Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-06-29
FROM PAUL BAGLEY.
Pros Cairo 60 ~. Louis by the Marrow
Gauge RafIFOa6-To Memphis by
steameE-SummeriBg in
So. Paul.

ST. LOUIS, June "a Left Cairo for
ST. Louis, by narrow-gsuge road, a few
days ago. Country for some thirty miles
low and swampy, and not much settled.
Road good along here, and, trains being
light, rails not bent down as on other
roads in such places. Passed JOnesbOro
and came TO Kavlin, where they get the
celebrated sire clay,n which looks like
CASTLE soap, and Is used for all kinds OF
fine work. Passed through tunnel some
three hundred and seventy-five feet
long; caught q glimpse Of "Bald Knob"
said TO be the highest point in Illinois.
Country rather mountainous; passed
through 3 break in the rocks deeper
than the train is high, and barely wide
enough to admit the train TO pass, form
ed by nature. Came to MurphysbOTO, a
county town celebrated for more than
twenty saloons: q mining town. Mines
just across the Big Muddy river. Coal
tt for smelling iron, without being first
made into coke. Have three shafts, but
only working one on account Of the
hard times. Costs about dollar and
half a ton to mine it. The coal COM
pany have a railroad running from Car
bondale, on the Illinois Central
road, to Grand Tower, on the
q temperance town; not q saloon in it;
HASN'T been for years; people vote them
out. This is only seven miles from Muir
pbysbOro, The State normal school is
here. The streets are thronged with PEG.
pie at night going to church. Rode on
the Illinois Central down TO MRkanda,
q village in q deep ravine, with most
beautiful scenery from the church on
the nights above. Bibles are IN the cars
and waiting-rooms Of this road. All
through cars of this road are hoisted at
Cairo and wider trucks run under them,
so as to suit the gauge Of the Mississippi
Central road, connecting at Cairo. Most
of this road that / saw seemed to be
fenced to keep off stock. Much of it is
stone-ballasted and very solid. The
president appears to be man Of very
big soul; met him last summer in Chi
csgo. Came up on the narrow-gsuge to
Sparta. The country all along here is
rich and beautiful, perhaps half the land
waving with yellow wheat, with har-
vestiRg machines here and there at
work, though the full harvest time is
not quite come. The crop appears to be
abundant, though some few fields have
fallen little on account Of the late
rains. Corn and grass are looking well.
fSeu Duu rs q SSluuhH IOnhs A4Osl
Of them can't understand you;
country same as last; town full Of sa-
looms. Waterloo, q county town; coun-
try and saloons same as last; seem to
have plenty to eat and plenty to drink,
and not much fear Of God or devil.
Fine vineyards, hedge fences, fields Of
clover, corn and oats, and abundance Of
wheat as we go on to st. Louis. APP
preaching the city corn is luxuriant,
three and four stalks in the hill; the
great city in the distance, smoke, stee-
pies and spiendor. There's the big
bridge, and trains crossing over; here's
our ferry, and here's the city. Cost of
the narrow-gauge road, over which l
came, is about three-ffths of an Ordins-
~ road. The cars seat only one on
side, and run smoothly; part of this was
written on the train. The company is
about getting on new coaches that will
seat two on a side, the same as ordinary
coaches, equipped with Bucks patent
reclining chairs. The cost of running
trains is very much less than the stand
ard gauge, and rates about the same as
other roads. Since the panic there has
been such q general stagnation in rail-
road building and interests, that rail-
road enterprise that is and promises to
be a success must challenge the atten-
ton OF the whole country. The road is
On q good solid basis, and no danger Of
going into bankruptcy on account Of
mortgages, as the bendholders and stock
holders have mutual interest.
PAUL BAGLEY.