Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-22
A TRIP TO MONTGOMERY.
Waystde Observations Notes About
montgomery and the Louisville and
Nashville Railroad.

MONTGOMERY, ALA, Dec. Al left Savan-
nah on the morning train on the Central Rail-
road on Dec. s. The day was fine and the
trip to Macon was very enjoyable. OF course
1t is useless for me to say aught of the country
traversed by the Central Railroad from Sa-
vannah to Macon, as that is the former cIty's
natural territory.
Leaving Macon by the Southwestern Rail
rJau at S:I5 a. m. | had chance to view the
country by daylight. From Macon to Eufaula
the country seems Ito one reared on the sea-
COAST TO have been exhausted of every
vestlge OF Its natural fertility. l jutged of
this by the cotton stalks, which looked To be
only about 10 inches high. The lands and
crops must be very poor to be cultivated in
the way they are, the average distance be-
tween the rows OF cotton being, as l am told,
only about 81 inches apart. Yet, with all these
disadvantages. there seems to be no end to the
cotton produced. Old-fashiOned cotton gins
are TO be seen everywhere along the route.
run by mule power. Agents of fertilizer COM
panles are to be met with all along the line
making collections for the past seasons sup
ply, OF guano and taking orders for the next,
and so it goes on from year to wear
But what must the farmers do on these poor
nlIlslue landSy The agricultural editors have
been trying to do the farming on paper. l
shalI leaVe the question unargued Such is
tne appearance OF the cotton belt as seen along
the southwestern Railroad until you reach
Eufaula, Ala. Leaving Georgia, and getting
wen INTO Alabama, the most casual observer
u
1t is night before we reach Montgomery, how
ever, and my chances for observation were
poor.
Montgomery is a beautiful, interesting and
buslness-llke city. Its chief commercial ar
terry is the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
1t would perhaps interest some of your read
eTs TO know something about this great road
The company owns absolutely 1916 miles of
road, operates under lease 260 miles, operates
Tor account of the South and North Railroad
Ioo Inlles, owns majority of stock IN S55
so miles additional, making total of 3,697
miles, al equipped with the latest improved
rolling stock.
The Louisville and Nashville was the out
come OF stage road or turnpike $50 am
tolQ), which was operated between Louisville
and the capital of Tennessee. The road was
commenced somewhere about the year 1850.
The trip from Louisville to Nashville then
took from nine to twelve hours, the distance
being lS7 miles.
MONTGOMERY HAS INCREASED VERY
RAPIDLY
in population during the last few years and
now contains about 25.000 inhabitants 1t is
the market for large belt Of rich cotton
country and does heavy business in planta-
ton supplies. To accommodate the trade
there are national banks and private
banks. Ihere are at present in opera
ton cotton factory, l soap factory,
3 iron foundries, cotton seed oil mills, oil
refinery, 2 factories of sash, doors and blinds,
several large steam brick-yards, l cracker
atNObOA hOuAlIS Hills, udCuIDb WORKS, gin
factory, extensive railroad shops, carriage,
wagon and furniture factories, 2 cotton com
press $, and many smaller enterprises too
numerous 10 mention.
The situation Of MONTGOMERY and its extern
slve and numerous railway connections, and
the fact of its being the capital of a great
State. secures for it an advantage which it is
taking care to profit bv. The, city is built
upon commanding eminence overlooking
the Alabama river. The streets are wide and
hard. There are many very fine business
houses and some elegant private residences
pay them no higher compliment than to say
that the ladies are the fairest of the fair, and
the men are temperate, enterprising and gem
erous, and all are hospitable to fault And
now l Will quote DeSoto, and say EHere
rest" r n