The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-09
A TRIP SOUTH.
The Southern PrOblem-ScaYcityo Of
Labor-The Colored Citizen-Inci-
dents Of The Trip People and
Places Graphically Described.

| 40 OVaOHeO NAthAoH-AttCh
dents OF Tho Trip People an,
Places Graphically Described.
Special Correspondence Of the Star '.y
| ~ MEMPHIS, Jan. T..
The details Of a recent Journalistic
tour down the Mississippi River and int,
the interior Of the States Of Arkansa
and Mississippi can not fail to be of in
terest to those of your readers interested
in any of the great questions of the Soutl
or the many amusing incidents will
which tour through any backwoods dis
trict must be checkered.
Leaving Memphis on the 1st Of De
cember on the elegant passenger steamer
Ouachita Belle 1 arrived at little land
ing called Terrene, on the Mississip
shore and distant from Memphis 2li
miles, on the evening Of the following
Wednesday. Moored to the wharf was 6
wharfboat, which seemed from the out
side to be very ordinary structure, but
upon reaching the head Of a stairway
that ran upward was surprised to find
myself in what seemed to be the cabin ol
palatial steamboat.
In an Office at one end two well-dressed
clerks were seated at work under the di
rection of Mr.. w. M. Ezell, the proprie.
tor, and one of the cleverest gentlemen
have ever known.
The view afforded from the window Of
the state-room assigned me wasa striking
contrast. On one side stretched the
mighty Father of Waters, edged with
deep and sombre forests of willow and
impenetrable brakes of cane.
On the other view of the most dilap.
idated of villages met the eye. The
never-failing saloon was the most notice
able structure to be- seen. Doubtful as it
may appear, however, great deal Of bus
mess is done in the neig ghborhood. Ter
rene is just above the mouth of the White
and Arkansas Rivers, and nearly all the
freight coming out of either, bound for
New Orleans, and all freight bound from
points above Memphis up either river,
must be transferred at Terrene for reship-
ment.. Most of this business is, Of course,
done by the wharfboat 'Reshipper."
The eating-house at Terrene is up on
the bluff. This is very convenient for
those having rooms on the "Reshipper." ("
One is hungry enough by the time he
reaches it to tackle an old-fashioned bar
becue with great success, and by the time
he is again in his room his dinner is well
digested. ... z
/ understand that the clearinghouse
was about to go into bankruptcy on the
next morning, when I hired negro to
row me across the river in a skiff to the
Arkansas side. Upon landing I was
treated to an instance of Southern bull
doing. The landing is occupied by a
store and number Of dwelling-houses.
About twenty negroes were engaged in
shooting across the principal street at a
piece of white paper pinned on post.
Only one white man was visible, but he
knew all about bull-dozing. He bull
dozed those negroes into peace in less
than minute, and that without
weapon of any sort. He owed the mer-
chant an account. part of which was due
for whisky bought that morning.
'"Mr. Conn.," said he, "I owe you bill
and Pm gentleman, amt TT
"Certainly you are, sir" was his an
swer.
"You said I was drunk, did you7 I
would like to know why you want to
pick fuss with mea"
81 don't want to pick fuss, Mr.. Billie.
I'm not quarrelsome."
sListen. at the man, won't youF re-
Joined MI. Billie. "Did anybody hear me
say he was quarrelsome7 jake" he con-
tinued, turning to an old negro who stood
in the door, and who began squirming as
soon as addressed, cake, you know that
when I tackle bear l generally cut his
throat with my bowie. Now that man
is bear and wants to eat me up. Now
l don't carry shootin' irons but I've got
a knife"
While most of the crowd were puz-
zling their heads over the mysterious de-
parture of Mr.. Cohn about this time, I
got an aged negro aside and bargained
with him for a horse to ride across the
country to Watson, the county seat of
Desha County, Ark. He was q fast
horse-one of the fastest ever rode.
His backbone made 784 revolutions per
second, by the watch. He was owner of
the most correct eye. He aimed for the
dead center of every mud-puddle within
twenty yards of the road, and never
missed. 1 had ample opportunity to
study the surroundings in my twenty
miles ride. The road was a mere wagon
track through vast forests of oak, hick-
ory and willow. Now and then I passed
cotton plantations covering from 100 to
1000 acres On many of these nearly
all the cotton had been picked, though
some were yet white with the snowy
staple.
The want of labor is beginning to be
felt throughout that whole section. Reg
ular farm labor commands 81 day, but
cotton pickers are paid cent q pound.
A good hand can pick three hundred
pounds day, thus earning $l8 week.
They do not work all the week, however.