The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-01-23
Glimpses at the South.
JACKSONVILLE, Florida, Jan.

JACKSONVILLE, Florida, Jan. u.
"Put not your trust in princes" says the
psalmist to which | add, unhesitatingly,
"neither in Southern railroadS.n Lest |
may be doing injustice by the sweeping re-
mark to some road on which have not
yet travelled, | beg leave to amend by
saying, '.any railroad on the routc from
Weldon, n. c. to Jacksonville, Fla
We left Richmond at tour F. M, en-
veloped in one of those Scotch mists
which, as they say in the cold countries"
will wet IN lrishman to the skin; arrived
at Weldon soon after dark where we took
sleeping ears, and thus found ourselves
fairly embarked on the great railroad
thoroUghfarc for the South, which is ad-
vertSed in the largest Of blue letters rs
''in the line Of comfort unexceled-per-
feet connections-Withno mono of the annoy
ING changes and vcxatiouo delays incident
TO other routes, good eating houses
smooth track, quick time, being the in
duccments offered to the public I"
Why the ear referred % is called a
sleeping cas | cannot ten, unless it IL on
the same principle that the livery stable
keeper named the slowpst horse in his
stable. Lightning" The quantity of
"tired natures sweet rcstorer" that could
be found in it in one night would be about
equal to what would be found in a ride for
the same space of time over one of our
oldtimc gridiron bridges in 4 wagon
with one spring broken. That proves
nothing, however tor is it not advertised
in bic blue letters that it is a smooth track?
Is it not also advertised that in the line Of
comfort this route is unexcelled and was
it not the perfection of comfort to he
aroused at three O'Clock in the morning
on arrival ut Wilmington. to 'change
cars ?' Who shall presume to assert that
this was an annoying change? And
wasn't it a luxury to reach soon after day
break one of those good eating houses,
where for the paltry sum of one dollar Il
man could enjoy the privilege of washing
his hands and face iii one Of that battalion
of tin wash-basins that stood in battle
array on the piazza of the eating g-house,
and then to 90 into lhe hall lighted with
tallow dips and eat fried chicken-verv
good fare for Il hungry man. il is true
! and drunk = emp of MIXTURE styled coffee
a chemical analysis Of which would prob
chcory, logwood, u few kernels of coffee,
with q few stems of tobacco leaves
thrown in to give it a bead!
| But the big blue letters inform the
traveller that on this route there are no
vexatiOus delays. OF course we We're not
| veXed when about an hour after chicken
and coffee our train was brought to u dead
stand by overhauling a smashed freight
train Six hours only were required to
clear the track for us There is Il man in
your city, whom you may have heard
,ohasper1ng in Custom House Square, who
| WpuiNl nave Ltktt tbii way 'tii'l l'il iIiSii
more not as good rs he, and done in two
| hours what two engines, two conductors.
| brakemen of two trains and fifteen darkins
were six hours in accomplishing.
| We were due in Charleston, according
! to the timetable, when we lett the wreck
ed train, and rolled along mcrrily towards
Florence, S. c., where we were sure to
connect with the train for Charleston; for
did not the big blue letters advertise us OF
perfect connections? Two hours brought
us there; the train had left and there we
waited for nine long hours, and at mid
night left for Charleston. Some people
might call this vexatious delay. We did,
until we learned that the passenger train
| following us was thrown from the track
not far from the point where we found
the wrecked freight train, two of its cars
burned and their occupants saved only
from dreadful death by dragging them
out through the car windows. Had we
carried out our original plan Of tarrying
another halliday in Richmond, we should
have been of the number.
Florence boasts of one hotel, but unfor-
tunately it lacks landlord. Our only
city of refuge while there was one of the
saloons, of which there are twice as many
as in your city, although the population
of the place is but few hundred. OF the
keeper Of our saloon, and it was admitted
by all to be the best in the place, desire
to speak in the highest terms. He is the
husband of one of the most dignified