Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-19

Dub awaiting Ine push anu enterprise Vi d
new generation, a power held now IN re-
serve, awaiting the near future when these
States again start on their sure course OF
permanent progress. When near Memphis,
some six miles, we passed the national
cemetery located in beautiful tract of
land shaded by large oaks and other trees,
nearly level and having evidently proper
care. There are some Il, 900 interments
here, and the clean, grassy grounds studded
with so many white head stones, gives
these hallowed grounds terribly sugges-
tive, yet beautiful appearance.
We found Memphis quite busy city,
bearing evidences of having seen better
days, and possessing several good business
houses and some few nice residences, two
or three of recent and modern style of
architecture but generally the town is at
stand still, and while it is located
first-class for drainage, it seems sadly
neglected in this particular, and
doubtless will remain in its present
condition until the country which
is tributary to it takes on its new life.
While here we dropped into the theater,
fair one, to see Joe Emmett play E" Fritz
in Ireland, and found good representa-
tive audience. The ladies were especially
tastefully dressed, and the number of
beautiful ones were much above the aver
age seen at any theater we have attended
since leaving the Capitol City. At Mem
phis we took the Mississippi and Tennes-
see road to Grenada and from that point
the Mississippi Central to Jackson, and
thence by the Vioksburg and Meridian line
to Vicksburg.
FROM MEMPHIS TO vIcKsBURG
We found the country more occupied, yet
large tracts seemingly awaiting the more
enterprising farmer and planter. By talk
ing with some OF the residents it would
seem that the mass of the people are dis
coursged with the condition of affairs gen.
orally, and are satisfied to exist from the
rentals of their farms and plantations,
which apparently do not yield ten-fold.
The owners have no spirit of push in
them, and perhaps never bad, and the
colored people lack ability for the
necessary encouragement While at
Vicksburg we visited the old battle-ground
and breas5works, now melting away quite
fast. We saw many of the dug. outs
in the hills in the city wherein some of
the people lived while the siege was going
on. We also visited the national ceme-
terry, located some two miles or so to the
north OF the city-one of the most beauti-
fully-terraced and best-arranged fifty acres
to be found in many day. Here are l6, coo
intermeuts and al the necessary buildings
required by those having the grounds in
charge. We were here told that this is the
largest lot of interments in any one ma
tional cemetery we have The other "a
(one in Mexico) have from three and four
thousand up to the numbers given hereto
fore. Grand total something over 300,-
COO The city itself does not amount
to much. It has some live business firms,
but there is a lack of enterprise, and the
only building of note, the Court house, has
been located on what was a rugged eleva-
ton but having noticed that the grounds
had been beautifully terraced and cared
for, led US to ask who did it, and the answer
was,
GA YANKEE OFFICE HOLDER )"
A Sheriff, we believe it was. He may have
got away with them badly, but he GER
tainly left them one example worthy of
their attention and emulation. And we
did note here one or two instances
overhaul and beautify the grounds
surrounding their residences. Ar
irving at VIcksburg early in the morning
we found time to visit the place and were
in good time to board the splendid steamer
clerk-a steamer of ample accommoda-
tions. We had telegraphed from st. Louis
for quarters, and were well fixed for
A,,v1 -, nrlaa.a 70 ,nta 4lo
beauties of the lower Mississippi, in CON-
pany with crowd of people bound to
the same city to enjoy the Mardi-
gras festivities. With band of music and
jolly, happy crowd, and seated at the
dinner table of the steamer, at sunset we
left the town of Vicksburg behind. The
trip down the river Friday, Saturday and
Sunday was a succession of town, village
and river bank stoppages, loading cotton
and cotton seed, taking on board excur-
sionists and discharging way freight. The
steamer stops almost any and everywhere
for the first two days, and by that time we
had some $50 passengers, large crew and
some c, 1000 bales of cotton. So much cot
ton on board was there that we had to go
on the hurricane deck to see the country.
As one gets further down the river the
cotton and sugar plantations, with their
small houses near the proprietors' resi-
dences, make
THE RIVER BANKS
In many places appear like a succession of
small villages. Baton Rouge is the most
beautiful site for city we have seen on the
river below st. Louis. The elevation is
quite sufficient and free from rugged bluff
or dreary fairness. The old capitol build
ing is now receiving additions to its eleva-
ton and also a renewed interior, and its
old castle-like architecture, rising so much
above the surrounding buildings and out
on beautiful elevation just back from the
river, gives the foreground of this beauti:
full town grand and noble appearance.
As we approach New Orleans there seems to
be more life and business aspect to all we
see OF see done, and it seems as il we were
approaching American institutions again,
and locality where industry rules themass
We note that while the owners of the
river steamers pay the laborers who load
and run the vessel some $50 per month and
board, they are compelled TO pay off each
"trip, which is equivalent to discharging
and getting a new crew every trip, and the
two mates have their hands full to get
these men to do the work required of
them. These wharfmen seem to be tough
set of fellows, and there appears to be a
good opening right here for more reliable
and manageable class of labor. We notice
that generally speaking the freed colored
people are at work and in many directions,
and are evidently gaining in mental
strength and ability to do and care for
themselves.
This morning, as we are about to leave
the steamer and step on Canal street fam
other Market street Of San Francisco), we
learn that the city hotels and lodging
Nhouses are full of visitors and people are