The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-02-07
On The SOMth-bnund Train.


When go rambling l seldom ever write tc
ct the people at home know where l go and
what | see, but for onceI now feel, not only
justified, but constra ined to deviate from this
general rule of silence. On the South
train from Columbia to Caera, Ala, | received
so much polite attention and kind assistance.
that gratitude demands of me some kind OF
public acknowledgment. 1t was with some
serious fear and much anxiety that | made up
my mind to take my family aboard traia
which enjoys no enviable reputation for safety;
especially did tremble in anxiety about the
trip in as much as the rain had been falling all
day, and was still pouring down in torrents.
Arriving at the depot we found the frain on
time. The gentlcmanly conductor, Bailey, met
us on the platform and toEing one of the chill
dren in his arms he led the wayto the sleep
ing car, where we were NIT by the polite and
attentive conductor. In few minutes two
opposite bertEs were made ready for US, and
we soon began to feel very much at home, on
the flying train. The children soon began to
sleep as comfortably az if at home. Myself
and wife were for son etime kept awake by
anxiety naturally arising out of the much talk
we had heard about the danger OF the North
and South road We soon found, however,
that the train was making gsod time, but was
not driving ahead at any break-neck speed.
At bridges, tFestle-w0rks and curves the speed
was slackened, and the train was carried over
"
in the hands of cautious and careful Con-
ductor, and of an engineer who knew his bu-
siness aud was doing it we'll.
Being assured by the Conductor that the road
was perfectly safe, and that the train was be-
ing run with more than usual care, my wife
soon composed herself to peaceful and trust
full slumbers beside her children, and went
forward to enjoy my after supper segar. l
dicovered that there were about one hundred
passengers aboard, and that my wife was the
only lady among them. | must here confess
that felt some degree of pride and self-impor-
lance, kind of superiority over nv fellow
travellers, when l fonnd ONE OUT OF HUN
DRIED, who held as all my own the only lady
aboard that long train Of cars.
After my smoke | returned to the sleeping
car, and entrusting myself and slice ping wife
and children to the care and keeping of the
wstchfu' Eye that never Sleeps nor slumbers
laid me down and was soon fast asleep my
self. | can tell you nothing more of what
happened that light, for l Only awoke to lind
myself in the fourishing city of
BIRMINGHAM.
OF this city l can tell you but little. We
remained here but few minutes, and l hardly
got fully awake before we were gone. l now
remember Birmingham like the vision of
dream, and l am told that it has sprung into
existence very much like the eations of a
dream-vision. l hope, however, that the tow
ering brick houses, and widespreading work.
shops there saw, have more sOldid fOunda-
lion to rest upon than the immaterial and base
less fabrics of dream-fancy. The Birming-
hamites say that their city, which is soon to be
one of the powers of the earth, hassan iron
foundation to rest upon. All that we can say
with any degree of certainty about Birming-
ham is that that infant city has one of the
most extraordinarily unaccommodating hotel
keepers that. hungry traveller ever called
upon for cup of coffee.
The next point at which we arrived was
CALEBA,
This little village stands at the crossing of the
Norths & South and the Selma, Rome and
Dalton Railroad. 1t is place of lime -kilns,
frCm which it takes its name. Here we had
to spend the day. We expected nothing but
wearisome time Of it but ina CINE our:agreea-
BILE disappointment at finding here splendid
hotel, and every comfort that pohteness and at
tentiOn can give. was so delighted with the
junction House at Calera, Ala, that l must
call the especial attention of the travelling
public to it. | know both you editors of the
HERALD like gOod.eating, and plenty of it,
and to get 1t in a room where every hing is
new and clean, and where the servants know
their business, and attend to it. To find all
this at the most res sonable rate, whenever you
go to Calera stop at the Junction House, Kept
by Messrs. Ross & Powell. Here l found tur-
key, duck, good beet, Venison, and the best
coffee that ! have had since | was at DR..
CPS in CulleOka. | have been told that Col.
Ross formerly kept hotel in Knoxville, and
know that he is polite gentleman, and
knows how to keep frst-class hotel wher-
ever he may have learned the trade, an the
other proprietor. Maj. Powell, knows exactly
how to make his guests feel at home.
You may hear from US again. j. NJ.
CALEAA, ALA, Jan. l4th; 1873.