Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-05-17
FROM WASHINGTON TO THE TROPICS.
IEdiiOrial Correspondence Of The Star.l

Editoriol Correspondence Of The Stdr.l
ST. JoHN's RIVER, FLA, April, 1872.
Leaving Washington in cold rain storm it
seemed the proper thing to do 70 head in this
direction to the land OF the orange and the
palmetto and the healing turpen tine, but il 50
happened that have found an overcoat a very
good thing to have along all the way from
Washington to Florida. Here, as with US, il is
the same story Of "the coolest winter known for
years" Backward though the season is, vet it
was not difficult to trace the line of progress
South by the advance of vegetation; and by the
time South Carolina was reached nature had
put on her full robe OF vernal green. For the
most part the country bordering upon the Po-
tomac looked bare and brown, but an occasional
field of young wheat, with its delicate pea green
hue, gave promise of better things.
EXIT OF THE NAIL BOATS.
Below Glymont traces of the new railro ID
from Alexandria to Fredericksburg began to
show themselves. The road is so far advanced
that in two months or less there will be an all
rail line between Washington and Richmond
Then handsome Captain Hollingshead and the
Aqua Creek steamers, that have 90 long catered
Tor the accommodation of the travelling public,
will "fina their occupation gone" SO far At
least, as the Potomac river lie concerned
wAsBINsroN's NEW "MILKY Way,
DSsoN aqua NiSSh, tOO, We DeSln 10 see lnGi-
cations Of what the railroad is 10 do for W ash
ington, besides furnishing shorter and quicker
route to Richmond and the South. The yir-
ginia farmers are already making preparation
to send daily supplies Of milk and truck" to
our city, and the railroad company shows a
proper disposition to supply facilities for this
trade in the way of stations switches and milk
trains. Yes, the guerril!as of Mosby and the
raiders OF Ewell, who did their best TO pillspe
= m of fha
now propose TO visit mission OF peace and
good willard sell us milk at eight cents a
quart! They have beaten their swords into the
long, sausage shaped tin milk-cans SO familiar
10 the eye on the northern railroads, and the new
road will quite literally be a milky way for
W Washington. Pour on, farmers of Virginia; we
can endure!
RICHMOND AND THE CITIES SOUTH.
Beautiful Richmond, seated on her hills seems
TO be improving with steadness, and the show
OF solid growth. Considering the obstinate ma
ture OF the contest for the possession Of Rich
mend i'm the rebellion, and the immense loss of
life in that contest it seems remarkable that in
less than decade almost all vestiges of the war
pave disappeared. This is in great measure
due to the fact that the defences were Garth
works, and Nature, who is evidently not in
chned TO have her comely face permanently
dishgured by the ugly gashes OF war, has been
6usy with rain, and frost, and sunshine in
ieveling and filling up and covering the scars
with a new dress of vegetation. One must look
sharp in entering or leaving Richmond to detect
any signs or the late carnage. Below Peters
burg there arc some traces of earth works and
rihe-pits, but these are fast losing their identify
ALI OF which is unsatisfactory to the relic-hunt-
ers. One of these We had on board. who like
Mr.. Wrinkle, carried handy note book and
pencil to catch stray bits of Information. but
who, like Mr. W., was occasionally the victim
OF false alarm. Between Petersburg and
Weldon the blackened cbimneys OF a ruined
home brought out the notebook in haste, but in
had to 90 back again, on the assurance of the
coiored brakeman that "that ERE house
cotched afre bout month ago." 1t was the
same little later, when the matter-of- fact
orakesman caused the erasure OF an eloquent
note upon the marks Of furious artillery bat
tie visible upon the Scared and manned trunks
C1 a noble forest, by declaring the said noble
forest 70 be :" a turpumtime orchard" and the
scars OF war on said trees to be nothing but .stur-
pun line boxes"
OF the next day We were passing through the
great turpentine districts OF the Caroinas, as.
IN Of proceeding drsc. from Wilmington
bia and Augusta. The stiff leaves OF the pine
were now varied by the bright yellow of the
fragrant iessamne and by the brighter green
OF the Wild scuppernong grape throwing its
graceful drapery over every available support.
vineyards OF the cultivated scuppernona also
presented themselves, and before reaching
Florence, 5. C.. the tram was boarded by the
vendors OF native wines made i'm the neighbor-
hood. The bottles, labelled "Scuppernen0.
.'Catawba," and "Port," sold for 81 each. The
latter was probably a more wholesome article
than the lOgwoOd fabrication of Commerce. 90.
ing by the name: A tOlerable article of brandy
is manufactured here, but, like the California
brandy, it is rough and fiery, needing age,
Everywhere through South Carolina are to be
seen extensive plantations, uncultivated since
the war, on account OF the Impoverished con-
dition OF the owners, or their indispositiOn to
adapt themselves to their altered relations with
their ex-slaves. The planters and business men
of South Carolina show less rallying mower tn an
those Of any other state. 1t is the fashion on ali
sides to attribute their depressed Condition 10
the incubus of the Scott state adm inistration;
out TINS Is more than the latter, bad as it I'M
auestionably is, is justly entitled to bear The
South Carolina chivalry, like Dickens old lady
who was ruined by the indigo trade, seem to be
Just a BIT disposed to indulge 'the luxury OF
w0, and to put 1t forward on all occasions As
an excuse for unthrift and their caste detesta-
ton OF manual labor, or immediate Supervision
OF manual labor; In the past they held them
selves as much above their Overseers as above
their slaves, and it is about hard for them to
come down to the drHdgery OF superintendinp
manual man labor as to the Of working
cared that he would not sic at table with those
engaged IN manual labor, whether they were
wss or SSSih ae shade OF Calhoun still
what they are doing to relieve themselves from |
the burdens of carpet-bag rule, they say: |
" Nothing; we are only passengers on this strain"
register? "NO." Why? Well, they didn't feel
disposed to register vote when their olu slaves
were the RECORDING OmcerS. Very different Is
the spirit manifested In Georgia and other states
OF the south, where the planters have entered |
manfully upon the work OF material ssrecon-
struction" under many announcements. aud
are educating the colored people 10 understanI |
that they are mere truly identified with them
and their interests than the cormoraut Garnet
baggers who seek to use them for their own
ends.
MANUFACTURES IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
Hopeful signs Of business activity are 10 be |
seen ct Graniteville and Langley's mills. be-
tween Columbia and Augusta, where there are
cotton mills running some tea thousand spindles
at each, manufacturing the cotton where IL Il /
raised, and giving employment to considerable
nu mber Of people. The water power IL abuD,ia
to run these mills through the year, ana the
shops, tenement houses, &c, Of these manufac-,
turing villages have look Of thrift and ne atne~
quite New Englandish. Columbia, too ,eypects
to have mills ON yet larger scale, g s nator
Sprague has obtained from the LeeisIstu "a TIA
GIT OF the Columbia canal to be used IA a vates |
power II Is not likely that South Carolina viii
supplsnt the mills Of the North in cotton mann
ner labor In this way to some extent.
,Augusta, Georgia, Strikes the stranger a0ree- |
AoIy from Its wealth Of superb shade tees. |
manly the wateroak, which Somewhat re-,
s moies the elms Of the Connecticut valley in |
ngure, st3teliuesa and Oro - nT .r-.., i