The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-02-16
bAnr1MoRr; Md. February IS. 1872

t'-BAnr1noRr;; Md. February IS, ls7a..
Yh. lEpEroR, In the traveller s .vocabu-
larry space means time, and distances are
measured by the hour rather than BY
the mile. Recently leaving Greensboro.
N. O., on the railroad train. asked the
conductor, how fur to Richmond2
Promptly he replied, as ho walked by
calling for tickets. "8 "a, sir" and passed
on. l looked at my watch. It was a
few minutes after IL NJ. Precisely OF
twenty.four minutes after o'clock P.
NJ, we rolled into the Richmond depot.
distance of 189 miles.
The recent cold weather has 80 sheeted
the Potomac in ice. the Dight boat was
discontinued. hence detention md n
sojourn for the night in Richmond. At
0.2U next morning, we were whir]inp
along at rate Of thirty miles per honr
to Acquia Creek. As we passed throuoh
old fredericksburg the memories Of the
past clustered sadly and rapidly upon
my mind, as saw the almost innumera-
BILE little white head stones that literally
In few hours we were padding nm
the Potomac, which, though subieot to a
rapid current. and quite high tides. was
still occasionally sheeted from side to
side with thick coating of ice, sufli
ciently heavy to very often almost over.
come the power of the boat to drive
through it. From Washington CITY 20
this place every hill top and Northern
slope was white with snow, and through.
out this city the cutters and way side
walks are still banked up with solid. un-
melting banks of snow. These sights
seem strange to me, for the weather is
by no means cold, not even cold enough
for an over-coat; and I am sure were the
snow TO foil in South Carolina, with such
temperature, it would melt and disap.
pear as rapidly as it fell. can only no.
count for this apparent paradox by re.
membering that the very cold month of
January 30 thoroughly froze the land
that IL is still cold enough to prevent the
melting Of the snow.
In Richmond had room at the Ex.
change. and, at first, rather demurred to
taking room without fire. plrce. bnt
was assured I'd be comfortable. Pre-.
sently discovered the room had. and
continued to have, most luxuriously
comfortable temperature. Intermurnl
steam pipes were the origin of the heat
In this city, am at Barnum's, where
the bill OF fare Tor dinner would super.
induce founder to tho inmates of YOUR
Columbia hotels. These items forcibly
remind me Of an incident. Tho morn.
lug 1 left Columbia. after paying nv
bill. sat by grate full of coal dust
ypft Il
shonld have been called an e1tingnisher.
while In this attitude, attempting to re-
veal the latent heat of said CRATE, q
Bostonlan stepped in, aud volunteered
his portion OF tho following diulogue:
wal, that's kinder steep" undressing
me. Said /, "what's that?" "Wul, you
people down South, here. are all the
time blaming us Yankees for cheating
you; and II yon amt learning right fast,
l don't know" "Ah! who . cheating you
now?' oval, I've been here twenty -four
hours; have been poorly fed; slept cold
ana amt thawed yet; and for such privi-
leges, have had to pay 81" His shots
we're 80 point blank. I did not argue
the question. Just here. Mr.. Editor,
an idea suggests itself. If our mercha n Is
go North, semi.annually, to learn now
styles, and keep up with mercantile pro-
gress. don't you think similar trip by
our landlords might be the means OF eI
tending more favorably the reputation
of our hotels?
Baltimore, though apparently very
active, commercially. and holding u
hand fairly with her larger Northern
sisters. complains OF lack OF Southern
custom. This should not he 80; for
surely this generation owes that gener-
GUS people u debt of gratitude which We
should delight to be able to pay by mer-
cantilo patronage. Yours, &C.,
COS.
1t is stated that the London Tablet.