USA > Florida > Duval County > Jacksonville > History of early Jacksonville, Florida; being an authentic record of events from the earliest times to and including the civil war by Thomas Frederick Davis > Part 9
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line with the pointed cannon, the gun was fired, the ball passing through the forward gang-way of the vessel. The gun was rapidly loaded again, this time with a 6-pound shot, and fired; the ball passed through the cabin, just grazing the neck of a negro who was in the act of lighting a lamp. When it is considered that the muzzle of the gun was kept in place and moved by a hand spike, this was marvelous shooting. The steamer made no more trips until the epidemic at Savannah was de- clared at an end4, and the determination thus dis- played by the citizens of Jacksonville in all probability prevented the introduction of the fever in that year.
REBUILDING THE TOWN.
The country at large went through a money panic in 1854. Its effects were felt quite per- ceptibly in the lumber industry here; but trade was maintained and there was not a failure in business. Amid all the recent set-backs, the peo- ple with wonderful energy and a profound faith in the future of Jacksonville set about rebuilding their stores, destroyed in the fire of April 5th. Better buildings were erected, and in many in- stances substantial brick structures occupied the sites of former wooden shanties. The Judson House was completed in the fall and opened for the accommodation of guests. This was the first really large hotel in Jacksonville.
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THE JUDSON HOUSE.
A Judson Day, of Maine, came here and in 1853, decided to erect a first-class hotel. He bought the west half of the block between Hogan and Julia Streets, from Forsyth to the river from J. P. Sanderson for $3,000. He brought mechanics and builders down from Maine, gave the contract for lumber to a local mill, and set to work building the hotel. It was opened in November, 1854, and oc- cupied the site of the present Everett Hotel. It was a wooden building, four stories high, and fronted 136 feet on Bay and 136 feet on Julia ; there were 110 guest rooms, spacious parlors, and a dining room 80 feet in length. Broad piazzas ran along the sides. The hotel complete and ready for business cost $125,000. It was burned March 11, 1862, by a mob of men whose identity was never made known. The destruction of the Judson House left Jacksonville without a regular hotel until the St. James was opened on January 1, 1869.
From the earliest time, Jacksonville was what is called "a hotel town." Its fame as a health re- sort was not long in reaching all parts of the coun- try; people came to spend the winter and ac- commodations had to be provided for them. John Brady, as we have seen, was the pioneer in the hotel business here. Then Dawson & Buckles entered the field, followed by Joseph Andrews, brother-in-law of I. D. Hart. I. D. Hart built a
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large boarding house at the northwest corner of Bay and Market, and this remained a hotel site until the fire of May 3, 1901, the United States Hotel, formerly the Carleton, occupying that cor- ner. Others, too, built houses for the purpose of keeping boarders, but it was not until some time in the 40's, that Jacksonville could boast of a regular hotel. It was erected at the southwest corner of Adams and Newnan Streets, facing Newnan, and was called Wood's Hotel, taking the name of its owner, Oliver Wood. The hotel changed hands in the early 50's, being bought by Samuel Buffington, when its name was changed to the Buffington House. The new owner improved the property and made additions, so that finally it was a house of nearly a hundred rooms. The Buffington House burned in 1859, and was never rebuilt. There were two other hotels here as early as 1852, much smaller than the Buffington, but they were classed as hotels then. They were the Crespo House, southeast corner of Adams and Ocean, and the Coy House, occupying the site of the old block house, northeast corner of Monroe and Ocean. The Crespo burned, but was rebuilt upon the same site. These hotels and the numer- ous boarding houses furnished accommodations for the tourists until the Judson House was built.
TRADE.
Local trade was maintained largely by furnish- ing supplies to the mills and loggers; but there
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was also an extensive river and back country trade. The river trade was by means of cypress boats and dug-outs. The country trade came in the well- known country cart, sometimes from distances of 60, and occasionally 100 miles, bringing cotton, sugar, syrup, and exchanging for goods". Trains of six-mule teams were maintained regularly be- tween Alligator (Lake City) and Jasper and Jacksonville.
