The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume], November 17, 1916, The Woman's Club Annual, Image 1

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

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The
c
Ann
OMAN'S
LUB
UAL
15:'
IN GREAT THIN OS UNITY; IN SMALL THINGS LIBERTY; IN ALL THINGS CHARITY."
Jon two, the palatka news
NOVEMULR 17, 1916
OLD, OLD PALATKA
PALATKA PROGRESSIVE
W
f us realize me
less
true venera-
0f Pab-ka. l ew towns in tne
,.c Few of tl.em that
aniens
k on UP and uowu """"i
- existing, xiicic aic
us a very few who re
L'lorida became a State,
was once an old Span
.. Indian trading post
.ashed and the live oak
profitably carried on
: !y twenties of the last
,.rgc block house occu
of Main street where
of the things, perhaps
water" that could be
Indians for their game,
other native products.
;vid imagination to see
their dug-out canoes,
ater's edge with treas
loi'cot anu neitl. 'iuis
,'d and burned at the
of the Seminole war in
o owners barely escaped
persist
amongst
to wneii
.town site
part,
teen est.'.
in the c-.
3ry. a
. kept a.
iding "I'1 '
e!ed tot!"
s, skins i
bites no
Indians ;
i to thi
ol Wli.i
was sa:.
iking u'
while t1'
their live-.
If-red l.ere with garrison, bar
Is and slui's for the repair of
-and etiirimient. Generals Scott,
ior (old KoUgn-ana-xveauy;,Tuiui
Gaines were quartered here and
i. nn n,-tiii: Dart in the forays
linst the Seminole marauders. W.
Sherman, u is claimeu, was cia-
ed here aho when no was a young
...... ..f
is 'claimed that Osceola and his
.'jf lnili.i,..: made their last stand
:ie landing on the Ocklawaha riv-
inown as Osceola's old nem, a iew
.1 1- Ol...H
i: 10 tne SOUUllvutol,. ciiui lij uii-kl
ii the great chiel was .captured
lo-n,l tv sis a nrisoncr of war.
Lli caused him to pine away in
Wand sorrow until he died of a
ton heart.
n the early "forties" the town
-itrm-tiwl attention as a ship-
li point for lumber, logs and pro-
siiicludin:.- live oak and ccoar wm-
Much cotton, sugar, syrup.etc,
shinned ('own the Ocklawaha
brby boat to be transferred here
4. l".vn-ei- steamers that olied be
te Palatka and Chaileston or Sa-
ah.
; the early fifties James 0. Deval,
liter of Mrs. Mary D. Bei.et,) Col.
lit and Cii nf. !i. J. Adams were ac-
in the development of Palatka.
first being owner of a big hotel,
o'i of Main street. Col. Hart and
pt. Adams had already establtsned
ttjro line, with tnllyho and nne
5C3, to Ocala and were preparing
oen up ti.e Hart Line on the Oek-
river. Possibly a dozen fami
,11 own pied the village.
nose were romantic days. Lit.le
.dor that 'he tale is still told of
the heavy stage would some
"bog" ii -til the passengers were
jelled U. r'v.-ht, often to be called
to lend - hand in extricating the
t CM" -: ' on. On cie such
ion it tolfi how a tnost be?r-
lajy wa obliged to alight sud
', only ' - leave one of her tiny
ers m mud. It is to be re-
:ted thrt "storv does not tell if
TTHift.-"-'. M.dpvp'lp ws ever
led by ! ''ice Charming or not:
Fever, th k to this dav a bit of
d star ' -od known, ps the Lady
?er ave: If vou do not be-
this. in- ' ;:sk anv Palatka histo-
A LEGEM) 01" THE ST. JOHNS
RIVER.
A sovereign's jewel box, in ages past,
Was overturned, and lo! the glittering
gems
Were scattered on a carpet green and
vast,
And left to lie and sparkle in the sun.
The casket was a plan of God fulfilled,
The carpet formed a country fair and
green;
What, t'.cn, the wondrous jewel:; that
v ole spilled,
That sorrowed warmth and beauty
from the sun?
A sapphire chain, of rich and gor
geous hue
Was changed into a river, winding,
long;
Whose wide expanse of waters, hea
venly blue,
Is like a string of jewels in the sun.
SEREXA C. BAILEY.
be traff::
by larg,
: and S
ncidon'
there v;
waphie
of a.
only 1
:iT on -
at the
as tlv
there
n the river was carried
'eamboats from Char
- .nnah. Many interest
'" these could be related
: pace. There was no
'immunisation, so the
al of the mail boats
-old by "judgment" de
v the tides were on the
outh of the St. Johns
irce vessels co"ld onlv
high tide. Many a
night Col. Deval would "post a
watch" on his wharf to look for the
light of the steamer as it came up
the river in order to be in rendires
to attend to the mail and receive the
tourists who, even in those days of
slow transportation, thronged to Flor
ida. There was also a natty little steam
er, the Sarah Spalding, plying be
tween Jacksonville and Lake Monroe.
