Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1880-02-13
BELOW ARKANSAS CITY.

l wrote you last from near Memphis.
At that city most of our passengers went
ashore, though some were deferred from
doing so by fear of ''black plague" now
raging there, said to be worse than yellow
fever. We were warned by the boat officers
! from going on to those steets which had re-
| Gently been bloughed. Another so forlorn
a city it would be hard to find. Placards
| of ''to rent were on half the business
| blocks. Tumble-down dwellings, were close
| along the muddy, unpaved streets. We
| saw little of the ''Nickolson" but that lit
| tie was in dilapidated state. There were
some fine business blocks and tasteful resi-
| dences, but these were the exception. The
! impression we received was that everybody
who had survived the fever had left or was
preparing to leave. True, it was Sunday,
but houses as well as streets had an empty
look. OF only one locality had We pleas
ant impression, and that was the principal
park. Here were handsome fountain of
iron and stone, fine magnolia trees, glossy
aud green, and an abundance Of gray squir-
relS, so tame that they ate from our fingers.
Dsffodils were in bloom and the grass was
green and well kept. The cemetery we
carefully svoided-from prudential rea-
sons. Below the city the bluffs are high,
and here was perched Fort Pickering-so
famous during the slate unpleasantness."
The Abbott troupe we're billed for a per-
formance in the city the present week. and
business is said to have improved within
the last few weeks.
The Mississippi is now over a mile in
width, and the stage of water so high that
many sandbars are covered and therefore
dangerous.
AS we neared Helena, Ark, it began to
snow, so that procedure was impossi-
BILE, and we remained at this latter port
through q snow storm more severe than is
often known so far southwark. Ice and
snow covered our decks and the darkness
was impenetrable, On the evening Of Mon
day masquerade dance was held on board,
and the improvised costumes were many
of them very cOmical, some very good.
We have some lovely young girls on board,
and full evening dress is worn for the in
evitable dance which closes every day, save
on Sunday, when we had piano music and
sacred songs. This morning we took on
another passenger here-Gen. Brecken.
ridge, of KY. Every room on the boat is
full already, and cannot guess where this
one is to be accommodated. l have two
gay bellies of KY, friends of Mrs. B., in the
room with me, and their velvets, satins and
laces make our quarters look like a fancy
store.
This morning the sun is shining once
more, and our decks are being cleaned of
snow, but still we remained grouped about
the red-hot stoves in the saloon. We only
hope the storm has not blighted the buds
and blossoms we had expected to find at
the city of our destination. Tomorrow
morning We hope to be in Vieksburg.
Wednesday, Feb. 4th, 10 o'clock.-Have
Just returned from an exploration Of the
city. The air is coldand our fingers were
aching. The ground was frozen hard, and
a white frost lay over everything. But we
saw many lovely flowers, and brought back
to the boat blooming chincapins, roSebuds,
beautiful red eamellies, jonquils, violets
and many other blossoms, and now the
vases in the saloon are filed with them
The city of Vicksburg is billy, and the
streets mostly unpaved. But we saw many
fine buildings, and beautiful residences
with tasteful surroundings. Many of the
flowers we obtained were from the garden |
of the home of Jefferson Davis whenever |
he is in the city. The State House is large |
and imposing. At the Jail was a blood |
hound kept for the benefit Of escaping pris-
oners, aud few days since he had torn a |
man to shreds. We saw no traces Of the |
war, no caves remaining which at the time
of the bombardment were the strongholds |
of the citizens and soldiers. Our steamer 4
is blowing its whistle. VALE.
Guiding Star, Feb. Sd, 1880.