In 1855, the property valuation in Jacksonville was $450,000. The annual exportation of lumber was 25 million feet, but with the exception of the saw mills and stores, and Biggs's blacksmith shop and foundry, there were no very important indus- tries here. There were few sidewalks and the streets were deep sand. Many of the dwellings were unplastered and some had no glass windows. There were a few pianos in the town, but no stoves, and of course none of the modern conveniences. In the winter time when it was cold, fires were kindled in front of the stores; here the men col- lected and cracked jokes and discussed the ques- tions of the day. Milk was scarce and ice was scarcer. There was a small market house with one stall, open in the early morning. Fish were brought in boats to the shore near the market. The fishermen gave due notice of their arrival by ring- ing the market bell, when the people would rush down to purchase. Beef sold at 4 to 8 cents a pound and pork at 8 to 10 cents a pound. Vege- tables were scarcely ever seen, except collards and sweet potatoes4.
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The only banking house in the town was an agency of the Bank of Charleston, A. M. Reed, agent. Afterward, the Bank of St. Johns was organized at Jacksonville, and at the close of 1860 was one of the two banks in the state doing busi- ness under the general banking law".
Not much attention was given to flower gardens and grass lawns; most of the residents cut the grass down to the sand to keep snakes from getting into the yards. One of the few places that had a grass lawn in the early days was that of General Thomas Ledwith, corner of Ocean and Adams Streets. It was Bermuda, and certainly looked refreshing in its sandy surroundings. There were very few orange trees in and around the yards, in fact the people gave little attention to them, as they were so thoroughly frozen out in 1835, that every one was disgusted®.
The schooners that came here then were very small in comparison with those that come now. A cargo of 100,000 feet was considered tremendous. Vessels could not pass over St. Johns bar, even at high tide, drawing more than 10 feet. There were only two mails a week from the North, both by boat, one from Charleston and the other from Savannah5.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY, CHAPTER XI.
1 Jacksonville Metropolis, December 12, 1908.
2 History of Florida, Webb.
3 Mrs. W. M. Bostwick. (See Author's Preface).
4 Reminiscences of an old citizen, Jacksonville Tri-Weekly Sun, January 22-February 1, 1876.
5 O. L. Keene in Jacksonville Metropolis, December 12, 1908.
6 See Florida Reports.
7 This data comes from various sources, all reliable.
8 The author possesses a copy of this "Extra".
9 Mrs. George S. Wilson.
10 Memoirs of Florida, Fleming.
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CHAPTER XII.
1855-1860.
Two years after the eventful year 1854, found Jacksonville undergoing a steady improvement. Small steamers for the upper St. Johns, and tug boats for towing had been placed on the river. The railroad to western Florida was now assured. Most of the capital invested in these enterprises was subscribed by the citizens. The people were united, and everything that promised to advance the interests of the town was liberally advocated and pushed forward. Building, business, and valuation increased, and a general prosperity was evident everywhere. Travel came both from the State and abroad and school and church member- ship increased1. In the book entitled "History and Antiquities of St. Augustine", published in 1856, was an advertisement by the Jacksonville Board of Trade, of which Dr. Theodore Hartridge was President, setting forth the advantages of Jack- sonville and inviting people to come here to live. That we had a Board of Trade prior to the civil war is not generally known; the organization was probably kept up until the beginning of the war.
On November 15, 1856, at 4:30 a. m., fire broke out in a block of wooden buildings on the south side of Bay Street between Pine (Main) and Laura, and was quite destructive. The volunteer firemen
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had a difficult time confining the flames to the south side of Bay Street2.
January 19 and 20, 1857, were the coldest days since the great freeze of 1835. Temperatures of 16 and 18 degrees, respectively, were noted from ordinary thermometers, and if self-registering in- struments could have been used, a much lower tem- perature in all probability would have been re- corded. Ice two inches in thickness formed on pools and along the margin of the St. Johns River. People could be seen sliding and trying to skate on the ice2.
JACKSONVILLE LIGHT INFANTRY.
The Jacksonville Light Infantry was organized April 30, 1857, with the following members :
Captain-Holmes Steele.
Lieutenants-F. C. Sollee, George Flagg, J. C. Buffington.
Sergeants-William Grothe, S. B. Flinn, Wil- liam Houston, H. W. Fitch, A. W. DaCosta.
Corporals-T. R. Webb, S. Buffington, Jr., C. H. Collins, L. Warrock.
