
the warrior founders of st. Augustine.
This old gateway and the fort near
by, now called Ft. Marion, ARE the most
interesting to the lovers of antiqui-
ty that the city possesses. The old
fort, a massive structure of coquina
stone, is said to be the only example
of medieval fortifcation on this con-
tinent. 1t has the appearance of i'm
pregnability, but the coquina stone is
soft and would quickly be shattered
by modern guns. 1t was many years
in building, and was completed in
1856. The King of Spain, counting
up the cost, fancied the fort must have
been built of gold.
We visited the $50 -called) Huguenot
cemetery, a small, old, neglected
graveyard near the old city gate,
densely shaded with large trees draped
heavily with the hanging moss so
common in Florida. The tombs are
moss-grown and dark, and look as
though they had stood there for ages,
but the Inscriptions, such we could
read, were not of the ancient date one
might suppose, knowing that the
French Huguenots figured in the his
tory of St. Augustine in 1865, and
were put to death in the name of re-
ligion about that time. 1t is doubt
full if they had a decent burial.
We loitered on the plaza, an open
ing in the center of the town, which
was made attractive by green grass,
monuments, shrubbery, fountains,
walks, &c. Here there was an open
/ stone building, supported by rows of
pillars on either side, which was call
ed the "siave market" and pictures
of it were to be seen in the art stores,
on souvenir cards and other places.
1 fingered in this building a long
while, brooding over the cruelty it
must have witnessed in years gone by
when husbands and wives were sep
arated, and children sold away from
their parents into perpetual servitude.
1t was hard to keep back the tear
that falls for others woes, while
standing in place that seemed so sad
as this. I was not little surprised,
afterward, when 1 learned from the
STANDARD Guide" that the structure
had never been used as slave market
at all, but was built in 184o for the
sale of meat and food supplies; and
that it was not until after the Civil
War, and when curiosity seeking
tourists began to arrive, that the
Plaza market was called a "slave
market" The name was invented
by a photographer in order to sell
pictures. And they sell / bought
one, but I shall not have any tears to
shed over it now; I'd rather stick
pin in the photographer.
quote from the below mentioned
guide, which is considered entirely
reliable, as follows: 1.-THE slave
market, Huguenot cemetery and
oldest house yarns have been told
so often to credulous visitors that
there are now residents of St. Angus
tine who actually almost believe the
stories themselves but the facts are
that St. Augustine never had slave
market, nor a Huguenot cemetery,
and no one knows which house is the
Oldest" The humbuggery one runs
up against in travel might deceive
the elect.
On the Plaza stands a fine monu-
ment to the Confederate dead, erected
in 1872 by the Ladies Memorial As
sociation. Fifty soldiers names are
inscribed thereon, with the following
sentiment "They have crossed the
river and rest under the shade of the
trees"
The hotels of St. Augustine are ell
egant beyond my ability to describe.
The Ponce de Leon is considered the
finest in the world, and the Alcazar,
Cordova and some others, almost
equal it in elegance. The grounds
around, with fountains, palms and
shrubbery of various sorts, and paved
walks, are simply perfect.
The walls of these splendid hostel
ries have the appearance of being one
solid stone without crack or seam,
and are adorned with various images
and devices. The designs are origi-
nal and of Spanish Renaissance style.
The Ponce" +" so called down there,
for brevity, is most exquisitely up
holstered and furnished with all that
money can buy or good taste devise.
A fine band of music plays in the
court or rotunda, morning, afternoon
and evening, and everybody is well
come to attend.
OF course, we did not break bread
in this gilded castle. Such magnih-
cence is only for rich folks who have
nothing to do but to doctor dyspepsia
and groan with the gout-which such
luxurious living promotes.
1 wish had space to tell you more
of the sights and wonders of this pop
ular resort. 1t is not strictly in the
line of farming or housekeeping, but
it is in the line of general knowledge.
A farmers family must sometimes
L