The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-05-27
For the COURIER.
A Trip South.

1 y y
notes Of my trip South. o1a bro"
/ went from New York by W ash
ington to Richmond, thence to Wi
mington, Charleston, Augusta, Al
lanta, and Montgomery to Sclms
Alabama.
| At Richmond you see all the dis
tinctive features of Southern Society
three to five blacks-or rather, color
ed people, to one white; the colore'
being of all shades, from the je
black Congo to the light Octaroon.-
Richmond is fast recovering from tn
effects of the war. Already LITTLE
trace is left of the fire which destroy
ed q large proportion Of Nam stree
the day and night Of tho evacuation
tho burnt district being rebuilt
with much better structures than tn,
old ones. somc of the best busines!
blocks belong to old citizens, but
many of them by those who have
gone there since the war. One day
while we were there, near 100000
worth of real estate in and about the
city, was sold to northern men,
Richmond is beautiful for situation
The James River valley here is wide
and rich. Tho stream just above
the city is rocky and Larrow, with a
fall which gives immense waterlpow-
er. The tide comes up to the falls,
and large sized vessels find plenty OF
water, at tho wharves below. BY
nature it is a frst-class business
point. and is destined to be one OF
the finest cities of tho South. Walk.
ing about it, we were pointed out the
residence of Elizabeth Vanlow, whose
family were loyal all the time, and
who has been made postmistress.-
This family are old residents, have q
fine house and grounds overlooking
most of the city. Elizabeth is said
to be woman of ability, though our
informant did not admire her person
ally or politically. Near by their
house stands what is left of the old
building in which the House of Bur-
gesscs sat, where Patrick Henry
made his immortal speech, that sem
tence of which, "Give mo Liberty /;
or give mo Death!" has warmed so
many hearts, and dwclt upon SO
many lips, and will 1.-Two and breathe
through all ages
We took a carriage and went down
the Charles City road some thirty
miles. In the outskirts of the city
passed the we'll fitted National Gem
etory, whose long lines of head
boards-so many marked 'Unk known,
are sad sight. Somebody's IA
thcr, son, or brothers ashes sleep be-
meath each one. Going by one road
and returning by another, we saw in
the whole distance but few fences or
houses, all having been burned dur
ing the war, either by the Union or
Confederate armies. The assertion
that Mcclellan dug over all that
country, is almost literally true. We
were scarcely out of sight of earth
works from Richmond to Charles
City Court House. During our ride
we saw many points made historic
by the war, most prominent ofwhich
are, Malvern Hills, Drury's Bluffs
and City Point. Malvern Hills is
now owned by friend of ours, who
with commcndable enterprise, is re
pairing its waste places, and putting
its soil TO much better use than that
of q battle field, where sanguinary
strife made the earth drink the blood
of thousands Of men. Some human
bones can still be found on parts 0.
the farm, but the story recently pub
lishcd in somo newspapers about {
large amount of bones being plowed
up this spring, is an, n,,exaggeration.
We spent tho night at Westover
the famous old colonial mansion 0
Col. Bid, now the residence of Maj
Drury, who, with other ex-Confedc
rate officers Of that vicinity, t-eatet
us with great kindness and hospital
ity. Tho lands of those fine old es
.@.ss-yvcsrovcr, Burkley, tho Viz
ginia home of Gen. VIM. Henry Har
rison, Shirley, Ellington, Neston, &c
are among the bost in the world
and are valued at about $50 per acre
before the war at S75 to $780,
These have river fronts with goo,
landings. Back on the highe
grounds, are thousands of acres nov
lying waste, which looks thin, i'm
poverishcd and desolate; but witt
proper care, and the use of mari a
a fertilizer,-which is found on ther
in great abundance,-could be mad
rich and productive. Thirty to tift..
years since, these now poor land
were well improved, and when sol
brought $50 TO $50 per acre, and 70
two or more generations werc tn
| happy homes of some Of old Virgin
las best families. Surely bette
day for all that country is agai
coming, when, under the inyigor'
ting influence of well rcmunerate
and remunerating labor, it will MOI
than recover its fallen fortunes.
In my next, | will tell you of ii
Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, an
their people. j. d. Il.
OttumWa.
The article on Ottumwa, publish,
, elsewhere, from the pen Of Mr.. Fl
. hart Of Iowa C'itv is full of ,rlari,