Privates-P. Brennan, W. E. Livingston, Wat- son Ashurst, Byron E. Oak, J. C. Houston, R. R. Rushing, William Caulk, S. Forbes Doggett, Frank Smith, D. P. Smith, L. I. Fleming, J. G. Butler, E. Aubert, W. Haddock, P. H. Talle, C. C. Aberle, W. A. DuPont, F. Depue, J. I. Winter, O. L. Keene, E. A. Oak, J. D. M. Shad, F. B. Papy, H. M. Moody, Aristides Doggett, J. Y. Wilson, A. A.
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Ochus, F. G. Hirtler, W. W. Moore, J. Burkheim.
Soon after the organization, J. J. Daniel, T. E. Buckman, and others joined the company. The first street parade was held July 4, 1859, when the company marched to East Jacksonville about where Florida Avenue is now, and had target prac- tice for two hours. The armory was then in a hall in a frame building that stood on the north side of Bay Street, between Hogan and Julia. O. L. Keene, one of the charter members, said: "We had handsome uniforms-coats of blue cloth with three rows of brass buttons down the front, high caps with pon-pons, pants of blue cloth, and white pants for warm weather. In May, 1860, the ladies of the town presented us with a silk flag, made by themselves, and we paraded the streets, as we felt very proud of our beautiful new flag."
The company served through the war as Com- pany A., Third Florida Infantry, mostly with the Army of the Tennessee; it surrendered with General Johnston's army. At the surrender the company was disbanded. Afterwards, July 30, 1875, there was an attempt to reorganize it, but not a great deal of enthusiasm was manifested, and it was not until 1880, when a strikers' riot broke out at Clark's mill and the men were called out to put it down, that a thorough re-organization took place. The Jacksonville Light Infantry was re-organized September 20, 1880, with W. B. Young as captain1.
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YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC OF 1857.
In the early part of the summer of 1857, an epi- demic of yellow fever raged at St. Marys, Ga., and from that place it was brought to Jacksonville in August, it was said later by Nathan Vaught. Mr. Vaught's house stood on a bluff just east of the intersection of Bay and Bridge Streets, and it was there that the epidemic started". That locality was never considered very healthful; McCoy's Creek near-by was a dirty, stagnant stream, and much of the land in the vicinity was low, marsh land. The summer was described as hot and murky, with frequent rains and much decaying vegetable matter. It is a noted fact that three crops of weeds grew during the season, and some people tried to connect this unusual circumstance with the spread of the fever5. In these surround- ings the disease gained a foot-hold. The McFalls lived near the Vaughts and soon took the fever; then it spread to the Currys living close by on the bank of McCoy's Creek. In the mean time some of the other residents, both men and ladies, hear- ing of the distress out there (that section was con- sidered out of town then) went to nurse the sick®. In this way the contagion spread through the town. Most of the people left, and there was an entire suspension of business. But one store remained open-a drug store conducted by Dr. E. P. Web- ster. Dr. Webster kept his store open all during the epidemic and dispensed medicines gratuitously to those who did not have the means to pay".
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During the period of the disease the streets were deserted and grew up in grass. The steam- ers did not stop here and the town was isolated from the rest of the world. Doctors and clergy- men courageously remained and those of the resi- dents that stayed ministered to and nursed the sick night and day and buried the dead. Clothing and food were freely dispensed to those in need. Never were a people more sympathetic and gen- erous. Fortunately there came an early frost (on October 26th, and on November 20th the tempera- ture fell to freezing). There were 127 deaths, a fearful death rate, when it is considered that not more than 600 people had the fever1. An idea of the malignity of the disease may be gained from the mortality in the Mott family, composed of twelve members, eleven of whom died, only the old grandmother surviving. The Turknett family, that had suffered so severely in the scarlet fever epidemic of 1854, lost two more members by yel- low fever. Numbers of our best citizens met death upon the altar of brotherly love. The grave stones in the old city cemetery bear mute witness to the terrible visitation.
Some of the ignorant persons looked upon the spread of the disease with reverential fear and considered it a visitation of The Almighty. Others thought it was due to the excavation being made for the railroad through wet and marshy land, thus exposing the freshly dug soil to the hot and sultry weather, thereby causing a malari-
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ous atmosphere. Still others advanced the idea that it might have originated at the old market, and cautioned the authorities to permit nothing that might be detrimental to the public health to exist there, especially in hot weather. But there was a pathetic feeling of dread and doubt common to all in regard to the proper treatment of the fever and the best method by which to combat its spread'.
