Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-09-17
ON THE WING.
The Immense Turpenffne Orchards of
Mfssissfppf-What They Yield and
How They Are Worked.
Memphis People Abroad-Raiiroad Con-
struction-vast Pine Forests AS
Yet Almost Untouched.
!, co,ro.r0raeroe ~ ,be A nneal !

PoPLARvILLE, MISS, September ia
week ago to-day, in company with Mr.. Har-
RS w. Beers, the irrepressible drummer for
Robert III. Chaffe & Co., New Orleans, left
the headquarters camp of Messrs. Duuavant
d Kelly about $50 O'CLOCK a.z..-At- .Ao,,
arfiveu at William Kslly's camp and had
dinner, after which we ratified along through
the plney woodr, -bessl-fss- Gsixee~f4le,- OF
Pearl river. Night overtaking US, we put up
with Sam Webb at his turpentIne orchard.
After "night-cap," kindly provided for us
by Sam, we retired to rest determined upon
an early start in the morning. In this we
were much /. disappointed, as Sam insisted
upon our staying for breakfast, after which
we were shown the more important features
of turpentine making. They have in this
State, near Gainesville, 5000 acres of pine
trees, and in st. Tammany parish, La, an
equal number. A crop consists of 160 acres,
and in this State averages thirty barrels to
the crop, while in Louisiana the number va
ries from forty to fifty barrels per crop. One
m an with his family can easily attend to $50
acres. The turpentine is secured by cutting
what are called boxes, being about sixteen
inches from top to bottom, seven inches wide
and four inches deep, cut into each tree. The
boxes being made there is nothing more to
do for few days. When the resin
begins to accumulate in the boxes,
the women and children visit each
OuO VI Luc tIccr, anu QlppeI5
take out the resin, which is carried
to large tank in which is worm very
much like that in a whisky rectifying estsb-
lishmeut, only larger. The tank is filled with
water, and that being heated, the turpentine
is forced through the worm into still and
the resin into reservoir kept for the pur-
pose. Employed in the two orchards are
about 100 people-men, women and chill
dren. am told that those suffering from
mt oh ton DIV hrr rf1.
haling the odor of turpentine when in the
charges. The wholesale price OF the article
is at present about forty-one cents per gallon.
1 forgot TO mention the arrival in camp
the evening before my departure OF Major
Thomas ]. Rembert and wife, sister of the
late Colonel John T. Cameron, all well
known in Memphis. They have just return
ed from protracted trip to Canada and the
Eastern States. The major was in bad
health when he left, but returned feeling so
well, that he Immediately resumed his du-
ties as general manager of the entire rail-
road work of Dunavant & Kelly, who are
the largest railroad builders to-day in
the entire Southern States-Major REM
bert himself, to use slang phrase, "being
no sloueh in the business"
From the turpentine orchard we moved
at IL o'clock At / 80 O'Clock we left
English Lookout, where we took the train
for Bay st. Louis. Here we ate supper, after
which we took the train for New Orleans.
AT this place / had the pleasure of meeting
John b. Galloway, a nephew OF Colonel Nj.
G. Galloway, who is chief bookkeeper in the
office of the New Orleans-and Pacific rail
road; also Captain John A. Grant, formerly
chief engineer and general superintendent of
the Memphis and Charleston railroad, at
Memphis. He is now first vice-president
and general manager of one of the Pacific
roads out of New Orleans, and decidedly in
better health than when he left Memphis.
After having bid goodbye to my entertain
log friend, Harris w. Beers, took the train
for Montgomery, Ala, whence in a day or
two 1 returned to Pass Christian, and, after
spending a very pleasant day, repaired in the
evening to the residence of Colonel w. P.
Dunavant and Mr.. Martin Kelly, on The
Shell road, where we were cordially received.
Having spent Saturday and Sunday there,
we returned TO camp, where we found
Colonel Dunavant, Major Rembert and Mr.
Hare up to their eyes in business. Right
here let me say. that the New Orleans and
Northeastern railroad, now being construct
ed by Messrr. Dunavant and Kelly, will be
in all probability the most popular route
from the East to the Pacific Coast, by way
Of Texas. Their work will be completed by
January l, 1888. Alresdy the company
are putting up its telegraph poles all along
he line.
Noticing a paragraph a few days ago |
wherein it stated that the pine forests of |
he great West would not furnish timber for |
more than twelve years, induces me to ask |
vou to refer the lumber dealers of the coun-
ny to the great States of Louisians, Missis- |
ippi and Florida, where the pineries are in
.xhausible. In this section of Mississippi, |
he railroad now being built by the Erlanger |
Syndicate New Orleans and Northeastern /
will do more than anything else TO |
develop this industry. 1 expect soon to go |
o the city of Mexico, and will write you
gain from there. MEMPHIS