Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-07-21
ITO RALEIGH AND BACK.
Opening of the Raleigh Railroad
Two Thousand Memphlans Drin.
Mineral water at the Aprings-A
Gala Day at the Ravfne.

Five trains yesterday over the Louis
vile railroad to the National Cemetery
carried out loads Of passengers to the
junction Of the narrow-gauge Raleigh
railroad. At the cemetery Colonel Dom
ovan's pony train stood waiting as each
broad gauge train arrived. The Raleigh
train consisted Of the little engine
Memphis, two baggage cars and two
passenger coaches. The engine Mem
phis" is beauty, weighing eleven tons,
and OF great driving power. 1t was built
by Porter, Bell & Co., Of Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania, and fully comes up TO the
tests and guarantees. 1t pulled the
train and heavy load of passengers with
the greatest case, and showed that it
was capable of running at high rate OF
speed. George Fox, well-known engi-
neer, held the lever and handled his en-
CINE cleverly and professionally. The
passenger coaches " Gayoso" aud De-
Soto" Of elegant finish, are each capable
of seating thirty passengers, the seats
being so arranged as to be single half
way down the car and double the remain
ing distance, with the order Of location
reversed on the opposite side, thereby
maintaining the proper balance while
running. The engine and cars were
decorated with flags and streamers, as
they moved swiftly over the narrow
gauge track, under charge of conductor
Eugene Harris, between the Cemetery
and the town of Raleigh.
President Donovan, Chief Engineer
Bob Cobb and Mayor Coleman, Of Raj
eigh, have been working night and day
getting the track all right and placing
the cars upon it in order to be ready for
yesterday mornings celebration. Too
much praise cannot be awarded to these
and other gentlemen for their untiring
efforts, but they feel amply compensated
by the success Of yesterday. Our rep
resentative, by request, rode out on the
pony engine, an equestrian feat which,
if not of a very daring, was undoubtedly
of most pleasing character.
THE SPRINGS.
Arriving at Raleigh the Menphians
we're met at the springs by crowds of
ladies and gentlemen from the sur
rounding country, and general good
time was INDUCED in and enjoyed.
Raleigh, like Rome, sits upon seven
hills probably greater number, but
seven is sufficient to carry out the par
alleD. Around her sweeps old Neshoba
or Wolf river, a clear stream Of water.
sluggish and deep. In semi-circular
ravine that half encircles the town are
located the famous springs. The Ravlne
is crowned on either side by high hills,
which are covered with tall Undertook,
beech, etc.-and numberless smaller ra-
vines branch out between the hills, all OF
which make the spot quite romantic in
appearance and full of natural beauties,
susceptible of receiving artificial i'm
provement to any extent, which, when
accomplished, will make the Ravine a
place of beauty and a Joy forever
"a valley like unto that so
charmingly described in Rasellas.
The springs are scattered up and down
theRavine at the foot of the hills, and are
inclosed within ratings and with pavil-
ions over them. There is the Arsenic.
the Beech, the Magnolia, the Sulphur,
the Bayliss, the Curry, the Monsarratt,
the Iron and the Modoc springs. The
Bayliss, the Curry and the Monsarratt
are surrounded with marble slabs, placed
there by the gentlemen whose names
they bear. During the day the Ravne
and the bill tops were covered with peo-
pie, drinking the waters, and picnicing
in groups that presented quite bu-
collie or Arcadian appearance to the eye
of the reportorial observer. Our re-
porter being rather a connoisseur as to
water, tasted of all the springs in rota-
ton. the iron, sulphur, arsenic, free
stone, ETC., and pronounces them
good to drink and pleasant to the
taste. Those OF our citizens who
have located at Raleigh for the season
speak in high terms of their curative
properties, but our reporter preferred
above all others the "Modoo," bold
freestone spring, and one that will mix |
we'll with other liquids which he par
takes Of occasionally by the advice Of
leading physicians. In the afternoon
hundreds Of people we're fed at the Cole |
man House and Franklin Hotel, pre-
sided over by Captain McKeogh. Both
establishments are only tolerAbly well
kept, but are filed with boarders, as in
deed are all other like establishments in
the burgb. The tables are not well sup
plied-they are supplied after the man
ner of third-clsss boarding houses. Peo-
pie from the city desire change Of diet,
aud nothing pleases them so well as TO
go to the country aud enjoy fried chicken,
rich sweet milk, fresh buttermilk, corn
bread. barbecued lamb aud shOat aud
other things ofruralorigin comparatively
unknown in city establishments. Such
die, will attract hundreds Of people tORal-
eigh before dinner, when otherwise they 4
would only make post prandidi trips to
,ba spripes. or like sensible people,