Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-04-27
Correspondence of The Start

were compelled to take in reaching Mobile from
jacksonville. TO travel one thousand miles to
reach point three hundred and fifty miles dis
tant is bad enough; but a journey over five diff
ferent roads, which seem to make 1t point
never to connect, is to say the least very
fatiguing and decidedly unpleasant. Most of the
roads are unfit for travel, save at a snails pace
whilst the rolling stock is in very deplorable
condition. 1t was our fortune to have three
break downs, and to be delayed thirty-six hours
in our journey over this portion of the route
The road running from Brunswick to Macon
being well managed and equipped, is an excep-
ton to these unfavorable comments. We spent
some IS hours at a junction called Jessup before
striking this road fer Macon, at which place we
passed another Il hours in a miserable arrange
ment for hotel, yclept the "Lenoir House,
Macon is a well-buiit town of 10000 inhabi-
tants, laid out in 1923, and containing some very
fine public and private buildings. The view
from the end Of Mulberry" street is very fine,
that thoroughfare being ornamented with nu-
merous elegant residences, some Of which would
do credit to any CITY, The place reminded us of
Washington, from the clouds OF dust which rise
from the unpaved streets. The number of drink
ing saloons seemed sadly out of proportion to
the population, eight having been counted in
two small squares Indeed, when one considers
the quantity Of these saloons, and the terrible
stuff dispensed at their counters, he cannot but
feel that there were perhaps some grounds for re-
belliOus feelings. Such liquor as is dealt at the
South is admirably calculated to incite "treason
stratagems and spoils.' One of our party OK
pressed himself audibly to this effect, and
capped it with the emphatic declaration that 10
one with any regard for himself would be found
dead south OF the city Of Washington.
III a fol ly fart
we passed throu Oh Columbus, crossed the Ala
bams line, and about dusk arrived at Mont
gomery, Ala, whence we moved onward for
Mobile. After a hard nights ride, we reached
Pollard, a short distance from which place we
embarked on the steamer st. Elmo. A pleasant
journey Of two hours on the Alabama river
brought us to the bay and city of Mobile, two
small Notifications near the entrance, called
respectively Forts Maury and GLADDEN., having
been passed on the way. The distractions are
numerous and varied, and as yet but sufficient
have been removed to afford narrow channel
for purposes OF navigation. They extend in
every direction, and were evidently intended to
furnish a complete barrier against an invading
foe.
The first thought which occurs to a visitor on
entering Mobile is that it must be terribly uIi-
healthy place, located as it is in low, mars,ly
m.
The trade of the city, though considerable is
small compared with what it would be were il
not for the bar at the mouth of the bay, which
does not allow the passage OF vessels drawing
over nine feet OF water. All large vessels are
compelled to discharge their cargoes into light
ers and receive them in the same manner. thus
greatly increasing the cost of loading and M
loading.
The shipping at the wharves consists mainly of
small steamers OF shallow draught made for the
purpose OF bringing cotton from the creeks and
rivers. A great deal of cotton is shipped from
this place, and were it not for the bar, Mobile
would be port of great importance. The
population of the city is about $4,000. The
streets are wide, many OF them paved and some
OF them very handsome. Government street,
the principal for residences, contains many ele-
CANT mansions and grounds. The market is
neatly kept and well supplied, and prices are
fully as high as they should be. The Battle
House is the only hotel in the place, and is tol-
erably well kept-nOt, to be sure. remarkable
for cleanliness or fare, but in prices not whit
below the mark. The day of our arrival-the
9th instant-was, in accordance with immemo-
rial usage, a holiday, known as " firemen's
day." being the annual celebration of the Fire
Brigade" AL the Mobile companies, and sew
eral from New Orleans, participated in the
pageant, and made quite respectable display
the New Orleans steam engines being as hand-
some and as well equipped as any in the coun-
try. The volunteer feature is still in vogue, and
apparently as great a nuisance in this locality
as it formerly was at the North.
A drive on the shell road along the bav and
through magnificent groves of live oaks and
magnOlias, was one Of the pleasantest rides we
ever enjoyed. The magnolias groves are
the finest in the south, and in the
season of their fragance fill the air with the
most delicious perfume. some of them must
be nearly hundred feet high, and their SYM
metz ical shape, and beautiful dark green foliage
render them delightful to the eye. All the
summer resorts are on this drive, and from the
crowds enjoying them, we concluded that they
must be well patronized. A large number of
boat houses, or their remains, line the shores OF
the bay. and are suggestive of the aquatic sports
once enjoyed by their owners. Large quantities
OF orange trees are noticeable, mostly of the
"bitter sweet" kind. and therefore unpalatable.
Mobile, like most Southern cities, Is well pro-
vided with tipping shops, and the amount of
drinking must be enormous. The streets gem
orally are filthy, and in some Of them the stencil,
even ct this early period, was almost intoler-
able.
The police arrangements and force In all the
Southern cities we have visited, save Savannah,
are very inefRcient, none Of them comparing
with those Of Washington. The personnel and
physique Of tho force are below mediocrity, as
well in New Orleans as in the other Southern
cities. We should infer that In their selection
more respect was paid to political service than
to personal fitness.
We left Mobile for the "Crescent City," ON
the 18th, in the steamer "Laura," OF the Nor
gan mail line-a first class boat in all respects,
and belonging to q well-managed line. These
steamers do not 60 outside into the Gulf, but
avail themselves Of what Is called "Grant,s
Pass narrow channel out from Mobile bay
to the Bay OF Pascagoula. This canal, which is
about wide enough for two steamers, and six
feet deep, Is kept open by constant dredging.
This steamship company alone pay The proprie-
tor S16, 600 per annum for the privilege Of pass
ing through is waters. 1t has been in existence
some thirty years. Entering 1t, you see Fort
Morgan on the right, Ship Island and other OBJ
jects Of interest on the left. From Pascagoula
Bay, Lake Ponchartrain is reached, and after
q good nights rest we landed on its shore and
took the cars for this city, distant about four
miles. At this junction are numerous pleasure
resorts, and as we ride onwards We begin to re-