Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-02-22
ATLANTA.
a Mere Glimpse of Georgia.
A Day i'm the City of New Develop


had its origin a few years before the war as
a station on a projected railroad. That
railroad was built, and with the whistle OF
the first locomotive, carpenters and brick
masons ''went for it,n and then the enein-
eers of other railroads ''went for it,n and
the first thing Atlanta knew, it was a city,
and
GREAT RAILROAD CENTRE.
and the railroads was the centre. The next
thing the hotels '.went for the railroads and
their common depot, which was put in the
centre at the outset, and thew
have held possession ever since. II is that
way now; only they have cleared away the
freight houses by the side of the depot. and
have them stationed somewhere on the
grounds of the State, but not laid down in
the map of the city. l cannot explain this.
because did not see, during my stay. a
loaded dTay or any other sort of a draw
and do not know how they transfer mer-
chandiZe from one place to another. But
they do-and flourish. They have great
= WHOLESALE ESTABLISHMENTS.
which receive goods from all parts of the
world every day, and a diligent spectator
would require a telescope to see them come
in and 90 out. But they really do, because
| was seriously told so by a retail
family grocer, that the retailers
would have to give up business
for the reason that the wholesale trade was
mOnopolising everything. / sincerely be-
lieye that he told the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth; for. how
is it that when there is nothing but rail
roads to transport things, a retailer can
carry on business? They peddle nothing.
saw but two newspaper boys during my
stay, aud when craved ''Georgia goobers,n
/ could find not even a cast-away hull upon
the street walks to gladden. nv SIGHT. II
certainly is not, cannot possibly be
THE WANT OF MONEY,
l mean circulation. Within a radius of
500 feet l counted six banks, and each hav-
ing hanging plate within the glass door
inscribed, "Bank Open" There is plenty
of money in Atlanta but il
is principally devoted to TIL
wholesale business, and not much meet
the eye Of the casual observer. Isumised
that
EX-GOV. BULLOCK,
when he fed, had taken away with him all
the small change that Atlanta possessed,
and the city was, in a degree, compelled to
turn its attention to the wholesale business.
and 10 deal altogether in "big money!
Possibly he took all the small change in
the State, except what a few economical
Democrats and sprinkling of negroes had
boarded to bear their expenses to
THE LEGISLATURE.
For, you know that Bullock's departure
was the signal for a earpet-bag procession,
which embraced the worst part Of that vile
spawn, out Of the State. BY the way, the
Legislature of Georgia is numerous. Intact
it istOo much. There is rather too much of
the Senate and very decidedly toomueh Ofthe
House of Representatives. The House is
almost as numerous as Congress, but to its
credit, il is much more orderly and its pres
ent Speaker is better man than the des-
pot of the Federal House. He has sense
enough to move things lively, and do in 10
days, about as much as Blaine can do in
six months. The Speaker of the Georgia
Senate, too, is fully the peer of the pro
tempOre Vice President Of the United
States in matters of legislation. He does
not have TO tell the Senators, as they take
their seats, to take Off theiI plug hats.
Only one Senator, a sable-cOlored fellow
who had been sent in by mistake, was Oh
served to place his feet on his desk, while |
remained, and the Speaker aveTted his eagle
eyes, and the dOOr-keoper. at the time
turned his optics towards the glass top of
the entrance door, to see if there were
not some sovereign, anxious to come
in, and see how his Senatorial servants
were doing their work. So, the saddle
eOlored member maintained his position.
and slumbered unmolested. In the
House ! was rejOiced 10 witueSS the
TRIUMPH OF THE 18TH AMENDMENT.
1t was a venerable negro, s'Dlack as the
back" standing in the midst, in the lobby
in front of the Speakers stand, with his
back to the Speaker, his fice upturned TO a
parcel Of wires stretched across each other
above, Supposed 10 have been adjusted 20
render articulation more distinct in bad
hall) pumping wind from his lungs at so
great a rate that the galleries could not
hear, and the House sat unmOved. At the
Of his time, he was granted an
extension, and closed in a magnificent
lost his cause. 1t was pity
that twas true. He appeared TO me
like burnt cork Achilles, defying the
Of heaven. In fact Thought
it was just that way. And I have verv
little doubt it will always be that way.
Such defanceS of heaven, and the laws of
nature should always come to grief in some
way or other.
THE YOUTHFUL DARKEY
who BACKED my boots in the barber shop,
however, seemed to be in training for some
high function, as his conversation amply
showed. He stated to me, in evident earn
est, that the city of Atlanta had
4 MAGNIFICENT FIRE DEPARTMENT,
with quite a number of steam fire engines.
which never threw water except for amuse-
ment. lie vaguely intimated that Atlanta
had taken her share of fire about all at
once. That was about the time Sherman
left there on his way to the sea. He said, in
fact, we have not q great deal of use for
steam hre-engineS except for amusement,
because there are no Water Works here,
and in case Of fire We could swing the buc-
kets in the wells, and extinguish the con-
fiagTation in that way. | intended to call
on the Mayor Of the city and have him re-
move the impression the black bOot-black
had fastened upon me, but l gave it out,
aud remain pr-tty much of the mind of
the boy. During the day not
A MAN WHO SEEMED no BE IN WANT.
" d. Olu, atlQ tlu uCt liOiu OllI MS nat 10 me.
it occurred to me if it was possible for
man living under Grants administration
and passing through Georgia to let his right
band do something which his left hand
should know nothing OF. it was my duty TO
give this aged man the small price Of a
drink Of the poorest kind of Whiaky-which
.heSe deluded people pay one quarter of a
dollar for each of, (and by retail at that, |
which is surprising when wholesale is the |
word, and the quality of which is such that |
decent man would Stagger and probably |
all sprawling dOwn-in the gutter, if there |
vas a gutter in Atianta)-and to nave the !
EaE to this proposed game OF deceit be- |
Ween my right hand and my left one, l |
aid to the old man: SLOW is it with vOu |
O-day." He said, Il feel but poorly. but | |
manage along" "You seem TO be afIlict-
d. said /. aYes," said he. s'but not so |
much that lose my self reSpsoi.p 'IIave
-ou lived long in GGosgis2@ t'AH mv life"
How arc you aGlicted?' "Georgia has
iassed away from me, and only 500 each
tep as 90, and not thing beyond" sit is
rue you are old, but why despair; Georgia
s noble old State" "Yes, sir" and
lis eyes frightened and his form straighteIs
d, 'YeS, sir, Georgia is a noble old State.
lie was one Of the Thirteen at the start.
he has been trampled over and trodden
pon. She has been burned and pillaged
uI lgrnugad in ft,.rrcos,I rt-arrS |