But alar,! for Madam Sarah, she
sprang a leak and foundered right at
the foot of Main street. Historv
says rhe was raised, but was never
sufficiently recovered to resume her
active duties upon the St. Johns river.
The first court house was built at
; this time occupying the present site
of the cigar factorv on Reid and First
streets. Here divine services were
held. All denominations worshipped
i in th s ancient "Temple of Justice"
; (which term is borrowed from the
writer on "Progressive Palatka").
Evidently the people of those days
, did not believe in segregating reli
gion and politics, as the court house
must have been headquarters for both.
It would hardly be frir to leave this
without mention, not of the "Old Field
: School," but. of the "Little Red school
house" on Reid street which was Pa
latka's first "seat of learning." Where
the boys and girls were sent to school
as far' back as the fifties, though at
, the expense of their parents. Edu-
; cational advantages did not come
easy in those days, but were consid
ered very desirable.
The war period of the "sixties" is
' described elsewhere. Reconstruction
days of the seventies were never
pleasant and it is useless to dwell
' upon them. From the eighties to the
present the storv of Palatka is cov
ered by J. L. 0. We want all of our
neighbors, visitors and friends to
read of us. Come and live with us.
Enjoy us. We bid you welcome.
I It has been said of women that they
'are not logical. That they have no
I loiric. That the Good Lord did not
i intend for them to have logic. All of
which mav bo true, according to the
I wav in which vou understand the word
i,w;,. n,,t it is self evident, the
Good Lord did endow them with in
tuitive faculties and plain common
sense unto a high degree, even
i conferring upon them tne nonoim
! mothering the human race, which is
; enough to make mere man a side is-
sue.
I We hear much of parliamentary
Law in Club work. There is no such
!thinrr as Parlimentry Law. Parlimn
: try Law consists of a set of rules for
.1.1 niWHrnr of nublic meet-
Ii,,,. and we-e the direct out
come of the well-bred, inate courtesy
, of one to the other. Any other con-
THE WOMAN'S CLUB ANNUAL comes to you on the
eve of the first National Convention our city has
ever had the honor of entertaining. Though we have
some excellent contributed articles, we do not mean to come
to you from a literary standpoint rathei a mirrored reflec-
tion of our city, with its varied activities, its resources, its
progressiveness, its needs. Almost every business organiza
tion in the city is represented by an advertisement, or a per
sonal contribution to the work of this edition. We bespeak
for our patrons your careful reading and consideration of
each article or advertisement.
It is with grateful hearts we issue this Volume No. 1,
for we know, and feel, that the good work done by the Club
is fully appreciated by Palatka citizens in general.
While the material gains from this issue will substan
tially add to our building fund, yet we hope, also, to make
our community appear so desirable that those who read of it
in far away states, will want to come here to make their
homes and enjoy our many blessings.
With greetings to our visitors, thanks to our generous
patrons and good will to all.
THE PALATKA WOMAN'S CLUB
MRS. J. L. DUNSFORD, President
. PALATKA IN THE SIXTIES .
Down the dim vista of by-gone
years, fond "memory brings to light,"
the scene of Bellum times. In Jan
uary 18(51 Florida withdrew from the
Union of States, adding her name to
the secession roll, by the vote of the
convention, then assembled in the
capital city of Tallahassee. The wri
ter's father being one of the honored
6lJ whose names were signed to that
roll.
The first thought of strife and
bloodshed caused hearts to shrink in
dismay; but hope "the anchor of the
soul" whispered, "It cannot be!"
But the delusion soon vanished, for
the war cry "To arms! to arms!" was
echoed and re-echoed through our
broad southland, to be answered by
young and old, rich and poor, who
gladly stepped forward to join the
confederati ranks. The trying or
deal of parting from loved ones, with
scarce the hope of ever seeing them
again, can only be pictured in the im
aginations. But the brave mothers,
wives and sisters of the soldierboys
thinking not of themselves, but of
their country's needs, added their
blessings and committed their dear
ones into the Great God's keeping as
they departed to face the inevitable
struggle.
