The Osceola times., 1883-06-30
SOUTHERN TOWNS.
The Ups and Downs Of Prominent
Places.
New Orleans, Mobile, savannah, Richmond
Knoxville, ,Montgomery,-southe
Railroad systems.

Said |: Has the Southern railroad
system been finishedP"
"Yes, the present year will see the
conclusion of it. They will have the
means, | suppose, TO go on and build the
new railroad 10 New Orleans, across
Pontchartrain. They have also finished
the line from Pensacola across Florida,
which gives access between New Orleans
and Florida direct, and catches that very
considerable country tourist and invalid
traveller. The railroad connection be-
tween North and South Carolina. and
Tennessee, Kentucky, and the West, is
also completed. The dream of John c.
Calhoun, and Hayne, and the old states
men in South Carolina il at last realized,
30 years after they put their hands to it.
You can now travel from the seaport of
the Carolinas across the mountains and
get past Knoxville to the Cincinnati
Southern and the Louisville & Nashville
systems without having to go way round
by Chattanooga With the conclusion
of these lines, | Judge that railroad
building is about ended in the SOUTH"
Said |: Do you apprehend that
Knoxville will become an important
town."
Yes. 1t is so already. 1t will he the
most solid inland town in all that noun
tain country. 1t is the emporium now,
not only of Tennessee, but of western
North Carolina. Chattanooga should
have been such an emporium, but for the
unhealthy site. 1t is not a healthy town
like Knoxville"
"Will North Carolina derive any ben
eft from the opening of that road"
81 do not think it will be of any as
sistance to her seaboard towns which are
sleeping the sleep of the just. But the
old mountain people Of North Carolina,
who are honest and have good natural
ability. will now suffer the contact of the
world, and have an outlet. Hitherto
they have been shut up there inaccessi-
BILE and without exercising the influence
they will now have on the surrounding
society,""
what town in the mountain district
of the south is showing the most
growth?"
The town of Roanoke, at the junction
of the Shenandoah valley and the Nor
folk and western systems, has sprung up
to 6,0o5 people. 1t contains the railroad
workshops, one OF the largest iron mills
in the country, and large hotel and
cottages. This is the only new town
that has been developed in the south for
a good while"
"What do you think" said /, "about
Florida?"
81 think Florida is overdone." II con-
tinues TO entice northern people, who
were at first delighted with its glittering
foliage in winter, its fruits standing out
in the open air in January, and the list
less. genial life of an old peninsula. But
see nothing in Florida except the lum-
Der. The orange business is overdone,
and that is proved ny the cheapness of
Florida oranges in the north this year"
''Is Richmond, Va, showing much en-
ergy?'
Not so much as We expected. Rich
mond grew after the war rapidly, but
she has never had any strong leaders in
commercial life. She has been the cen
ter of politics and faction far more thar
of material things. The city is large,
and has good connections with the outer
world, and the tobacco trade there is in
first-class condition. But the city is
comparatively dull after leaving western
and northern towns. Lynchburg is do
ing well, although there is no enthusi-
astic boom there. But she is in better
condition, tha, p;,hppAnI comma 81, =, .,
their resources and population"
rs Malone any stronger or any weak.
er than he was in Virginia."
ale is no weaker" said my friend, who
is southern man by birth. "Mahone
has the most systematic political organi-
zation that | ever saw. Every negro
preacher in the State is n 'conscription
agent for him. He has got the poor
white trash" too, into his following.
While he is a tircless politician, he does
not neglect the material interests COM
mitted to him. To Malone is due the
application of the public moneys from
Washington to the port of Norfolk, by
which that port is kept open and given
conveniences superior TO anr port in the
Southern States. Poor old Charleston is
going back because her senators and rep
resentatives find in the force ct Wash
ington City To procure sufficient and reg
ular appropriations, another bar The
work at Charleston is done in spas
modic, irregular way, and the winds are
fighting against the destinies of the
place, filling up the channel as fast as it
is opened. Norfolk has another great
advantage in being north of Cape Hat
teras. so that its commerce is not troub.
led with the storms that prevail farther
south. have no doubt. myself" said
my friend, but that the Seney syndi
cate is going 10 sell their property to
Gould, and that Gould is coming out to
Norfolk"
Said further to this gentleman; "Dc
you find anything in that new mountain
country about southwestern Virginia and
western North Carolina?'
"Yes; some of the finest coal in the
world, magnificent beds of iron ore, plen.
~ of lead, and some remarkable mines o
gold and silver. The mineral capacities
of that region have not been fully tested
but enough is already known to attract
people. There is branch of the Man.
haitian railroad system leading up Ia the
New River country, where the coal il
simply marvellous in its quality and
quantity"
"What is the condition of Savannah
Ga.?"
Savannah is a town tha, does moi
grow much. As place of railroad tran.
shipment it is still important. They have
pretty good water down to the ocean
and the steamship line connecting with
the Georgia Central railroad carries very
many passengers and much coal TO New