The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1884-06-05
STRATFORD, CT, LETTER.
Penitentiary at Eome-Leaving Columbia
The Iron Horse Refreshed-A Fearful and
Hard Night Rids-Cold Wava-The
Spot Of Garfeld's Killing
a: New York-24 and a half
hours-At Stratford.
STEATFoED, CT., May 80, 81

STEATFoED, CT., May 80, 81.
DO they miss me at home? l
wonder. But few knew that I left
Ncwberry, Saturday the 24th. l
did nevertheless, and remained in
Columbia until Tuesday. That in
termediate time was pleasantly oc-
cupied, and among the incidents
was a visit to the Penitentiary,
which institution I was glad to see
lad been improved to a most Won
derful degree. New buildings have
been erected since my last visit. The
Stocking Factory and the Shoe
Mandatory, have each been in
fused with greater energy, and
have increased in size, the convicts
being placed together as close as
peas in a pod, or after the manner
Of sardines in q box-here the
comparison fails however, for only
in their compact appearance is
there any resemblance. 1t is a
busy hive, every one works, and
under a beautiful, regular system,
every thing and every one is made
to contribute to the general whole.
Certainly Col. T. J. Lipscomb has
proven himself the right man in
the right place. He wins golden
opinions from every direction. l
had almost forgot to say that the gar
den under the supervision of Capt.
Sigh, received the encomiums Of the
entire party who accompanied me.
1t is certainly the finest vegetable
garden l ever beheld. The okra
and tomatoes give promise of much
gumbo to the convicts in the near
tuture-happy contradictions
gumbo.
Tuesday at y so, the Iron Horse
refreshed and strengthened by 4
few dozen of pine logs and q sup.
ply Of water left Columbia and
reached Charlotte at 6 o'clock.
Here We halted for an hour, stepped
out and viewed the "scene so charm
ing as presented from that side of
the city. Time being limited of
course not much was to be seen
and consequently there is not
much to write about-1 can safe
ly say however that Charlotte
is a handsome city; her resi-
dences, many of them, palatial, and
her equipages stylishin the extreme
Leaving this point at I, our noble
steed bounded away for Danville,
where an exchange was made both
of coaches and horse, and my opin-
ion is that unless boot was given
much loss was sustained in the
swap, for that nights ride which be
gan at - and continued until
next morning was one Of the most
fearful | ever experienced. Wheth
er the road bed was in need Of
q thorough working-over, or the
trucks and springs of the coach il
which it was my unhappy expert
ence to ride that night, l know not
but l do know that ! suffered as ]
never did before, and never wish to
again. On my return / shall give
the Virginia Midland wide berth,
and try some other route. Our Lau
rens road will compare favorably
with the road just mentioned. This
stop was made at Washington-the
stop where Garfield was stricken
down was pointed out to me. The
exact spot is marked by star in
tie tagged flooring, and on the wal
in front Of it is a marble tablet
bearing the name of the unfortunate
victim and the date Of the assassin
murderous assault. With saddened
feelings I turned away. This hap
pened in the Washington Depot
The Capitol is not far of, but | did
not visit it, my atnaomy being too
severely shaken up the night before
by the Midland ride. Leaving
Washington at $40, Baltimore and
Philadelphia were passed rapidly
through and New York reached at
$40. The rapidity of this trip is
truly wonderful, and occupied from
Columbia to New York twenty-four
and one half hours. emitting four
hours Of detention on the way at
different points. 1t looks incredi,
BILE but the fact is indisputable.
The city Of New York looked as it
did four years ago, the same look
of bu~tle and whirl. North river or
Hudson which separates Jersey
city from New York, was filled with
boats Of every size and description,
through which the immense Ferry
boat conveyed the Southern pas
sengers across to Gotham; the same
hack-men with silk hats meet you
on every side, the news boys with
their afternoon editions are as nu-
merous as ever, and the fact is evil
dent that you are in New York. A
ride in a stage from the Ferry to
the Central Depot occupied another
hour, and on the boat and in the
stage l suffered rs much from the
cold as / have ever in the depth of
winter. The sudden change in
temperature was fearful to me, my
blood from recent illness being
very thin. My travelling compan-
ions did not experience the cold
as I did, and endeayored to con.
| vince Inc that it was all imaginary,
''but you may convince 4 man
against his will and he is of the