New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-02-25
Eattortaz Correspondence.
New Orleans. Feb. IL. 1895

NcW OIlo9uS, IeU. 10, 1000.
DEAR REv1Ew-My last letter left
our party at Chicago, on the eve of
their departure for the sunny south.
The two days rest in Chicago some
what revived Mr.. Schell from the IA
tigue and hardships endured on the
trip from New Ulm. and every member
of the party was in good spirits when
We boarded the Wabash train for ST.
Louis on Friday evening. Although
sleeping berths had been secured two
days in advance. we had no little diff
Guilty in obtaining possession, SO great
was the demand for sleeping car ac-
commodalions. Ours was the first out
going train over the Wabash road that
made any attempt since the severe
snow storm to run on schedule time.
We reached St. Louis on Saturday
morning about $3.50 o'clock. Here we
found but very little snow, barely e.
nough to cover the ground. The Mis-
sissippi river was flied from bank to
bank with foe ice, and all steamboat
travel was for the time being entirely
abandoned. Even the ferry boats ex-
perienced much difficulty in transfer
ring their passengers and freight from
one side of the river TO the other. At
Cairo. we were informed by fellow
passenger, the Illinois Central transfer
boat was from o. clock Friday even
ing until o'clock Saturday morning
in effecting crossing. This was any
thing but pleasant for the train load of
passengers. At St. Louis Mr.. Brandt
and ye editor parted company with Mr..
and Mrs. Schell and Mr.. and Mrs.
Pfenninger, they proceeding on TO Hot
Springs, going by the Texarkana route,
and we continued our journey over the
Iron Mountain road to Columbus, KY.
Our route through Missouri laid in one
of the most barren sections of country
that we ever cast eyes upon. The
towns along the road, with but one or
two exceptions, are small and the hous-
es look delapidated. Thereeare but few
signs of thrift and prosperity on the
part of the inhabitants. The stations
along the road are always crowded
with throng Of idlers, all bent upon
outdoing each other in idleness. The
few attempts at farming on a broad
gauge system have evidently proved
failures. Corn and sweet potatoes
seems to be about all that is raised with
any degree of success. Now and then
snail patch of winter wheat is seen.
A great portionlo of the road rups through
heavily timbered swamps, and some
times miles and miles are travelled
without seeing the sign OF habitation
of any kind. Soon after leaving St.
Louis, it was quite dusty. Near Char
lestown II miles from Columbus, we
saw the first lot of wild geese, but as
they did not tarry long enough to allow
US to make their acquaintance, we are
unable to say whether or not they were
Minnesota geese. A hunter who board
ed our train few miles above Charles
town informed us that the woods a.
bounded with deer, wild turkeys, pleas
ants and quails. Now and then bear
is captured. At Z o'clock in the even
ing our train arrived opposite Column
bus. Here the passengers were trans
ferred in the cars to the Kentucky side
on mammoth transfer boat. Although
the crossing is usually effected in i've
minutes times, on this occasion over
an hour was consumed, owing to the
large amount of ice in the river. The
cars are transferred to and from the
boat by means of an incline built to the
edge Of the river. The cars, four coach
es Ut q time, are backed on to the cen.
ire of the boat lenghtwise. At the OPP
posite side, after landing has been
effected, an engine backs down to the
boat and pulls the train up to the depot.
While crossing the river the passengers
remain in the cars, although if so inclin-
ed thew can circulate around on the
boat. Columbus, KY, is quite nice
city, but as it was dark when we passeu
through, we were unable to note the
changes that have been made since the
close of the late ''unpleasantness.
From Columbus we continued our
Journey southwark over the Mobile anu
Ohio road to Meridian. Although
about two hours late in arriving at Co.
lumbus, the train on the NJ. & o. was
kept in waiting until our arrival, and
consequently we were subjected to no
delays. Sunday morning found us at
through Kentucky and Tennessee dur
ing the night. Here we found more
snow than at St. Louis, there being as
much as six inches in some places. A
gentleman who boarded our train at
Prairie station, few miles below Okla
loona, informed US that the snow fall
in Mississippi was unprecedented this
winter, also that it had been much
colder than usual. The towns along
the road have much the same appear
anse as at the close of the war. But
few signs of thrift and prosperity are
seen. The cause of this condition OF
thing, il attributed to lack of laboring
hands. A gentleman said: "Our CO.
lored labor has left US and white labor
is not what we want" Cotton is the
staple product here. Corn and sweet
potatoes are raised for home consump-
ton. But few cattle are seen.
The negroes, or at least q
large portion of them. have eth
er bought or rented small pieces of
land and are '.going it on their own
hook. Very little wheat is raised and
it is but seldom that grist mill is seen.
Meridian, Mississippi, 1875 miles from
New Orleans, where we switched off on
to the Queen & Crescent road, is the
only city we passed through after leav-
ing Columbus that showed any real
| SA&uS u plOSIoAACy' AAAo Cly HAS muCn
changed since the close of the war. The
snail negro cabins have given place to
large brick blocks and all vistages of
the war have disappeared. The stock
ade, wherein 30 many of our brave boys
4 in blue suffered death from exposure
and starvation, has been removed,
although close observer can easily
mark the spot where the prison pen
once stood.
From Meridian to New Orleans our
route took US through a country heavi-
~ timbered with yellow pine. The
distance from Meridian to New Orle-
ans is 1876 miles. The towns along the
road are very small and what the peo-
pie subsist upon is beyond our compre-
hension-certainly not upon the pro
ducts of the country, as we saw but a