GENERAL TOWN IMPROVEMENTS.
With the cold weather, the residents began to return, and in the course of time the conditions that had existed before the epidemic were re- sumed. During the three following years, trade and commerce increased. The lumber industry had thoroughly recovered from the depression of 1857, and a succession of good crop years placed every thing upon the high-road of prosperity2.
In 1858, there were built here a large barque, called the American Eagle, and a schooner, the Martha. The Martha was lost at sea in May, 1876. What became of the American Eagle is not known3.
New wharves and business houses were built, as were residences of a better class than had previ- ously existed. Streets were opened and extended, and there was a general improvement in walks and roads. The city was governed without paid offi- cials, only the marshal receiving fees for his ser- vices, and taxation was not burdensome1.
From an old Newspaper Cut.
Copied by Ray W. Parramore.
CORNER OF BAY AND OCEAN STREETS IN 1842
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GAS WORKS.
In 1859, the first gas works were built on East Bay Street, near Hogan's Creek. A Mr. Water- house, of New Jersey, was the originator and prime mover of the enterprise. The gas was made of resin, and fulfilled all the requirements of that day4. After the civil war, H. H. Hoeg conducted the gas works, the price of gas at that time being $8 a thousand. Out of this organization grew the present Jacksonville Gas Company.
FIRST TELEGRAPH.
The first telegraph line from Jacksonville was built in 1859, to Baldwin, where it connected with the Cuban line and with the North1.
FIRST RAILROAD.
A book could be written on the subject of the early railroad projects in Florida; how a few pro- gressive and far-seeing men labored with the Legislature, both Territorial and State, for the passage of railroad legislation; how laws were made, repealed, and made again; about the land grant inducements for railroad construction ; how seemingly insurmountable obstacles were met with and overcome; and finally, when construction actually commenced, how slowly it progressed, inches on the map representing years of difficulty. All this collated and published would make fascinating reading.
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In the 40's, a survey was made for a railroad from Jacksonville to Cedar Keys, and another from Jacksonville to the Suwanee River. With this matters were allowed to rest, and in the mean time powerful opposition developed with the orga- nization of a company, of which David Levy Yulee was the acknowledged head, to build a railroad from Fernandina to Cedar Keys. Yulee success- fully carried out his plans, and the road proposed from Jacksonville to Cedar Keys was abandoned". The citizens of Jacksonville were not the kind to become discouraged, however, and in 1852, largely through the efforts of Dr. A. S. Baldwin, a com- pany was organized to build a railroad from Jack- sonville to Lake City, then called Alligator.'
JACKSONVILLE'S FIRST BONDS.
To carry on the work of building the railroad, the town was bonded in 1857, for $50,000. These were the first bonds issued by the town of Jack- sonville. After the war many cities and towns in the South, finding it impossible to meet their obligations, sought to evade them by repudiation. This question came up in Jacksonville in connec- tion with the railroad bonds of 1857, but the citizens, impoverished as they were, elected to carry the issue.
The name of the railroad was the Florida, At- lantic and Gulf Central. Grading began at this end of the line during the summer of 1857, and the road was completed to Alligator March 13, 1860.
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On the 15th of that month, the railroad gave the people of Jacksonville an excursion to Alligator. The locomotive that pulled the train was called "Jacksonville". Many people took advantage of the opportunity, and some of them for the first time in their lives rode on a railroad train. The Lake City people gave them a barbecue and a good time in general. On the 21st of March, an excur- sion came here from Lake City. The visitors were hospitably welcomed with speeches, and a barbecue prepared in what was then a fine oak grove where the Barnett National Bank now stands, corner Forsyth and Laura Streets. A pleasing ceremony also took place at the Judson House, when Miss Louisa Holland, of Jacksonville, and Miss Ives, of Lake City, with pitchers mingled the waters of the St. Johns River with those of Lake DeSoto9, near Lake City.
A railroad engine was a new thing to most of the people here, and when it first came to Jack- sonville a large crowd assembled to examine its mechanism and to discuss its merits pro and con. The engineer, having a keen sense of humor, sud- denly released the escape valve and pulled the whistle cord. Instantly there was a wild scramble, many believing that the engine was about to blow up. The incident caused much merriment and was discussed for quite a while afterward®.
