Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-04-29
SOUTHERN CITIES.

Probably no man is better quail
fed to express an opinion on the
business condition Of the Southern
States than Mr.. r. T. Wilson, q ma
tive of the South, whose business
Offices are in New York, but who
has just made a thorough trip to
the leading Southern cities, includ-
ing Mobile, New Orleans, Memphis,
Nashville, Knoxville and Atlanta.
| had conversation with him yes
terday, the first he had held on the
general experiences of his tour.
He is president of the Memphis and
Charleston railroad, three hundred
and ten miles long, extending from
Memphis to Chattanooga, and Of
the East Tennessee, Virginia and
Georgia road, two hundred and for
ty-two miles long, extending from
Chattanooga 10 Bristol, on the Vir-
ginia line. The five hundred and
| fifty miles of road connects the in
Vulnerable battlefelds on the hos
tile line of the Western war-Cor-
inth, Iuka, Decatur, Huntsville,
Chattanooga and Nashville. There
are but three great east and west
lines through the South, and this
may be called the Pennsylvania
railroad Of that region; it follows
the Allegheny mountain line to its
termination IN the southwest, pass
ing through grain country, cotton
lands and minerals.
Mr.. Wilson is a very large man,
with quiet manners, "a general ac-
quaintance and large business expe-
rience. He was a prominent mer-
chant for the Confederate govern
meKt, during the war, engaged in
the foreign trade and home trans
portation. gaid l, "What is the
general
OUTLOOK THROUGHoUTTHE s0UTHF'
ga decidedly better feeling" he
replied. 81 don't know that it
comes from any very great change
in the money stringency, but the
improved habits and content of the
people, and an easier feeling, polit-
ically and physically, is expressed
in more hopefulness. More cities
in the South are doing we'll than
are discouraged. At some places
I recollect particularly Hunts
vile, in Northern Alabama was
told of quite a number who had ao.
cumulated savings and were in
quiring about investments"
MOBILE, MONTGOMERY AND NASH
WILLIE.
"How is it that we hear so little
of Alabama now; is Mobile de-
pressed?"
Mobile is probably as dull as
any city Of its class. The Mobile
and New Orleans railroad, built
since the war, has made Mobile ra-
ther a way station; besides, she
lacks water on her bar to restore
her marine importance. The able
business men of Mobile were nearly
all crippled to build the Mobile
and Ohio railroad, and therefore
they have not the means to bring
their city up"
els the Mobile and New Orleans
road doing much business?"
"Yes; | understand that about
three-fourths of the passenger travel
from New York to New Orleans
goes that way. We send them a
good deal from Chattanooga, run
ming by Atlanta and Montgom-
cry"
"Does Montgomery show much
activity"
"I think not very much. Nash
vile is one of the best points OF
the South. 1t has grown very well
since the war, and is surrounded
by o fertile country. Middle Ten
nessee and Northern Alabama,
about Huntsville, are the superb
regions of the South. The region
about Huntsville is particularly
adapted for Northern farmers. Be.
fore the war it had the best class of
people in the Southwest, sound,
nroenaroue and thrifty -