The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-05-23
Missouri Correspondence.-No. 3.
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srzisGFl I'D No Hsy oh lSoo.
RDIroR REPUBLIcAx: DEAR SIR: Among
many other things noticeable. as peculiar
to Southern residences, are the several small
buildings, scattered about. IL the same in
closure With the main dwelling. They are
the inevitable niger cabins and smoke
houses II spell it Niger. because every
body here pronounces ii, as if thus spelled.
The colored race universally, Of whatever
grade OF African blood: whether black
brown. yellow or white, call themselves.
and call one another 'niggers" II IS
mistake, 10 suppose that this photography
originated with the Northern Democracy
That virtuOus party only adopted it, a. a
pet name, expressive Of their yearniug love
for the enslared negr0.l These cabins are
frequently Of brick, and we're comfortable,
and even pretty appenlages 10 these old
hOmesteads: but "a all interest IN the cause
which gave rise 10 them has died away,
so they from neglect TO repair them, are
fast falling into decay A majority Of the
darkies, who once occupied them are now
living in their 0lcn cabins, in the outskirts
OF the town. There are whole villages of
them, on the lands laid waste 10y the sol
diers These darkles are willing to work
for moderate wages, and, so far as my ex-
perience goes, work well and faithfully /
hire a man by the day for Sl.25, and girl
l. Ia
8 per week Give them work, and they
will take care Of themselves Why should
they not They once earned By work lv-
ing for themselves and the whole race OF
lazy whites, who quartered themselves up
on the proceeds Of their labor
Smoke houses, by the universal Southern
custom OF converting hog into bacon, are
neressitv: and no Southern establishment
is complete, without one. They are usual
~ about twelve feet square, aud from L to
l. feet sometimes Of brick, but more
generally Of frame or logs High up in
the top. are placed pOles in couples, six or
eight inches apart Between these are
hung upon wooden skewers, passing
through the meat, hams, shoulders and sid
es-the whole hog. and then smoked,
and there kept. the entire season, until US
ed Occasionally during the summer,
smoke is applied TO keep the meat from IN
jury Pork IS seldom sailed down in the
barrel in the cellar, for it is as seldom that
there is any cellar, to put the barrel in Ii
is very seldom also, that barn or carriage
house is to be seen; for the reason that
barns are not needed to shelter stock in
winter; very little fodder IS required: hay
IS always stacked out in the Held where il
IS cut, and but few carriages are used IN
this country. that need housing L0g uud
board stables of small dimensions. aud
open sufficiently 10 allow very free VENT
lation, are everywhere 10 Je found but /
have yet to find anything ike respectable
barn IN this country, unless | eyceDt those
used for livery purposes in cities
Wells are by 10 means to be found upon
every place. a at the North; bat one sup
plies water for many families This is III
great measure owing to the cost Of digging
them Tie solid rock lies from three to
twenty feet below the surface; AMI this
must be bored or blasted through. until
water is found, at cost in either case, Of
about s.. so Trr foot. The depth OF The
wells in this city. varies from twenty. 10
one hundred and twenty feet The water,
in all cases, il excellent; and although
hard, is very generally used instead ofrain
water for washing
There is a very peculiar kind or cross
walk laid here. which have never seen be ;
fore. except in other towns in Missouri
1t consists Of a single row Of stones. each
about foot loa-, H., Sisbs iuDI-0s vide.
and from four to six inches thick, inserted
vertically into the ground at each street
crossing, siX inches deep and about 30
inches apart making a convenient step
Tor a single perOn. six inches above tne
Wagon track. The upper ends of these
stones, are made pointed, 10 prevent the
wheels OF vehicles from passing over them, |
should they By careless driving happen to
hit Where stones are SO plenty as they
are here, this makes very cheap and dur
able cross walk; but it only admits Of
procession in single file They are but little /
used in this city, however FOR the reason /
that the streets are almost always dry Al
ter heavy, and nearly lncessant rain Of
thirty-six hours. IN April last, the streets I
became dry-even dusty in twelve hours /
Mud, is not a characteristic Of Springfield. /
nor OF this par. Of the State. The soil > 4
gravelly, and the roads naturally gO0d-so 4
good that but very little labor has ever .
yet been expended upon them None OF /
the streams, except Few of the largest |
Ike the Usage aud Grand Rivers, are /
briiged; and even those, are generally /
crossed by ferries. when not fOrdable On
nv Journey from Kansas City to this place,
with teams, in March last, l crossed only |
one stream by bridge, and only one by fer
~ In that distance OF $50 miles, l foried
At least 80 streams large and small -
From here 10 Ssials-l20 miles. there Is
10 bridge, and but one ferry, the Usage,
and from here 10 Rolla-sams distance.
neither bridge nor ferry, except al tie Gas
coDade, which IS ierried only. in times Of
great freshets
Both the above are great stage routes,
and, except for the hills and mountains, are
good rosds Yours Truly,
GEO. l. PARsONs.
Tag PESISsCLAR RAILROAD. This week
We present number OF articles, extracted 4
rom different neKsnapars on The Inc Of