The civil war played havoc with the railroad. Sections of the track between Jacksonville and Baldwin were torn up and replaced, alternately,
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by the Confederates and the Federals. Some of that old railroad iron found its way to the ship- yards and was used in the construction of iron- clads'.
AURORA OF 1859.
On September 2, 1859, from midnight to 4 a. m., a fine auroral display was observed by the citizens of Jacksonville. At times it was very bright and red, occupying the northern heavens from north- west around to northeast and east. Streamers would be sent up from different points almost to the zenith, then fade away and flicker up again. At 3 a. m. the whole heavens shone with a brilliant red light, even the south was quite red. The more ignorant people were very much frightened, and many amusing incidents were told of how the negroes began to pray, thinking that the end of the world was at hand2.
There appears to have been a period of special auroral frequency from 1870 to 1882. More or less pronounced auroral displays were observed in Jacksonville on September 24 and October 14 and 25, 1870; February 4, 1872; June 4, 1877; and on November 17, 1882, there was a well-marked dis- play that attracted general attention.
JUST PRIOR TO THE WAR.
In the years 1850 to 1860, the town doubled its population; the census of 1860 gave more than 2,000 inhabitants. During 1860, there was no
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cessation of business. Travel and the mails in- creased; likewise the telegraph business. Steam- ers and other vessels came and departed regularly. But with the mutterings of the coming trouble a nervous tension found its way into every occupa- tion. The public mind drifted into political, rather than into commercial channels. Groups of men would collect on the streets and discuss the grave questions of the day. News of the attack on Fort Sumter at once suspended all business with the North and the mills, with one exception, closed down. Then the mails ceased coming, and the town began gradually to subside into inactivity1, only soon to be drawn into the whirlpool of war.
BIBLIOGRAPHY, CHAPTER XII.
1 Reminiscences of an old citizen, Tri-Weekly Sun, Feb. 1, 1876.
2 Records of Dr. A. S. Baldwin.
3 Newspaper clipping.
4 History of Florida, Webb.
5 Mrs. George S. Wilson.
6 Dr. W. M. Bostwick.
7 These remarks are based upon reliable data.
8 Memoirs of Florida, Fleming.
9 O. L. Keene.
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CHAPTER XIII.
LIFE IN JACKSONVILLE BEFORE THE WAR .*
A large percentage of the citizens were men of ability and fine education, some of them being specialists in their professional lines. Given to entertaining among themselves, and the "strang- ers within their gates", they formed a distinct set where culture and refinement were the dominant characteristics, thus creating a social condition that was morally healthful and uplifting. Cook- ing and serving were done entirely at home, by servants trained in the art for generations. Do- mestic service was then free from nomadic annoy- ance; therefore the ease and pleasures of enter- taining were far greater than at the present day.
The chief amusements were dinner parties, cards, and dancing. Besides the old-fashioned square dances, reels, etc., graceful Spanish dances and gliding waltzes were indulged in. All danced, the matron as well as the maid; grandmothers could be seen dancing with their grandsons. No dance was ever given without the patronage of married people-this was a strict social require- ment. Marcellini, an old Spanish negro, was the chief functionary at all the dances, as it was his
*A composite description, as given by prominent old residents.
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"fiddle and bow" that furnished the music, the mention of which caused one lady to exclaim, "Sweet memories of happy days are revived with the thought of Marcellini and his dancing fiddle", while another says in verse:
I see him yet, his rolling eyes, his scanty woolen hair, His swaying form, his conscious pride, his almost lordly air,
When all the white folks waiting stood, till he would draw his bow;
And when he touched the familiar notes, the sober and the staid,
Just felt the music in their heels, when Marcellini played.
Picnics in the summer-time and oyster roasts in the winter were pleasures that all could partake of. Camping for several days on the river bank, called "marooning", was a popular pastime. A period of moonlight nights was generally selected for marooning, so that moonlight water parties might be an attendant feature. Music was on hand to be sure, and the soft, mellow notes of the guitar were certain to be heard out on the river as some youth sang the popular ballad of that day:
Lightly row, lightly row, as o'er the dancing waves we go;
Smoothly glide, smoothly glide, out on the silent tide.
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Let the winds and waters be, mingled with our melody,
Lightly row, lightly row, for music's voice is low. Gently with the sea-bird's note, let our dying music float,
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