The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-08-17
ON the Mississlppi and Ohio Rivers
Os BOARD STEAMER Carr.

ON BOARD STEAMER Carr.
Aug. II, 1Ss2.|
Friday evening last the steamer
Jas. W. CAT, of the Memphis aud
Ohio River Packet Line, left the
Bluff City with fair list of passen-
gers. The weather was pleasant
and the journey promised to be an
enjoyable one. The boat is in
charge of that efficient master, Capt.
r. W. Wise, whose popularity is
great and deserved. The other no.
table officer is Mr.. William Collins,
the competent and polite Steward.
Among others the following passen-
gers have been aboard: Nine. Trea-
deau, Mr.. and Mrs. Honor, Mrs.
Belle Oldham and daughter Allie,
Mrs. Morton and son Frank, Mr..
aud Mrs. Hampson, Miss Fannie
Flowranz, Messrs. Hoffman and
Jones, of Memphis; Miss Fahley, of
Pittsburg; Mr.. and Mrs. Condy,
Detroit; Jno. Kesley and sister,
Hawesville, Ky; Miss Lou and Har-
ry Waldron, Nevada, Iowa; Mr.. Bur
well, Pamela county, Mss; R. H.
Henry, wife and daughter, Brook
haven.
Only those who have travelled on
steamboats, know or can imagine
the comforts they afford. On board
one of these floating palaces you
have all the luxuries of the best
hosteleries and none of the fatigues
1 Of travel. The monotony Of the
daily routine Is constantly relieved
by the sight of new scenery in ma
lures grand panorama. Now we
are passing plateau laden with
crops of corn and tobacco; just be-
You'd, on the hillside, is shimmering
in the morning sun, the golden
wheat fields which have yielded
their fruit; there to the left is the
white cottage Of the sturdy farmer,
environed by patches of melons and
orchards of pears, apples and peach
es. Further on!is the home of some
son of the ''Faderland'' where daily
his wife, sons and daughters labor,
each a producer, all happy, not too
proud to work, living comfortably
and making money. Across the
river, in Kentucky, is looming up,
as though anxious to rest its sum-
nit in the clouds, a hill of man.
moth proportions, stretching for
miles along the margin ofthe stream.
Its river front is almost perpendic
ular, and in many cases the over
hanging crags stand out like threat
ening signals as the boat plows be-
low. Its growth of walnut, locust
elm, buckeye, hickory and elder Of
fer grand picture to the passer-by
Down near the base is seen a gurg-
ling spring jutting from the hill
side. 1t flows down to the river ovel
rocks and gravel, glistening IN the
sun like new silver. Far ahead is
seen in alternate sections hills and
valleys, and the homes of thrifty
contented people.
At the point from where we write
the whole river front on each side
is thickly studded with small farms
The man who works ton acres is &C
counted large farmer. Many Of
the farms have tillable area of less
than five acres. But the farms here
are worked, not scratched over, as
is tool frequently the case in the
South. 1t is nothing unusual for
corn to have four ploughlngs. Every
? foot of the farm land is cultivated.
Briars are not allowed to grow in
the fence corners, and the ravines
are not given to grass and thistles
Work never ends here during the
warm seasons, and as result the
people are out of debt and most oil
them have bank accounts. The
crops are diversified, and one is put
in the ground as soon as the other
is harvested. Then a rigid econo
my is practised, every man making
more than he consumes. What the
Southern people waste, would sup
port most of these small Ohio river
farmers. But we are ahead of oul
Journey.
The country from Memphis te
Cairo is very much alike, fiat, rich
and productive, but not so thickiy
settled as we had supposed. Most
of it overdows daring extreme high
water, and great loss follows. The
few levees have been washed away
Vast sums of money have been was
ted by the government in trying to
improve the channel, which, if put
on the levees, would have done great
good. All along the River Commits.
sion is denounced as an incompe-
tent, reckless body, intent only on
spending the money appropriated
by Congress from year to year. Now
that several million dollars have
been appropriated, the Commission
will look for places to put the mon
ey "where it will do the most good
To show the incompetency of the
Commission one instance was selec.
ted. We are informed that they
have expended $S5, 900 at Plum