The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1843-03-04
Correspondence efthe Cecil Whig,)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. eth Feb. '43

Mr.. G.. RICKETTS,:
DEAR 2rR:-On the o6th
ult. left Phila., in the Despatch Line" via
PIttshurg for this place, and arrived here on the
5lh inst which was doing the distance, (siXtecn
hundred miles, in ten days, including part Of
day aud night in Pittsburg
Between l.ancss.or and Harrisburg, the Bag
gage car took fire, and soon "a the alarm was
given. we cut loose the passenger car and in the
mids, Of the most awful confusion, every man
for himself Ind TO off coat and rush into the
smoking burning car, and drag oat trunk or
vA!sa al a time, and almost safocated zach time,
rvt,Iyn after breathing a few hasty inspiraicns
VI fresh air. As had four trunks, syalse,
h0nnut.bnx and ha,-box TO rescue from tho tas,
increasing flames it was one OF the severest tasks
! ever undertook, my valise and several gar
.acnts were burnt, as also my hat-box and hat:
all the rest OF our clothing was saved We learn
ed af er the confusion subsidized, that one gentle
man had canister Of gunpewder in trunkand
another, who got his hand burnt, had flask OF
it ms yalise. My loss did not exceed five to
ten dollars, which | consider getting off clear,
" hen reflect what hole the powder might
have made in the ballot
Take any other route from Phila. to P.tlsburg,
than the Despatch Line. 1t is perfect mis-
nomef: for Lesdcs the distance in cars to Har-
lisburgh, there are three days and three nights
az plirf!I, after tie first day and night, to see
lades and gentlenens heads boiling about, like
large pin-~ushions ol. wires, as il they would
ce inly every moment fly oil t, cit andles
A: Fittshurg you see various grand sights,
such as that large city Itself, seated like queen,
[5ut very sable onc,) on the promontory at the
junction OF those bold rivers, the Allegany and
Nlonongahsi,, constituting by their confidence,
the head Of the majestic Onlo. At the base Of
tie romantic heights opposite to Pttsburg, are
Birmingham snd Sligo, two manufacturing
towns, divided by the fine bridge across the Al
cgany. Here too, you behold fifteen or twen
~ liaose immense hEh-pressure-aysterr Steam
eys, which go grooming up and down the Ohio
Ike things Of life. On one Of these, (tho Swift
sure came to Cincinnati. the Queen Of the
West where was fortunate enough 10 arrive
in time TO embark immediately for this place, in
4 very fine steamer, the Express Mall" a boat
of tho !eas; motion and best accommodations
| have seen The only Objectionable thing about
her to an American becomes indeed Il source Of
amusement rather than Of Complaint. Her
Stae-rcom doors have each an oblong pane Of
ground tint glass as top PANEL, and instead
OF their being numbered or iettered, as others
are, they are contradistingu by the following
medley IN juxlapositon, viz: u. Americas.
America --Canada-1 Mexico-En gland--
Scotlaru--Fiance--Au stria-.N orway--Den-
mark ltaly-Algiers- Tunis--fgypt
-Poland-Pvrtugal, &c. &c, the letters beng
polished on the glass, o that while my daugh-
tiers numbered in Egypt, my. son ana bunked in
Poland; yet we were fortunate enough 10 meet
at breakfast. Rapid travelling vii! do great
deal you 9se toward ann!h!!at!ng space. And
then as ,nc!s ia an upper and lowe! berth in
each room, Of course thele could be lodgers in
Upper and Lower Canada within arms Ter 9Th Of
each other.
saw that monument Of human folly, Csiro,
looking lonely and dosola,c, like deserted bride,
on the point OF Land where tho Ohio embraces
hel sister Mississippi. Here. on a sudden rise of
the Ohio, folks have to take each other out Of
the second story windows We ran through 20
or 81 mi ca ol ,co in the Ohio, which came cut of
the " abash; bot outran il. q ID when we entered
the Mississippi We cncouLlorod tat outFan fields
OF mushy ice.
Passage from Pha to FittEhurg sll--thence
10 Cincinnati s6.--meals inc!uded--thence TO
Memphis ss--mea!s included. tFrom Gin. to
n. Orleans, S!5,) Fine society nowadays al
ways on thons boats. You viii generally find
reit bible in each cabin, and see it in good de-
rland, part OF the day No gsmbling ana next
to no drinking or smoking, and no swearing at
all. bell rings you up III the morning, and TO
zach usal--wNen if Capt. or his cierG cannot
appear al tho head of the table somo respectable
gentleman is selected to supply his placo.
Ncnph.s is Il city, and is situated on high
bluff Of rolling land, at that point Of the Mis-
sissippl where Wolfe River omptes into it. 1t
is a most lively bustling, busny IS place; and has
more new houses in progress OF hn!ah, than any
place ct two .: three tunes It's size, and does
more trade 1t ID the focus OF trade that d-
vorges in almost every direction-and large
steamers are continually going and coming. 1t
has 1,ow population OF 3 TO 5000; but people
are cToWding in here in such numbers that no
estimate o the population will last more than
month at time Several large churches and
an immense Hotel among hundreds OF other bull
dlngs, ale nov going cn,--and 1t Is intended to
build great many houses in the sprng They
don't stop to cut any more Of the forest trees
down than 10 got Gpo: for the house and streets
Strings and drovcs OF cotton teams are ever
pouring wealth into her lap, from distances in
this state and Mississippi of one hundred Al d
fifty III les. Exchange on the East per cen.
prem. cotton 10 S cts. ID.
After al! can scarcely give you an idea of
Mem phs. People are slowed in it thick as
aoas, and just as lively, it is yet open built, in
places but joined in blocks aud rows e!ewhers
SNAIL building lots $500 TO $4,000 BOARDING
$3.50 without odglng-with It., $500 to $500 OF
$685. Rents rnd labor high. pay $3.50 for
my warehouse on Front Row, near the Public
Square. There are three printing establishments
two Wing and one Locotoco; which circulate, Of
tri-weetly and weekly papers, $500 to4,ooo-
besides d vaal deal OF jobbing. Flour now, S.
5ODbl. Pork, hog round ", 75 per 100 10. coal
(Bitumnous) $3.50 ton. Memphis would aver
age milo on each oflts four sides, think, with
out including the Sou.hernmost part, called
Fort Pickering. In point of buhtle and bust
ness mot of noise) it is more like New York
than any place ever saw. II is about 800 mles
above New Orleans. Very cold these
few Gays past-sno.0 one inch ,hick--ico ditto
nodsratlug to-day.