The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1912-07-05
Reminissence of Old PaIatka.

How many of the younger residents
of today, in the wide awake, progress
sive, up TO date, and pretty city of Pa.
latka, with lis finely brick paved streets,
its miles and miles of elegant sidewalks,
its beautiful homes, lis fine business
blocks, its automobiles everywhere; TO
say nothing of its highly cultured and
beautiful women and gallant men. How
many; we ask, could tell a stranger in
their fair city anything definite about
what Palatka was thirty years ago? We
very much fear stranger" would have
TO repeat his question several times be-
fore getting any very satisfactory reply.
Were he 10 ask 10 be shown what is
left Gf any, OF the earth works thrown
up by the soldiery of Palatka during the
great civil war who could guide him to
the spot? Who is there among the
younger set who have even the reno
test idea, of what the steamboat traffic
of Palatka amounted 10 al this time;
when The Iron Horse" which is an
everyday sight or sound, to them, had
not even been thought of as coming in
TO the daily life of the Palatkan of that
day. To give very faint and more or
less imperfect reminiSCence of those
days, now passed into history, is the OBJ
ject of this sketch, written by one,
whose life from early childhood TO
manhood was passed amongst the scenes
and sounds described the leading gen
eral store OF that time was probably the
"Parkburst Co.." in an old dingy look
ing building, standing about where the
present site of The Kennerly Hardware
Co.'S fine store is, or possibly triile
nearer the river. Mr.. Joe Kennerly, so
well and favorably known TO US all, was
one of the moving spirits in this General
Emporium of Florida Trade, as he has
been ever since, in any line OF business
he has undertaken. The next leading
general store, was operated by Capt.
Adams-"Dick" Adams, as he was
known the length of the ST. Johns River;
and who, we are glad TO say is still
spared TO US. This store was run in
connection with the steamboat agency
of the late Col. II. l.. Hart, the founder
of the present well known line of Harris
Ocklawaha River steamers carrying
every winter their hundreds of tourists,
to see the marvellous Silver Springs, and
the tortuous Ocklawaha river with its
screaming limpkinS, and lazy gators,
though at time of which we write, one
could see, almost any day, or, if could
not see could most certainly hear, some
old "bulP' giving, vent 10 his roar,
easily heard for miles.
But TO return TO Stranger" suppose
he were TO ask TO be shown the "old !
moss factory" site, who could pilot him
to ii? But look, who is that cantering
down Lemon street, leaving cloud OF
dust behind him, and riding like one
"born TO the Saddlc?" Were you a resi-
dent of Palatka at time of which we
write you would not need to be told. !
1t was Col Hart riding Morgan" one
of his war horses, beautiful chestnut.
Buck" handsome black saddle horse,
also from the war, was in the stable at |
the time. Both horses, noble, spirited
the pride of their proud owner.
Another very familiar horse back fig
ure of these days, was DR.. Moragne, on
his black horse. Both the genial doc.
tor and his devoted wife, have long
since 'passed on" 10 that better land |
from which there is no return; but their |
home place. Another sterling gentle. |
HAL VI tuS Olu oCHOOlS dioO steamboat
owner, was Major H. r. Teasdale and |
who for years ran one OF the largest |
grocery stores in town. Another thor
ough gentleman and merchant, was the |
late Mr. r. r. Reid. ''Reid'S Garden" in
the northern part of Palatka, is one of
the prettieSt spots in the city, with its
pretty homes.
A sketch of this kind would not be |
especially so as regards the
steamboat traffic of Palatka a, of the time
of this rough sketch, without speaking
of the genial Capt. ofStcamer Marion"
Capt H. A. Gray, who for years was one
of The best known captains of the St. |
Johns and Ocklawaha rivers.
We could go on for long time yet,
but fear ye editor, might cOnsgA our
little sketch TO the waste basket, we
shall consider ourselves lucky, if he |
does not do so anyway. If, however,
we do "paSS muster" perhaps, later on
we shall be tempted, TO send him Sec
ond installment along these same lines.
"REVOC0."
Cheapest accident insurance - DIR.
Thomas Eclectic Oil. For burns,
A n