Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-08
NOTES OFTRAVEL.
News from the West - Impressions
of a Traveller.

y
News from the west Impressions
of a Traveller.
SHKLBYvILLE, Tenn, July 4, 1871
A few weeks ago we left Nashville en-
route for st. Louis, thence west; and
according to promise we give you few
observations of the trip.
Leaving Nashville at 3:15 A. NJ, we
n sached st. Louis at 1890 P. NJ, the same
day, via Nashville and Northwestern
8 Rs ilroad to Union City, thence by Mobile
anil Ohio Railroad to Columbus, KY,
and crossing The river TO Belmont, took
the iron Mountain Railroad to St. Louis.
The traveller upon the Nashville and
North western Railroad would not be IA
vorably impressed with Tennessee. Some
times Tor many mile the only objects of
interest that attract him are the long
stretches of woodpiles upon which the
'tIron Horse" stops to feed, and the
mammoth barrels from which he quenches
his thirst. And now and then we pass
two lonesome chimneys, looking desols-
ton at each other, across a few feet of
blackened earth. But fortunately they
are soon left out of sight By IL o'clock
we are at Union City, in an hour at Co.
lumhus; where the cars, passengers, en-
CINE and all, are rolled down into q ferry
boat, and in few minutes piloted across
the Mississippi.
Twenty minutes for dinner; (entirely
too short time for tired, hungry tray
eler), and we take the Iron Mountain train
for st. Louis.
Upon this road we found very accom-
modating conductor and the most COM
Portable cars we have ever seen. Nothing
can exceed their Bloods' patent seats;
they can be arranged to sit up, lean back
or lye down, just as you prefer.
The back of seat can be arranged to
rest at any angle, until it is just low
enough for a pillow; and the backs of
any number in front can be let down to
level with the seats, filling up the spaces
between, and then you have place TO
lay your head, and liberty to stretch out
full length, which is luxury long man
only occas ionally enjoys.
Rich, fertile lands lay along the wes-
tern bank of the Mississippi, from Bel
mont to St. LOUIS, but the great Iron
Mountain is the wonder and the wealth of
that region. 1t is said to be, to its base,
one solid mountain of iron ore. One
thousand tons of this iron ore is carried
over the Iron Railroad to St. Louis, every
day, where it is smelted and moulded into
solid iron, and then shipped to other points
North, South, East and west.
Quantities of iron manufactured at ST.
Louis have already been shipped to Pits
burg. This is one step gained upon the
scale of progress that must, sStcsp by
| step, eventually take the West to :
! wealth of development far in ADVANCE OF
| the East. When all her limitl6 SIS prsiries
are cleaning with golden grim; when al
| her great mines of miner ais have beer
opened and are emptying into her treasury
! their iuexhaustible wf.alth: when the
great iron horse, the unrivalled king Of
commerce, snuf1ng strength from he
bracing breeZes, PUSHES with the speed Of
lightning over her level lands, yet stop
ping to leave load at every mans door
then what is to hinder the great Yves
from teeming with towns and cities, tina
will tower above the East in wealth an(
Importance
ST. LOUIS
is grand city, and growing grander il
its proportions and importance every day
1t is rapidly making its way upward, ant
may yet become the metropolis of tn,
nation. 1t is convenient place TO live
The means of motion are numerous. TIL
stranger may command anything in whiCl
to ride, according to his cash, from
guided carriages to OK carts; and in hi
strolls upon the city street, (if he loves it
may listen 10 every variety of music, from
claxon bards to organ grinders. He gee!
every shade of human life, from the ricl
aristocre.t lOunging IN luxury, who hs
counted his thousands and listened to tht
joyous Jingle of his gold, until to ever,
impulse of charity his ear is dull and hi
heart is dead.
Che fair woman walkin in silver slip
peTs, on velvet carpets, the dazzling
light of diamonds flashing from her fin.
| gers, whose vanity wouldn't sacrifice on
of them to charity, to save her soul from
hell down through every successive
grade of wealth, care, poverty and want
to the poor street beggar, ragged, home
less, and hungry without penny in hel
pocket.
Such is life in large city.
Leaving st. Louis at o'clock, P. NJ
we reached Fort Scott, Kansas, the mex
day at 8 A. NJ, via Missouri Pacific
and NJ. &. and T. r. r.
FORT SCOTT
is fiourishing young city of six thou
sand inhabitants.
1t promises to be very important com
mercial, and manufacturing city. 1t
J people are wide awake, full of life and
energy; true to their own interests they
make it a point of duty to encourage
and patronise every worthy home-enter
prise.
Our attention was directed to a new
block of brick buildings with iron fronts
Just going up; and we were informed
that the brick were made in the city, tn
iron ore dug up near by, and the iol
for the fronts manufactured at hom
foundry. The paints used for man.
of their houses are manufactured at home
Fort Scott will Uery probably be tn
shipping point for the commerce of The
| Northwest. 1t is growing rapidly, ant
bids fair to become the most impOrtan
city in the State of Kansas.
Kansas City is remarkable place. 1T
population in 1866 was only 1000, ant
it is now $4,000, and still increasing
The rapidity of its growth is unparalleled
and speaks loudly enough for The energy
aud enterprise of its people. The whea
crops IN Missouri and Kansas are fine
and the corn crops promising.
1t was really feast to the soul to SCI
those vast fields of waving grain ripe anC
ready for the harvest.
A trip to the West is well worth AM
mans time and money, who feels an in
, terest in the rise and progress of tn,
country. The people of the West ar,
indeed thoroughgOing, thrifty people
. | We like the way they work, we like thei
: unanimity of action; whatever may b,
, their honest differences of opinion upol
! politics and religion, they are united hear
} and hand in one great purpose, the de
! veIopment of the country. And Will,
the people of the North and South, il
the East are contending, and quarrelinl
with each other, or with heads hum
down are croaking about what the coun
try is coming to, thespeople of the West
standing in solid phalanx, with stronl
! arms and stout hearts, are steadily anC
| -anidlv carving the country To q hiphe