Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-08-31


ments-Afr-Lfne Rohd from 80.
Louis TO Memphis. -s
ST. Louis. August 25. 1872.
To the Editor of the Ledger:
Not many days ago, after most pleas
ant visit among the sociable Memphians,
your correspondent took passage via the
Iron Mountain railroad to st. Louis and
the West At Columbus, Ky, we changed
cars, and were scarcely seated when our
train was seized in the rear by a putting
engine which showed us round town
in pretty lively manner. This proceed
ing ! did not at first fully comprehend.
"Was there delegation of City Fathers
or other dignitarics on boardY was my
mental inquiry. No, surely not. / OBJ
served closely every passenger, and am
satisfied that all were perfectly sober.
Here my mental speculations ended; we
had reached the river bank, and were
backing over a soft, "cavy" looking
roadbed, where the giving away of a
single tie would have plunged us into the
river. However, without accident we, with
our entire train, were backed on to the
ferryboat, and crossing the mighty Father
of Waters we landed in Belmont, where
we partook of substantial dinner, and
then whirled away northward over grades
and bridges, through deep cuts and
tunnels, through wild woods and dismal
swamps for many miles, with very few
signs of civilization. When the wild
ness Of the scenery had grown monoto.
nous, and we were wishing for the haunts
of civilization, we suddenly dashed into
what seemed a -boundless field of the
largest corn 1have ever seen. The soil
is fine sand loan, and very rich. The
fields gave very few signs of cultivation,
though the corn was certainly as large
and thickly grown as possibly could be
produced by any amount of cultiva-
tion. Lovers Of hoe-cake, "fritters
and dodgers " might surely live happy
and die contented here.
Late in the afternoon we reached the
iron regions and while our train wood
ed | piled numerous questions to vii
lager, thinking to gain some information
on the subject Of iron raising. When |
asked him il this years crop was fair
yield or an abundant one, he regarded
me with most stupid stare, but gave no
sign of an answer. Thinking that he
had not heard me, or that had perhaps
made some mistake about this years
crop having yet matured, ] said: Ahem
Doubtless the late heavy rains have
somewhat retarded the growth and early
matu---"All aboardln interrupted the
conductor, and while wondering what
the dey--I mean what that fellow could
be laughing at, got aboard, feeling that
the opportunity to gain that piecc Of
information had escaped me. Late at
night, hot, dusty and very tired, we
reached st. Louis.
Among all the cities in which ] have
Travelled have never seen one SO amply
provided for, so fully filled up-heaped
up to overlooking, shaken down and
" crammed in with a profuse mixture
of races. The city now claims popu-
lation of $4,000, and overheard an
Z" enthused citizen declaring that within
-four years St. Louis would contain no
less than one million souls. This is
hardly possible, but we will suppose that
If the city clings tcuderly to her old
fogyisms, dirty streets aud envy Of other
cities, she will 10 forty years reach a
population of perhaps four hundred
thousand. This, of course, depends
largely on foreign emigration.
The city has gobbled up Spotted Tail
and his noble(?) warriors, and held out to
him liberal inducements to bring his
tribe to st. Louis and open theater
where the elite of the city can be enter
tanned with war songs, scalp dances, and
other performances equally elevating
and refining. What they can want with
more thieves, robbers and murdercrs is
a profound mystery to me. There are
some places of interest about the city.
The lower or French portion in cholera
season would certainly be very inter
eSting place. Clean streets in st. Louis
are unknown. 1t has no parks worthy
of mention.
Lafayette Park is very pretty little |
one with shady, well-kept walks, margined |
with flowers. But that was a present. |
Shaw's Botanical Garden, six miles west |
of the city, one is of the most complete,
perfect and beautiful | have ever seen in
this country. 1t is the city's free Sun
day resort. Thousands visit it every |
Sabbath. There are rare plants and |
nOWStb iAOHt CNOiJ .o4mSi AouJ ttAthoi |
shaded fountains, cool paths winding
amid the shadows of thousands of beau
tiful trees and perfumed with the odor of
ten thousand flowers. The garden is
the private property Of Mr.. Shaw, an
English bachelor, who brought 1t at his
own expense from the wild, uncultiVated |
land to its present state of perfection
and beauty. He was the donor of La
fayette Park, and at his death will pre-
sent his garden to the city.
st. Louis proposes an air line railroad |
10 Memphis, by which she doubtless ex-
poets to despoil Aopeleld Of her trade,
This does not exhibit true spirit Of
liberality; besides it is hardly fair for
St. Louis to do this simply because she
feels safe in her position. Why not delay
this matter, say five years, when Hope
field will perhaps be her equal2 How
ever, If st. Louis persists in this thing,
Hopefeld must join Raleigh in the
by which she can preserve
3 digpifed independence.