Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-06-25
-.-u..ns.-sa~..W Written for the Journal.
A TRIP TO THE PEE DEE SECTION.
charlotte and Rutherford
Rafiroad-Capt. Wooten-RockIngham
Its Present and Future-The " Arknn-
sas Traveier"-The Wheat crop, &c.

sas Traveller tine wheat Crop. &c.
Kc:srs. Editors On the morning of
the 9TH, with my family of three, the
"better- half and two little quarters, l left
ye banks of We Cape Fear to ruslicate for
a few weeks 'mong the hills and highlands
of the Pee Dee, and am at this present
writing snugly settled down near the
Montgomery line, twenty-five miles above
Rockingham, III the upper end of Rich
mond county
We struck the Wilmington, Charlotte
thence, under the guidance of that most
excellent and attentive officer, Captain
Wooten. Whose services this road should
always command We proceeded over its
well-lad track to Rockingham, prcttily
located. on the ridge which marks the union
of the sandhill and rocky section Of couu-
try. Io1a stranger this place gives sad
evidences, Of the former presence of Sher-
man and his bummers, and calls pain fully
to mind the bygone, when "lcagued OPP
precision poured to Southern wars its whis-
kered pandoors and fierce hussars.'' The
grim yisage Of war rears its front here and
there from blackened ruins, and the
broken and mutilatcd monuments of the
dead which one may observe in rumbling
through the family burying grounds here
about, will perpetuate through all time, in
vandals who despoi!ed them.
You must not, however, infer from what
is here said, that the people of Rocking
ham, like the INDECENT and sleepy laZzaroni,
who Hnger and loll amid the ruins OF
the coliseum, are dead to the ple3ent and
the future content i'll dreaming and mu-
sing over the glories OF the past Not
they Phoenix like, they are coming up
from their ashes, and there is little doubt
that ere long, with the aid of the rail and
their own iron nerves, they will be pros.
porous and happy as of yore.
Indeed, the spirit of enterprise is already
pushing improvement. As We passed the
beautiful cascade where the Richmond
Manufacturing CompaDy's Cotton Factory
once stood, We observed workmen, brick,
stone and lumber : and, in the several evi-
dences of pluck and determination dis
played, We were gladdened IL believing
that it would not be long before the hum
of its thousand wheels and the merry songs
OF it's working girls would again come up
joyful water. Down III the valley ut this
spot we observed our old friend, the Gar
kansas traveller" whom you will recognize
as your Waccamaw frequenting Cocoa
TRANSIT. What he was doing
down there at that time Of day we conld not
divine, but we c0njectured that he had
either recently received the appointment
Of snperintendent-g general of the ground
work Of the Richmond Manufacturing
Cotton Mill, Or that he was
lodging from doing the agreeable towards
some new come acquaintance. Ne Inclined
to the latter idea.
The Road from Rockingham 10 Little
River, and thence to this locus, runs paral-
lei with the Pee Dee, and passes through
and over boldly picturesque and gener
ally fertile country. Near the Grassy Is
lands, =" from the apex Of the elevation
over which one passes, delightful view
IS presented. Tar, almost, rs the eye can
pierce the blue, the landscape spreads il
'eii with hill and dale and jutting head !
anls; while conrsing its grand way along
ike some serpent Of the tabled days. The
Pee Dee, for miles winds and threads,
With islands dotting here and there it's !
course, till it is lost to sight in it's own |
green valley. The fact is, the scene here |
5 beautiful; and it was with reluctance
hat orr better half and two little quarters
who, like their dad, are fon,, of star gaz-
be induced to proceed. Indeed, !
lad our cousin Joe, who held the ribbons
,ver Charley" and "Peta" and managed |
he wagon train been willing, we would
lave remained for q sunset view But Joe
lad started to carry his gall to the COM
at Trinity, and he Twas bound
o make the trip" Like the darkey bar
,er who consoled his customer who WINGED
Vhen the razor pulled, by assuring him
dat if de handle oh de razor no break, de
'eard am bound to come" our cousin Joe
Intended to make the trip to Trinity, ii
Pete and Charley held out, aud Col. Steel's
wagon didn't fail. And he did.
Not far from this Bue1ta Vista is the
'lantation of William Leak, Esq.--the
: Grassy Island Place noted for it's
'reat fertility and productiveness. Indeed,
he valley OF the Pee Dee, all along up
rom where we first struck it. spreads out
s the lap of Cores, and at this particular
eason, and this year especially, smiles in
he abundance of its grain. The wheat
rop is spAendiH All concur in saying so.
l have not, as yet, had time to visit
many plantations, but shall do so ere re-
urn to Baden, and may, perhaps. again
LrOp yOH q line. On yesterday went
vcr the grounds Of Nash LeGrand, Esq, |,
n enterprising and thrifty young farmer
# the Pee Dee. The sight was gladdenirg.
thirteen plows and from fifteen
0 twenty hoes on one OF the handsomest
nd best plantations | over saw. All was
lean and IL good order, while tic alum
ant wheat crop Just being cut, and the
orn standing waist high, and tho cotton, /
nd the clover, and the newly opened
itches and t0M ensemble of his plantation,
lade all cheerful about him and caused
ven your correspondent for the time he I
lgt to forget that he WAS
UNHAPPY JEREMIAH.
Iangum, I. O., Richmond co, June q,
1869
About 'CaIpet-Baggers' :
We copy the following from an account
the recent Illinois press excursion, pnb-
chol tLo TliDcic CkoEo | ,