Two horsemen appeared before our
door. They wore the Grey and were
heartily welcome. They were recruit
ing officers and needed no passport
into the household, though they bid
us be ready to break up our home and
be ready to move. On March 10th,
1802, an alarm was sounded that the
enemy's gunboats were in the river
making their way to Palatka. Con
?ternation reigned. Hastily gather
ing a few belongings and with the
family end servants a hasty exit was
made for a farm owned by my father
at Peniel. four miles away. Guided
by "Luna's pale light," and a lantern,
we started on the four-mile walk with
a lingering backward look at the dear
home, we were destined never to
see again, for the entire building was
torn down and removed during the
siege. Fridav morning, March 16th,
our hopes of a quiet retreat were
shattered. The gunboats were at the
door. Fearing raiding parties, an
other move was started.
This time a large wagon was put into
readiness and a march of 25 miles be
gun. Orange Springs heino- our
stination which we reached by night
full, to find the lfc hotel crowded
with refugees from St. Augustine and
other adjacent places. It was
at this time that Mrs. J. W. Thomas
and young daughter (living a few
miles from Palatka), were captured
and held prisoners because of giving
aid to a brave soldier boy in gray.
1 Sympathizing friends and neighbors
1 went under a flag of truce to a point
near town to intercede for their re
lease; however, to no avail.
I These ladies were transferred to an
other point, but were finally released
and allowed to return home.
' Another interesting incident was
the capture of the steamer Darlington,
owned by Capt. Brock (for whom the
famous old Brock house was named).
ThQUgh not exposed to the horrors
of war by actual sight of carnage,
yet suspense and anxiety for the fate
of our loved ones, and anticipation of
greater sorrows was an unceasing
trouble.
(Editor's Note The above are brief
extracts from "Personal Reminis
cences of the War," by'Mrs. Mary De- j
val Benet, and read at a meetng of i
the Daughters of the Confederacy.)
The Putnam House.
1 Palatka's oldest and most pala
t;?l hotel. It is under the manage
ment of Mr. Leon Desnland, part
o"'nnr. S;nce coming to Palatka Mr.
Depland has improved the interior of
this ronular hotel until its sdocious
parlors, reception rooms, and lobby
have taken on a homelike air, not usu
ally f"und in large, formal hostel
ries. It is not an unusual sight to
see its nests filling the broad ve
randahs in nerfect ease and enjoy
ment. As for the cuisine both Mr.
and Mrs. Despland have such splen
did records as caterers, it is superflu
ous to say that the food is excellent
and the best the market affords.
The inner court and the grounds
surrounding the hotel are the espe
cal deliuht of both Mr. and Mrs. Des
pland. where, winter or summer, there
ire always flowers in abundance. As
nublic benefiactors and civic examples,
these two generous people take first
rank, and every citizen of Palatka
should, and does, ioin with this paper
in thanking them for the beautiful
spot they have placed in the heart of
our city.
An optimist has been described as
one wdio takes the lemons handed out
to him and makes them Into lemonade.
To those who have lived long in
Palatka the progress of our little city
is a constant and bewildering wonder.
As I walk our modern Palatka streets
I find myself continually comparing
it, as it is today, with the little sandy
village 1 first knew in the early
eighties.
.in.; raiaika of that day, however,
was not without its attractions, as
was proven by the numbers of tour
ists and health seekers who thronged
its big hotels and walked its main
street called LEMON. I suppose,
oecause it was lined with ORANGE
trees.
When traveling among strangers,
if one happens to mention that he is
lrom Palatka, Florida, someone is
very apt to speak up and say, "Why,
I was in Palatka once, away back in
'88. Funny little town, orange trees
on its main streets, and ankle deep in
sand." You are pretty sure to an
swer, "Yes, that is the place, but just
come back and see it now in 1916."
In those days you had to approach
Palatka on a boat one of the big
steamboats that daily plied between
Palatka and Jacksonville, and as it
was approached at night the town
was a brave sight, all a'twinkle from
the big hotels and streets, with KER
OSENE lamps there was no electri
city or even gas in those days.
One chilly November night, some
one overturned a lamp in the big store
which stood on the lot we now call
the i.ir.nin lot." What a conflagra
tion it was that swept out the lower
part of the town! The two big ho
tels, the chinch and all between mem,
in one great blaze that raged for two
hours or more. The next morning it
was a sorry lot of men that stood gaz
ing on the ruins of the business houses
that had stood there the day before.
But it was just then that the little old
town waked from its old antebellum
sleepiness and showed the stuff that
was in it. Orders went forth for
brick, mortar, masons, and in a few
weeks' time the old dilapidated frame
buildings were being replaced by the
modern structures of the present day.
By this time there was a railroad to
Jacksonville, and what a fine thing it
was to be able to reach that city in
two hours instead of the five by wa
ter! Then our appetite for improvement
being whetted, we wanted the unsani
tary cisterns and wells that were our
only water supply done away with,
and in answer to the demand, a com
pany from Boston installed the water
works system that we Know till the
present day. The gas plant had been
in existence some time, but every oth
er town was having electric lighting,
and why shouldn't we have it. So in
response to the popular demand, Mr.
