The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-08-18

by water Steamers from Savannah de
livcred mail to the local inhabitant.
twice a week, and in the winter many
inValils from the North came to enjoy
The Tatchless sunshine and tcmperep
ocean bree2cS, laden with the olors OF
The mighty pine forests which then en-
lircIcd the village.
While ii is true that FalatEa iirst at
tractcl tbc attention of tllc cutsile world
rs health resort, its Importance as a
!u1ber center dates from the time when
navigation was first firmly established on
Iris part of the ST. Johns--that is to
say, over sixty years ago. Besides pine
a great deal OF cedar and live oak was
Slipped from the local wharycs. Most
Ct the cedar was consigned to the Fa-
Der company and other large pencil man.
ufacturerS, while the live oak was then
largely used for the inside timbcrs OF
"@'irg vessels. IN immense cypress
arsi9"zs was to be developed at some
stint late, date.
Doing the C;Yl War, Palai'a wa
)ccvried ior s1mc time by II" federal
troops, who made their headquarters III
til old Gray mansion 4 gentleman
from the North recently visited at this
house and found his name scratched on
the mantel-pisce, as a memento of those
troublous times, he having been quar-
tered there with his fellow officers.
After the war the commercial pros
perity of Palatka became more general,
the opening of many rich agricultural
tracts in the vicinity of the county seat
giving an impetus to all lines of COM
merce, willie the new Hart Line brought
the tourists in increasing numbers.
Henry r. Teasdalc, for whom the town
of Teasdale was named, owned large
commission house here at this time, and |
was also agent for some of the most |
important steamboat lines.
From 1865 on Palatka was one of the
most important inland ports in the
State-if not in the entire South. Some
times as many as thirty steamers and |
sailing vessels would visit the town in
one day, and in addition to the line from
Savannah, two or three fine steamers
from Charleston locked here every
week. A regular service was established
between Jacksonville and Sanford, the |
Darlington and the Hattie being the |
forerunners of the present extensive |
fleet.
The town itself was empowered in
wild orange trees, and left an unforget-
table picture on the minds of visiting |
strangers. Fruit culture in general be- |
came a leading industry throughout the |
county, and several hundreds of thou |
sands OF boxes of citrus fruits were
shipped through Palatka every season.
The Hart orange grove, Which once
bore the distinction of being the oldest |
one i'll the State, was in East Palatka, |
just across the river, This grove was
budded on wild stock about 1892, was
badly damaged by frost in 1885, and
alter years of neglect during which time
the scale" had almost devastated it, it |
was considered almost worthless. \ ne
gro was put in charge for what he could |
make ont of it, and by careful attention
he succeeded in converting the grove |
into 4 most valuable property. Over
I2ooo boxes Of oranges were frequently |
shipped from it during the winter months.
In November, 1884, Palatka was Wis
tied by fire which wiped ont its entire
business district and four of the largest |
hotels, including the Putnam House.
The town rallied pluciily from the dis
astcr, as all Florida towns have 4 habit |
OF doing, and was rebuilt on a more sub |
stantial basis. But for a year the hotel |
accommodations were inadequate for the |
tourists who had formerly made Palatka |
their headquarters, and from this time
onward the town was to be known less |
as resort than as a commercial center. |
In 1886 the new Florida Southern rail |
road was extended to this point, and nat
urally brought many live business men |
and thousands of dollars in active cap |
ital Mr.. Charles Francis, the famous |
Iinancicr of Boston, spent much of his |
time directing the project, and Major
Conant, as general manager, made his
residence here During the two decades |
that followed, Palatka continued yearly |
to add to its commercial prestige, but it |
was not until four years ago that those
extensive improvements were begun
which have converted the old fashioned |
river town into the most up-to date bust
ness city of its size in the entire State
Much of the credit for this splendid |
sweep forward must be accorded to the