The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-04-03

FROM TENNESSEE.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, March p, 1859.

MEMPHIS Tenn, Marcn Z-s looS.
Editorial Correspondence
We wound up our last letter With our
arrival at Mobile, and since then we have
beer so much occupied Wit the business
OF our mission, as TO make it impossible to
write previous to reaching tlis point, and
even now we can only hurry over the field
we have travelled.
We found considerable business in Mo-
bile, and quite fne city. Our old friend
and hopmate, Lineham, Cores bonding
Representative Of Molder's Union 10. 1877,
remained with Us during our stay in that
city, and very kindly took US to all the
places Of interest in and about the ylace.
We went out to Whistler, 6 les from
the city, where the Mobile ans colo r. r.
Co. have their shops. 1t was "a ming very
hard at the time, and we had but tile op-
portuDity to see the place. The impressions
We formed were not very favorable, and
we failed to see Why the shops were located
there. II looks to US as if the interests
Of the company, and the health and con-
venience of the workmen, were sacrificed
for the sake Of cheap ground upon which
to build. Perhaps the company thought
by isolating the workmen from the rest of
the world, they would not be troubled so
much BY these odIous institutions known
as Grades Unions," which have become a
terror TO all vil-dispOled and tyrannous
capitalists. Whatever their object may
have been, they nave failed. The Iron.
Molders Union, which has become such
monster in size and strength within few
years, is gradually reaching out its arms
into every nook and corner of the lend,
long ago found its way even TO Whistler
and some Of the very best members of that
organization are to be found there. we
had the pleasure of shaking these men bv
the hand, and wishing them GOO speed
Union No. l37 has bad hard struggle,
b. it mas lived through it all, and is now
one Of the very best. Il
They have a shell road running along.
Mobile Bay for several miles, that 10 oDe
of the 6nest drives We have ever seen. We
fancy il to be a magnificent place in the
warm summer weather. Mobile will never
be a great city. until, by artificial means,
good entrance and q good harbor can be
provided, which We think will never be done.
From Mobile We went to New Orleans by
water, distant 100 miles. We remained inl
that S...y four days, and In that time went
pretty wall over the whole place. After
visiting every foundry, and talking TO nearly \
every molder $50 or co., we succeeded in
getting abort dozen 70 attend . meeting,
and after much talk We succeeded ia reor-
ganizing the Union, which had been sus- /
pended for some time. We sincerely hope
there will be NO further suspension, no wei
Lave found no place where Union il 90 |
much needed, and, with very few sxcep-
tions, we found the molders the most miser-
able set Of creatures We have met in the
whole and. Morally, socially a7d intellec- |
tnalif, hev are long way below the stand
ard o only hope IL in the few good men
We found among them may they improve
soon and rapidly New Orleans is great
great city; In come respects the greatest in |
the country, II wickedness can be called |
greatness. BIZ. it is great city in point Of |
commercial Importance, and one DAY il viii |
be the metropolis of America
The great drawback to its progress IL its
unhealthy location. The ground upon which |
q Is built Is very fiat; indeed, Il is basin, |
10 many places lower than the Mississippi |
River on the one side, and Lake Poncher-
train on the other. The water runs back |
from the river, ard this makes = good, /
healthy drainage almost impossible. The |
distance from the river to the lake 10 about /
seven miles, and there are swo or three can
els cut from the lake almost TO the river. |
These carry of most Of the dfainage Of the |
city, willis the balance finds lts way to the |
swanps, or i taken up BY the stmosphers |
snd oreathed by the people. Bat New
Orleans can be made quite clean and |