Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-05-08
southern Development.
Baltimore Sun.

Mr.. B. II. Griswold, general freight
and passenger agent Of the Western
MARYLAND railroad, arrived in Balti'
more Saturday night from his South.
ern trip. He visited the cities OF
Chattanooga, Memphis, New Orleans,
Mobile, Montgomery, Atlanta aud
Knoxville In the interest OF his road,
and reports that the trip has been of
much service and promises further
good results. He saw about twenty
Eve freight and passenger agents, aud
was most cordially received. Ne
went fully into the advantages offered
by the connection of the Western
Maryland railroad with the Southern
trunk lines, and he received many
promises of business in nearly all the
centers of trade which he struck
The advantages offered by the opening
of the new route are better time,
transportation without breaking bulk
as regards freight, natural beauty
of scenery for tourists and those
bound for Florida or northward.
The passenger agents seen stated to
Mr.. Griswold that the travel north
ward from the Southern cities would
largely increase in the course of three
or four weeks and that the attractions
of the new route would be fully laid
before the public, so that the Western
Maryland road might expect good
share of it during the coming season.
Mr.. Griswold brings back voluminous
notes that will enable him to arrange
Systematically for a large Southern
business, and his acquaintance with
the different freight and passenger
agents will secure prompt attention TO
such steps as he may take in the mat
ter from time to time.
While Mr.. Griswold was getting the
special features and interest of the
different cities and business centers
noted down, he was also showing reps
resentative business men in the differ
ent sections the advantages offered
them by Baltimore. One Of the gen
eral agents who had shipped toward
the close of the season a lot of several
carloads of molassess aud sugar from
New Orleans to Baltimore, told Mr.
Griswold that the business was SO
satisfactory that hereafter he intended
to make all his shipments in the same
way Heavy shipments OF other
goods are also promised to Baltimore
from this and other distant points
The trip, from a business standpoint,
went far beyond Mr.. GriswOld's ex
pectations.
Memphis presented an air Of bust
ness and enterprise. 1t is being re-
paved and a fine system of drainage
put in, The large factories for cotton
seed oil were interesting. Carts go
about picking up even pieces Of paper
blowing about. The sanitary system
is thought to be perfect. The cotton
shipments from Memphis this year
have already reached nearly 100000
bales. In Mobile the most interesting
feature is the vegetable gardening
Men have gone from the North and
developed garden culture to surpris-
ing extent. The profits are in many
cases enormous. Special trains to
carry garden truck are run from
Mobile to Cincinnati. The season is
just beginning, but Mr. Griswold saw
trains of seven and eight cars leaving
Mobile for Cincinnati loaded with
choice vegetable products. There are
about $500 acres now devoted to
gardening for market at
Mobile, and next year the acreage
will be doubled. The net revenue to
Mobile last year from this source was
800 .0O0,and the industry is only three
years old. The great advantage in
this matter is the succession of crops,
the same land yielding a number OF
crops each year. The soil where the
vegetables are cultivated strongly re
sembles the sand along the seashore
AT Montgomery an additional i'm
mense cotton press being put up. The
machinery was made in Reading, Pa
All the cities visited show wonderful
thrift, and are rapidly increasing in
population. Knoxville is erecting
extensive new water works. The
agricultural advancement Of the South
is also great. The culture of grapes
is rapidly advancing Colonel Dick
inson, near Knoxville, shows clover
fields that vie with any seen in the
Northern States. The most marked
improvement is that which has taken
place in the railroad systems Miles
Of steel rails have already been laid,
and the work is steadily progressing.
The iron furnaces Of Alabama are
doing heavy work, largely increasing
their facilities and shipping extern
sively. Many shipments have been
made to Baltimore.