The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1914-04-17
JACKSONVILLE
AND THE REUNION
Veterans VIII Find a Modern,
Progressive City
Many Points o. Hlstor,s Interest Re
Be Visited Hy survtsOss Of Gray
Army During Week


Jacksonville. Fla.-when the Con
federate veterans and their friends as
semble here for their 34th annual re
union, they will be Introduced to citJ
and community, proud Of the present
and loyal to the ideals OF the old South
s.akIng Jacksonville the hub Of :
wheel twenty-five miles In diameter
a territory Is covered rieh in historic
associations and interest," and at the
same time a it exponent Of all that
is progressive in the Southern States.
Jacksonville Is a city OF $4,000 popu-
laticn, with handsome business blocks,
modern skyscrapers, cOmmodious no
tells and residence sections that com.
pare fayorably with the best IN the
country. The city's business has
grown into large proportions, embrao-
ing every line known 70 q modern
city. Jacksonville OF to-day Is in all
respects a thriving center Of trade
and commerce. much Of its commerce
going across the seas tnto foreign
countries on ocean steamships. Its
transportation facilities are superb.
both by rail and wat@. Railroads
feeding the great Florida Peninsula
center here. Thousands of tourists
and uncounted tons OF freight pass
through the city and port every year.
the one hunting health and pleasure,
the other scattering out over the civil
lied world TO do its part IN supplying
the demands of the consumers Of the
earth,
And while the visitors are enjoying
this view and prospect of modern
business and community thrift, they
will be given an opportunity 10 hook
down the past three hundred and fifty
years All OF this territsgy was In dis
pute three and a half centuries ago
between the French ard Spanish, with
the wild Indian holding the balance of
power between the combatants. The
and the Spananrd both laid
claim TO the Florida territory Which
was first to discover Il Is matter
over which historians difSer. but 1t is
we'll authenticated that tAs first white
men to set foot upon the soil now COW
cred by Jacksonville were Frenchmen
under Rene Landowners
The first white man 70 enter the
mouth Of the ST. Johns river was
Jean Ribault, in command Of COM
pany of Huguenots, who had left
France because of religious persecu-
ions He made his landing on May
|, 1862, fifty years after the landing
1f Ponce de Leon at q point to the
south OF Jacksonville. aAne h1sserk
ms are OF the opinion that Psaoe de
Leon sailed as far north as the mouth
IF the st. Johns. but tiae weight OF
evidence is against thts opinion II
ae were here he left ne trace. The
evidence Is that he diA AOt travel IN
/ direction from his original Iandina
hat would have brought him 10 the
gicintty OF Jacksonvilis. 1t Is thor
,ughly established that Ribauit en-.
cred the mouth Of the ~ Johns river
Nay l, 1862, and sailed ~ the river
Iome miles to blur. WHARF ks eEec4
I'd stone column ON which was In
icribed the arms of France. But RI
yault did not ascend the river as high
Is Jacksonville. He Went from the
mouth Of the river to Pert Royal. 8. G.
In 1864. one year asAsT the GaRar
ure OF Ribault. Rene Landowners. |
vno had been with Rtbault on the
lrst expedition. came TO the month Of |
he st. Johns with another cofUny OF
Iuguenots. and assembled the Es~sr a.
ar as the present site Of Jacksonville.
amping probably on the south side OF |
he river on territory now covered
y South Jacksonville. These were
he first white men to penetrate TIE
ountry above the mouth Of the nlvar.
n honor OF the day OF discovery, May
/. Ribault gave the river the name OF
lay, and this stood uhtil the Span.
ards whipped out the French, some
ears later. The Spaniards called II
he River San Mateo at first. but later
hanged It's name to Sen Juan From
his 1t finally became the st. Johns.
I'D Fort Caroline was sabuated at st.
ohn's bluff some miles, below the
ity OF Jacksonville Ne sign u this
istoric fort remains, not even slab
D commemorate its bournful story.
During the reunion. steamboat ex.
ursions will be run to al these points
historic interest on the St. Johns
liver. 1t is but twen4y-seven miles
rom Jacksonville to the mouth Of the
I. Johns. where the government has
onstrueAed. with the afd of Jackson,
ille, and the State OF Rlcrida, avs
I'm Of jetties. deepened the water on
ae bar and otherwise protected navi-
alton. In passing between Jackson
Tile and the jetties. The visitor win
ave no trouble locating the sites OF
ID forts that were erected neaEly four
undred years ago BY ths French and
panish. The trip is one Of the most
elightful In the Southern States.
While Jacksonville has not adver-