The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-20
Gte GnteltiQenrer,
A WHEELING TRAVELLER IN THE
ROufH.

SOUTH.
He Declares that Alabama and Miss.
fssIppI are the EIdorad0s Of the Brown
Sedxera and Mossbaeks or the Nine.
tenth CentuHy-HIs Trip across the
Swamps from Birmingham 60 Jackson,
with n Pen Picture OF the Latter. &c.
JAcEsos, MISSISSIPPI, December II.
Special cCrrsspOndSass Of the Iusslliceuesr.
In my last I promised that II could
find something to write aboutthatitshould
be forthcoming. think can venture
hort letter, although I do not promise
much.
I confess that 1 amslightly prejudiced
against the South. Ican't help it. Really
don't mean anything out OF the way;
it is in me. Somehow everything strikes
me as being wrong end foremost, as 1t
we're. Things don't look right, and yet
the people treat me well enough. The
trouble Is the country is Godtorsaken in
appearance, and great many OF the peo-
Pile look the same way.
have been over and through most OF
the States OF the Union, and am frank TO
eay, and it's the truth too, that Alabama
and Mississippi are the poorest, seediest
and most dilapidated looking States ever
saw. The soil Is thiA; the country Is fat;
the timber Is OF q very inferior quality; the
rivers overflow their banks; but little Is
raised except cotton-and "a Congress-
man Horr, OF Michigan, says, the
devil; the railroads are mo eood"-in
short the bottom seems TO have fallen out
Of the whole thing, II it ever had one to
TALL out.
But, to be little more definite in my
specifications, l will add that after you
leave the Louisville and great Southern
Railroad, at Birmingham, Alabama, your
passage is over railroad which makes
only about ten miles to the hour; the rails
are loose and broken; the road bed Is not
balasted; now you are on the track, and
now you are not; on either side OF the
road there Is nothing but pine brush and
black.iack shruhbery, and occasionally
you pass little town. which looks
very much like it was in the last agonies
OF dry rot. The principal, and, indeed,
the only products, are cotton and brown
sedge. However, when you strike one OF
the river valleys, the soil appears to be
rich and productive; but the freshets over
flow the land. on either side for miles, and
measurably destroy all theproducta Of the
season. On account Of the heavy rains
which have fallen all over the
Southern States during the last three
weeks, 1t is estimated that nearly one half
the cotton crop, which Is the principal
crop of these two States, has been destroy
ed. In crossing from Birmingham to this
city, all the valleys were overhown. The
Pearl river was over four miles wide at Its
crossing BY the Vicksburg and Meridian
railroad, and It took us an entire day to
transfer the passengers and baggage in
skiffs and gondolas.
Jackson Is a pretty little city OF little
over 5000 inhabitants. 1t is situated on
the western banks Of the Pearl river, and
is As miles east OF vicksburg. 1t Is the
capital OF the State, and in addition to the
State house, the penitentiary, which is a
good sized building and is well arranged,
and the deaf, dumb and blind asylum are
located here. About two miles north OF
the city, the Innate asylum is situated,
though in sight OF the bity. It is said to
be one OF the finest buildings Of the kind
in the South.
The State House was erected in 1872,
and Ia very creditable building in size
md architecture. was, however, insult
ed mon ectering the State library, by be.
inc Confronted With large framed cerf-
cate done up in the best sty..cc OF penman'
ship. and TO the following effect:
"Below are the names OF those members
OF the XLIVth Congress who Refused TO
indorse the great fraud OF 1873, which
placed Rutherford B. Hayes, of Ohio, in
The Preside entail chair OF the Nation, and
William A. Wheeler, OF New York, in the
chair OF the Vice President, which was
consummated by q majority decision OF
the so.called Electoral Commission adopt
ed by said Congress. Then followed the
names OF all the moss. backed Bourbous
who protested against the decision OF a
tribunal Of their own getting up, and by
which they hoped TO steal the Presidency.
said TO myself while looking upon this
honOris catis1 (socalled) certificate, that
these people here in the South will persist
in every conceivable manner in alternating
from them their fellow.citzsns OF the
North. Why faunt such a certificate as
the one referred to in the faces OF those
persons who never did them an injury,
and who have no desire to cherish hatred
against them2 and especially, too, when
they themselves were the originators OF
the Electoral Commission which they
claim was the prime cause OF
their losing-.the Presidency. II they
would turn their attention to raising
more cotton and corn and less hatred
against their brethren in the North, they
would get along far better, and have less
cause tor grumbling over the lack Of pros
perity in The South.
leave this evening for Vicksburg. l
am told that the country lying between
here and the Mississippi Is principally OF
the broom sedge order. When get over
there, If / ieeI like 1t, look out for
another. soulS.