The Republican journal., 1905-01-05
A JOURNEY T0FLORIDA.
FROM PENOBSCOT BAY TO PALM
BEACH
CORRESPONDENCE of The journal.

PALM BEACH, FLA, Dec. 25, 1904.
With the thermometer in the vicinity of
seventy five in the shade and the warm
sun beating down on the white sand
streets of Palm Beach, | will tell you
something of my trip south and the
conditions which exist in this southern
city. | had some misgivings as to
whether | should enjoy my fourth
winter in the south, in a new location,
with leaving friends and the pleasant
times at home, but the warm tempera-
ture of the Florida cline is very
alluring and when the cool days of
December came it seemed that a change
might be well. Monday morning,
December 18th, l left Belfast on the
steamer Golden Rod and as we passed
out of the harbor we found plenty of
thin ice. There was nothing of interest
in the trip until boarded the steamer
Penobscot at Rockland Tuesday even
ing and found as companions in my
southern journey, Mr.. VIM. Lord and
Mr.. and Mrs. Edwin Lord, who were to
go as far as Jacksonville. Mr.. Lord,
although eighty four years of age, was
looking forward to the trip with much
interest, as it was his first into the
''colored country" and for one in adj
vanced years he stood the journey well.
Unfortunately the weather conditions
were against us and the boat remained
at the wharf until 7.30 next morning
aud then followed the coast along,
reaching Boston at 9.15 Tuesday even
ing We found more snow there than
we left in Maine
We left Boston at 6 p. m. for Fall
River there to embark on one of the
magnificent Sound steamers for New
York. Thursday was cold and very
disagreeable day in New York, with
enough snow to make it wet and UNI
comfortable under foot. There was
not much to interest one who had but
few hours to spend on a cold, bleak
day, and we were never in lovelwith the
big city, for the best part is too fast
and the poor part too low and dirty;
but there is plenty of business and one
may find that in all quarters of the city
One who has never visited this great
place may picture city with blocks Of
enormous height and business on the
rush. where ones neighbors know not
nor cares for the brother next door,
where society is it and the great struggle
is for gain This does not disclose the in
side of that metropolitan city, but it
viii be your first impression.
Can you picture children with hardly
enough clothing to keep warm; dirty
and filthy, with never sight of green
grass, other than what is seen in the
public gardens; many of them with but
little to eat and that little attempting.
Then you have a glimpse of the dock
section, where in close quarters many
children are born like rats and live in
similar condition. These are but
glimpses, and back of this all you will
find a beautiful city, a business city,
and one which has gained a high posi-
ton as cities rank IN the world
The weather was anything but prom
islng when we left New York. The
glass was low, and when the big ship.
the Kansas City, was pulled out of her
dock and under her own steam passed
down the harbor amid the ice cakes the
captain intimated that anchorage only
was to be reached. We did anchor.
and many times, and yet he kept feel
ing his way along and we went to bed
with the satisfaction that we must
leave 1t to the captains best judgment.
The next morning found us on the roll
ing deep, out of sight of land and some
OF the party already sick There was
not large passenger list and we had
plenty of room at the tables, which
steadily increased as the voyage con-
tinued.
The next day brought nothing in
sight but the great rolling waves and
an occasional steamer or schooner
bound north, and we began to feel our
loneliness on the great wide ocean.
had the pleasure of meeting MI. and
Mrs, Charles Pease of Nantasket, who
were en- route to Florida, and with the
Lord party" from Lowell we had a
pleasant company. Mr.. Pease was
born in Bangor and formerly lived
there, but has been in Massachusetts,
for a number of years, although his
parents and other relatives reside in
Pittsfeld, Maine
saturday found us we'll down the
coast, but the continuous rocking of
the steamer was such that we were
very little interested in reaching or see
ing anything but land. Sunday morn
ing we pulled up the Savannah river
and reached the dock soon after six
o clock; and to use southern phrase.
We we're all right glad" to arrive. One
OF the first things to do when one
reaches Savannah, or any southern city
so far south, is to change your watch
one hour slow, as that is the difference
In