Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-04-14
Communications.
From Cisco, Texas.

Cisco, TEXAS, April FL lett your
town 26th of March, arrived at Nash
vile 11:45 a. M, and in the afternoon
visited the Capitol to see the "assem-
bled wisdom of the State, and found |
our Representative and Senator at their
posts of duty. We also had the pleas
ure of meeting some old friends there
with whom we served in the sessions of
1853 and 1866. Overall, from De-
Kalb, is the only member who was
there in 1854, and Butler, Looney
and Fielder are the only members of
the present House who were there in
1866. Senators Thompson and Col
quit, of the present Senate, were men,
bers of the House then. There is no
one in the Senate with whom we served
during the memorable sessions of 1859
and 1860, and we did not recognize
any one in the House who was there
then.
On Tuesday we were joined by l..
B. Waters, j. +. Waters and Finley
Pennebaker, EN- route for the Lone
star SCaCe,, afTu1 err inc rrooiS- os.y 49,
the West at 7 p. M, arrived at Mem
phis at 5 o'clock a. m, where we had
to remain until 5 o'clock next morning,
when the train was ferried across the
Mississippi onto the Memphis d Little
Rock railroad, which we found in bad
condition, having been covered with
water by the recent overflow for 35 or
40 miles. For s or 10 miles the over
flow had rushed over the road with
such force as TO wash the entire track,
rails and cross ties, entirely off the en-
bankment and turn it upside down.
That part of the road had been newly
repaired, and ours was the first passen-
ger train over it since the water had
subsidized. When out about Is miles
from Memphis the road bed gave way
and we had run off which delayed us
about 4 hours, but without further
damage. The whole distance, almost.
from Memphis to st. Francis river,
about 40 miles, is still under water,
but the track is tree or four feet above
the water at this time, being built on
an embankment.
If one half of the timber and water
between the Mississippi and St. Francis
rivers, in Arkansas, was distributed on
the prairies of Texas both sections
would be materially benefited, for there
is too much of both in the former place
and not enough in the latter.
After leaving the overfowed district
at Madison we find hills, timber and
swamps along the route, with occas
sionally good farming section until
} YOU reach Goodwin, about so miles
from Memphis, where extensive prai.
ries commence and extend on for 10 OF
u miles. On the prairie could be seer
small herds of cattle grazing here anC
: rnere: On 1eHvrng the prairie wg-nnC
: a pine forest for several miles, which il
the only pine of any consequence be
tween Memphis and Little Rock. Pass
ing beyond the pine, we find timber
and prairie alternating along the route
to the Arkansas river, in the valley o
= which there are some fine farms, will
corn and cotton planted in many places
: We arrived at Little Rock behinC
time on account of the run off, anC
there our friends Waters and Penneba
g ker gave us the slip and | have no
s heard of them since, although Water
e had ticket for this place. We lef
, Little Rock about 8 at night and ar
, rived at Texarkana for dinner, anc
! took the northern route by way o
. Sherman, and were delayed again b,
e the burning of tressle of bridge
, which had caught fire from a burnin,
prairie. We find this letter growing
too long even with the meager descrip
tons given and will have to skip oye
e some very fine country, and give you
G description some other time. We al
q rived here at 4 o'clock in the morning
, and stopped at the Haws House, wher
t. we have good fare, nice beds and prop
Il er attention. We will remain her
e and around for several days. Cisco
h nearly as large as McMinnville, and
not two years old. 1t has been coll
since | have been here, and vegetation
. is backward. This place is about 165
/; feet above the sea level, which account
e for the temperature. More anon.
e ED. j. WooD.