Travel then and now to Palatka 1870

The East Florida Banner Surprising Developments Saturday March 11, 1870 pg. 2

The visitor to Florida just after the war, and the visitor of the presnet day, can but note the marked difference which meets his eye on every hand. In 1866, on reaching Palatka, he could find no hotel, not even a boarding house, to lay his head and rest from the fatigues of a tiresome journey. To-day he is transported to that floursihing city in as magnificent steamers as can be found on any waters in the United Staqtes. He finds at Palatka not only excellent boarding houses, but as large and fashoinable hotels as can be found anywhere in the South. Prominent among them may be mentioned the "Putnam," kept by F. H. Orvis, Esq. The Putnam has 86 rooms, besides its north and east cottages, some distance from the main building. Electric annunciators are attqached to these buildings and guests have the same comfort as if occupying rooms in the main building. Mr. Orvis is hte proprietor of the Equinox House, Vt., and is one of the most popular landlords in America. The Putnam is the only hotel in florida tht has had a full run all winter. The Carleton House is another neat and comfortable looking building nad has added gretly to the accommodations of Palatka. It is kept by Mrs. Shally, who fully understands the busienss. The improvement and increase of steamers is as marked as that of the hotels. This winter the Old Dominion line of Norfolk placed tow elegant steamers upon the St. johns ---the Hampton and Gen Sedgwick. The appointments of these steamers are superb, and both are manned by polite and accommodationg officers. Mr. Gallagher, the purser of the Hampton, is particularly so, and all who travel on board the Hampton are witnesses of this fact. The improvements on both banks of the river are equally noticeable, and Jacksonville --- well it is destined to be the metropolis of the South.