Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-03-10
From Florida 20 knoxville.

To the Editors Of the Chronicle.
To the weary wanderer, far from
loved ones, the word Z" Homen has a
peculiarly sweet sound so FREUD
and the writer hereof thought as they
took the cars In Florida one morning
with the confident expectation OF
reaching Knoxville day after to-
morrow Alas how often our hopes
are doomed to Disappointment!
After a short ride on the cars, we
took the steamer "City Point" on the
st. Jobn'- River for Jacksonville.
Here We soon learned that the boat
would not reach the city in time for
the train. On asking the captain why,
he Kindly referred US to the owner,
who in turn said he would "try and
make IT," In which he led for he laid
at wharf an hour, aad then took us
into the city just in time to see the
train depart. so perhaps fifty passen-
gers had to remain twenty-four hours
in an over-crowded city, in order that
the boat might get few more passen-
gers for Savannah. The travelling
public will do well to remember the
"City Point"
This was disappointment No. /. We
did not think how many were to fol-
low. Perhaps 1t is well we do not
know the joys and sorrows in store for
US, else the brain would grow dizzy
with delight or the heart sick with fear
! But we had an interesting time i'm
Jacksonville. We met Mr.. Spence and
his family, who seem very pleasantly
situated, aud In company with Romeo
Spence, visited all points of interest
| Next to Knoxville, we think it the
liveliest city in the South. The ride
from jacksonville to Macon Is Just "a
hours lost time. Nothing but will.
derness of pine lands and swamps.
| Macon is a large city, but we failed
to see the magnificent establishments
so prominent in Knoxville, although
we walked its streets for two hours.
Nor did we see in Atlanta so much
evidence of progress as we had been
led to expect. Still it shows surpris-
sing growth for city almost entirely
rebuilt in ten years. In this city we
learned something of what was in
store for us, but as the only reliable in
formation the newspapers = stated
that the Knoxville gas works were
inundated for half mile, we thought
the whole account decidedly mixed,
and determined TO rush on to our fate,
what ever that fate might be. On the
cars some one came in and gravely ad-
vised us TO return to Atlanta, for, said
he, there is large tree across the
track aud you can't get on" A burst
of laughter greeted the gentleman and
he retired disgusted with the worlds
ingratitude.
Arriving at Calhoun, a few miles be-
low Dalton, our troubles commenced
in earnest. Elk Gov. Brow n, President
of the Western and Atlantic RR., was
l,.r "A Iii a
lanta and back, all who would go, free
Some went, perhaps twenty remained,
anxious to go through with the first
train. After twenty-four hours waits
ing, telegram to Atlanta elected the
response that train would come down
from Dalton to the water for all VINO
wished to walk around 1t is needless
TO say that even the ladies were all
there when the train arrived. In the
cars lady remarked that Calhoun
must be near the Blue Ridge. A friend
replied that is so, as every one who
staid there was rigidly blue before get
ting away.
At Dalton we found friends who
gave us consolation and advised US to
remain there for the summer, but We
told them we should certainly be at
home day after Tomorrow" How
we did lie to them! We attended
church, roaned over the hills, and
tried in vain to catch the whistle of a
down train for another tweuty-four
hours, and then it came. We met the
jolly Hargis, and with a bland smile
he said " You will get home day af>
ter Tomorrow
The next morning we reached
Cleveland, and Mr.. DeArmond took
us in and made us happy. There were
Knoxville people here, and our hearts
were gladdened with the thought that
now we were at least in Tennessee.
That day it rained, and we concluded
if any Noah offered to take us into his
ark he would find us ready. The next
day Conductor Holloway said he would
take US to Charleston, where a boat
would take us over the river TO another
train, which would take us To Sweet
water. This was sweet talk to us, and
soon we started. We were astonished
all along at the amount of damage
done, and the rapldity with which the
numerous breaks had been repaired.
AT one place the storm was terrific.
Trees were twisted off like stubble.
A large orchard was swept away so
that not a tree was left standing.
At Sweetwater we We're nearly an
initiated by the Operator, who, in re-
ply to our questions, said "You will
be in Knoxville day after tomorrow"
We ate our dinner, and twelve of US,
bidding railroad trains goodbye,
started on a train of our own. AT
Philadelphia we were told there was a
locomotive at Loudon, and we conclu-
ded, although it was raining hard and
getting dark, TO catch that train if il
took till Please supply the above
quotation.)
We came to wide break, marched
out in the country two miles, through
mud supposed to be two miles deep:
on the track again we found it rock
ballasted which, to say the least was
blasted hard walking in the dark, and
the number of cattle racks on the last
four miles of that road would astonish
you. One poor fellow went into one,
and he crawled out with the remark
that it was long cared critter that fell
into that rack On 4! ont we had to
call the roll often to see that none
werc lost; the wind was dead ahead
l,s. of t,,t