The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1905-08-25
A LETTER FULL OF
NEWS AND In
TEREST,

Ill
opportunity of my visit back home
from Florida to write for it a few
lines
Leaving home on Nov. 3rd, 1902. |
took the train at Leesvile, and two
days after l arrived i'm Largo Florida.
where, or Whereabouts | have spent
most or the time since, working i'm
orange-g groves and clerking in a store
at Bclleair.
Belleair is small town, situated on
the Gulf OF Mexico, about twenty-five
miles from Tampa. This part of the
Guil coast is distinguished for health
and Il delightful climate. The fish
ing ranks with the best i'm Florida.
ana there are numerous opportunities
for outdoor sports. The vegetation is
tropical, and some of the finest orange
groves are in this section.
Belleait is great winter resort for
Nolthern tourists, who visit the
Belleview Hotel, magnificent build
ing located here, containing over
three hundred rooms, which is con-
Quoted by Northerners during the
winter months.
After being in Florida nearly three
years there occurred to my mind an
ardent desire backed by sense OF duty,
TO make visit home To see father,
mother, brothers, sisters, friends, and
my dear old grandmother, who has
been IN this world eighty-hve years
Little did think OH leaving home OF
ever seeing her again, but TO my Joy
ana surprise, l found that three years
had only made Slight change in her
appearance.
l left Gelleair on the morning OF
July the Sth, bound fer my old coun-
try home in Saluda county. on the
evening OF the same day, which was
saturday, l arrived in Jacksonville,
which is known To be the largest city
III the state, and is also Il railway and
steamship center. Tie population is
little over forty-eJght thousand, of
which twenty eight Thousand belong
to the colored population.
On sunday afternoon went out to
the Florida Ostrich Farm, which is
SIN miles from the city, ard it is a
place Of much interest and curiosity,
especially 10 those who have never
seen these large birds, or any place
where the breeding OF ostriches for
their feathers is an established and
successful industry.
Always having desire TO sec the
oldest town st AusuStinc) in the
United States, which Was founded by
the SpaniardS in Tie year 1865; went
over there Monday morning: it is only
\ for''. oniieS on the East Coast Line
] from JacksoLYille. | walked and
looked at the wonderful old town ~!
day, and believe | cUrhd have cone the
same all night, but had to go back to
Jacksonville on the evening train. /
"ili only give lew vi the must re-
markablc sights saw while there.
On arriving in st. Augustine my at
tentiou was nrst called TO the mag
niiicent hotels. and other buildings
OF which some occupy Il very impor-
tant space in history. The most
noted hotels arc the, AlcaZar, Magno-
liza, Florida, st. George, Abbey, Ocean
! View, I hatauQua and the Ponce-dc-
Leon. The last mentioned is one OF
the largest and grandcst in the
United States. 1t was built after the
Architectural style of Spain, and the
decoration Of the historic symbolism
which has b en- observed through all
the building is very ornamental.
Around on Bay Street at tie corner
of Treasury Street, we come TO the
oldest dwelling in y America, which is
now called the Nedder Museum 1t
was erected several centuries ago,
don't know exactly when. 1t was
made OF a material, then called CO.
quina, which, in its day was consider
ed Il very excellent building material
The old building is standing today as
where constructed, and, as it has
never been remodcled, it gives an
added attraction to the Sight-seer
Next is Fort Marion, which in diff
ferent forms and bearing different
names, was established by the king Of
Spain more than three centuries ago.
For two hundred years the fort was
called st. Augustine and after coming
in possession Of the United States its
name was then changed to Fort Mari
on, in honor of the great Revolution
AIRY hero, General Francis Marion.
lhc Sergeant in charge, led me all
through the old Fort, showing and
explaining everything as he went. lie
carried me to the prisoners cell, in
which several Indian chiefs have been
iprfSonerS, one of whom was the Semi
mole chief, OSccula, who was after
wards moved to Charleston Harb +,
where he died.
st. Augustine was once well forti-
fled against an enemy, being enclosed
on every side by the Sea, except on
the North, which was protected 10y Il
great city wall. Nothing is now left