The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-05-29
TRIP TO THE SOUTH.
NEW ORLEANS-MOBILE-
ACCIDENT.

EDITOR ADvANCE:-After picking |
up such relics of the battle as wo think
we can carry handy, we take the 1880
a. m. train OH the Memphis & Charles
ton railroad to Grand Junction and
then the ! AS y. m. train on the Illinois
Central for New Orleans, passing
through Holly Springs and Jackson,
Miss. Here we notice a fine large cot
ton mill, and further on we come to the
Pine lands and many saw.mills cutting
lumber, while altogether we see more
thrift and enterprise than we expected.
On the 25th, at 7:2O, we reach New
Orleans and take rooms ut the Casady
Hotel opposite the St. Charles, in the
central part of the Crescent City. We
call on Col. Wright in the U. 5. Custom
House, who gives us hearty greeting
and kindly shows US through all depart
ments Of that fine building-the post
office, the court rooms, the sub-treas
ury, tile vaults, where we see over
ST. ,OOC, 900 in u. $. coin, gold and sill
arranged with men inside to care for it
and keep it in order. We are handed
package of u. S. treasury notes, which
each one holds in his hand, containing
ST 100000. The Treasurer remarks,
this is the peoples money and you are
the people" When I hand it back
reply, "thank You; us can't well take
it with me now return it to you for
safe keeping, hoping to be able to call
for it soou.' Col. Wright goes with us
through every department, explaining
all to us. a fire had damaged the out
side on the south and the building is
undergoing repairs. It was occupied
by Ben Buffers troops in 'G2, and has
never been entirely completed. 1t was
that generals headquarters from which
he issued his renowned orders for which
he has become so famous. Tonight we
visit Mower Post No. l, c.. A. r., De-
partment of the Gulf, which was or
ganiZed over twelve years ago and has
held firmly together through all this
time and many dangers unknown to
any Of the Posts of that order in the
North, when it was hardly safe to let
it be known that such aD organization
existed or that individuals were mem
bers. We met members of the G. a. II.
from California. New York, Peunsyl-
v;lnia, and all over the North and West,
and to say the least, we lad very
pleasant and happy time, with orations.
songs and soldiers stories. Afterwards
we met with l. @. Howe Post No. 3. i
beautiful Post room with reading room
attached. all furnished richly and car
peted, where we met with the same
pleasant time as at the other. We Wis
tied the coming Worlds Fair Grounds
Just above the city near the river and
inspected the new buildings for which
Congress has just made such Il liberal
appropriation. All about here we see
the hanging moss on neatly every liv-
ing tree. | climb one and capture some
moss. Among the many interesting
sights is the statue of Gen. r. f. Lee,
and of Gen. Jackson. who whipped
the British under Packenham. just be-
low the city, Jan. Sth, 1911; also Gen.
HarrisOn's on Canal street, and q mon-
ument to the Confederate heroes in the
cemetery, with a soldier or top stand
ing with mnskct and fixed bayonet ut
Parade rest. and just above the base is
Lee, Bragg, Jackson and Polk. O!.a on
each OF the four sides, just tie head
with name below. IN these cemeteries,
which are cities Of the dead, we see
most all are vaults built above the
ground, built of brick and plastrred
with cement and whitewashed. ana
most all located between the city and
Lake POntchartra,n. We also visited
the National Cemetery located on the
battle ground where Jackson defeated
the British. wherein lies over 120O0
Federal soldiers, nearly all unknown
graves. And Spanish Fort on the lake
where we see monster alligators. On
returning at night tile steam street
| off lao fr. ul> hC1
to get out and walk the balance of the
distance.
On the Goth we went on an excursion
to Mobile, Ala.. along the Gulf coast.
1t is hot and dusty, but we get the
Gulf brccZes Arriving ut Mobile we
! visit the State Agricultural Fair, and
must say that Mobiles county can beat
it ten to one, both in farm implements,
machinery and stock; won t say races.
This city seems to lack life. The streets
are all dark at 8 r. M. except two, and
we see company of militia grey-coats
drilling on the wharf, with arms, breech
leaders and fixed bayonets, which re:
minds us of what we saw in the late
war The 3Oth we visited 4 large
ice manufacturing establishment, and
learned that it takes "a hours to freeze
Il 22O pound cake Of nice clear ice that
looks and tastes rs good rs ice frozen
on Lake Okabena in "a days. This ice
costs the consumer from SIS to $40 per
ton. At y. IN. we returnto New Or
leans.
Start for home Saturday, May 81. ?t
9:15 a. III. They are building new rail
roads, the land is low and marshy, the
sugar cane is knee high on the planta-
tions. and there are many cabbage fields
within twenty miles Of the city. The
hanging moss and the palm-leaf are the
principal scenery for many miles north.
The colored people are certainly in the
majority along this railroad in Louis
lana and Mississippi. We reach Jack
son, Miss, about dark. Here lives 4
pleasant gentleman who has been trav.
cling in the seat with me part of the
day and who fought in the First Lou
isiana regiment through the war and
surrendered with Gen. Lee at Appoto-
max. Like all other~ ex-confederate
soldiers he wishes Northern capital and
enterprise to come down and settle
among them.
, At 1890 p. IN. we find ourselves one
, mile and half from Duck Hill station
2 running about forty miles an hour,
about thirty passengers and without a
sleeper on the train, a number bound
f for st. Louis Stop at Jackson to wait
f the next train for a sleeper. We are
y fixing to sleep rs best we can in the
\ seats. Ben has taken off his coat, hat
2 and boots and crossed two cushions fe,
2 a bed, but the jerking and joltinp
t throws us about 50 we can't sleep. The
engine becomes uncoupled twice while
q crossing u high bridge. A terrible
y crash, a sudden halt, two short jolt:
! ahead with sudden stops, all in a mo-
ment, and we are a wrecked train
Then we hear above the screams o.
women. prayers of two old ladies, tn,
l. cries Of children, the steam escaping
a the boiler of the engine, one momen
IL more After all is still, save the crie
= for help. we are all safe, only fev
\ | To- nlA