Bailey added the electric light plant
for the enlightment of our little city.
With the help of our big cypress
mills and the Selden factory we even
nulled through those disastrous years
following the freeze of 1895-6; and
while everybody was poor still thev
had enough to eat. As the town be
gan to recover from those hard years,
it was discovered that Palatka needed
badly a city hall. It was ordered
built, and we all went down into our
pockets to nay for it. Right here is
where our Woman's club, an institu
tion that began in 1892, as a literary
and social club, took its first stand in
city affairs.
After the city hall was completed
there was no money to clear up the
grounds, and for weeks and months
the premises around the new building
were a mess of refuse building ma
terial, broken brick and old pipe and
plaster frames, all picturesouelv min
gled with growth of rank weeds. It
seemed to be nobodv's business to
straighten un. and this did so offend
the housewifely instincts of the Wo
man's club members thev decided to
tackle the ioh. At one rousing meet
ing a committee was appointed, and it
sallied forth to raise the necessary
money, determined to let no guilty
man escape. As a result of this cam
paign a fund of about $000 was rais
ed and then things began to stir about
the city hall premises. In a few short
months it blossomed into the place of
beauty that is now our pride; a last
ing testimonial to the Woman's Club
of Palatka.
Palatka progress was still obstruct
ed by a number of unwholesome sa
loons on her main thoroughfare. It
took two strenuous campaigns of the
churches, and all Christian people, to
relegate them to the scrap heap where
all such obstructions to progress will
eventually be cast.
Did the little city then rest from
its labors? By no means. We
wanted sidewalks and sewerage. The
taxpayers spoke the word and miles
and miles of concrete walks replaced
the painful sand and shell and sand
spurs of the old days, while an up-to-Hate
sewerage system contributed a
50 per cent betterment of health con
ditions to the town. Brick paving
on the roadway of the streets follow
ed at once, and Palatka knew herself
to be a full fledged city.
Now we realized how badly we
needed a bridge across our grand old
river and nothing stopped us until
we were connected with the eastern
side of the county by roadway nearly
a mile long. The county caught the
fever of enthusiasm and the disgrace
ful old box that had served for a
county court house was demolished,
and a modern "Temple of Justice"
rose in its place. Here, again, the
Woman's club came to the front and
gave the county officials no peace un
til they had handed over the beauti
fying of the court house square into
the hand", of its committee of energet
ic women.
Are we now to stand still in Palat
ka's development? I hope not; I pray
not; as long as we Palatkans have to
blush and hastily change the subject
whenever with vistor? ""d -tr',""'e'-s)
school houses are mentioned. We do
hate to talk about school houses when
we are abroad. Put now, after all
our little family differences, it does
seem as if at last something was
about to start moving in tint diw
tion. And let us hope that there will
be no more stones placed in the way
of our having at an early date a beau
tiful high school building placed m
our mdst with p haidsoTne nc" Wo
man's club home to match, making of
our loved Palatka a complete and
perfect City Beautiful.
J. L. G.
Why the Name is Cherokee
Many years ago a rlmVng wild
rose vine, whose beaut'ful white
blossoms were set, like stars,
amidst its glossy, green leaves, cov
ered the lodn-e'of a de-okee chief
tain. Beneath this bowr from child
hood to youth h'"l "laved his grace
ful dauchte-. the l"st of her line.
On a Chet-nl-e-1 iid to the South a
hand?""-e ve'i-n- Seminole brave was
woun'der' c-ntured, and brought
to the Chick's lodge, where he was
cnrefiilly nursed and tended back to
health by the Chief's daughter, with
whm he fell in love. The maiden
.in tt'"n loved the brave man whose
l:f" rhe had saved.
T "urning he was to be tortured to
''"?.th when he was recovered, she
Manned for his escape. He refuned
to leave unless she would fro with
him. Accordingly they stole away
urHer cover of the dark night.
The maid, in passing under the
leifv bower, plucked a white spray,
which she carried in her bosom to
bp no'" home in the South and plant.
"d beside the lodge, built for her by
Vor lover, where it grew luxurantlv.
iie nlled it her "Cherokee Rose" in
memory of the tribe she had forsak
en, for love, and which had repudi
ated her. though she was happy in
Ve Southern home.
.TSSTF ALEXANDER POINTS.
(The CWokee rose is our Club
lower. Ed.)
high tide. Many a i cepuoQ i c ' .
THE PALATKA WATER WORKS
NATURE'S GIFT TO PALATKA
ESTABLISHED 1SSH
GEN. ELBERT WHEELER, Treasurer
J. D. POINTS, Manager
1
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