Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-02-25
Notes by the Way.
CoLuMnuS, GA, Feb Is, '85.

COLUMBUS, Ga, fcD 10, 90.
DEAR Nc AS | promised vii
write you few lines in regard to our
trip. W. G. Raymond and myself
started from home on the nth. We
came via New London. We took the
steamer City Of Worcester aud had a
rough passage through the Sound-on
account flee. We had to literally break
the road through the ice were four
hours late in New York. We took
the Pennsylvania r. r. through Phila-
dclpha and Baltimore and arrived in
Washington at 8 p. m. We stayed at
the Howard House, and in the morn
ing walked around the city, saw the
government buildings, and they are
magnificent; it looked rs though Uncle
Sam was rich. The State, War and
Navy Department is beautiful build
ing, has already cost twelve millions
and a half and not done yet. In the
afternoon we visited the Senate Cham
Der and Representatives Hall in the
Senate the attendance was light. We
saw Senators Bayard Of Del, and
Malone of Va, ingalls, of Kansas,
Hawley OF Conn, and various lesser
lights. We walked around the capitol,
went into the Presidents room, with lis
wonderful mNgmfying mirrors, the Scna-
tCrial reception rooms, etc. We staycl
about three hours in the House saw
Randall of Pa, Blackburn Of Ky,
VIM. Walter Phelps of \ j., Blaine
pard, Holman of Ind, Che great OBJ
iector, and others. We left Wash
ngton at 1910 p. m. for the South,
breakiastcd in Danvillc, \. g., (ol
riot fame dincl at Charlotte, n. c.,
at Il. M, arrived at Atlantic, Ga. ,
changed cars and arrived at West
Point, Ga. stopped here till : a. M,
Monday, when we started for Column
bus. where we arrived at & Il. N.
Yesterday. We stayed around the
city till afternoon, when we took a car
ragc and drove out to some friends of
mine. The roads are very muddy, the
red clay mud being some less than 40
If. deep, but how much less | can't
say. VS. saw Il negro driving a mule,
lie got stuck in the mud, and all the
load he had was two jugs of whiskey-
we did not relieve him of his load
They are drawing wood to market
it takes two mules to draw one half
cortland it sells for So a cord quite
Il money making business | should
think; it costs 40 cts. cord to chop
it, for man to take to market two
days, 81, and the wear and tire Of the
disposition of the driver and mule
We saw mule load started this morn
ing, the harness was made Of cotton
cloth, except tug chains, which were
iron; the load consisted 26 twenty.four
foot sticks of mixed wood, pine and
oak. We saw him on his return and
he told us he got IS cts. for his load.
The labor question is the bugbear of
the South, the freedmen are unreliable.
We are enjoying our trip very much.
| find good many changes since ] was
here, but ! find many Of my old friends
and our reception was most cordial
Raymond are getting fat, going to
have 'opossum tomorrow for dinner.
We start for New Orleans the 24th.-
1t is quite cool here, they told us that
they had been having an awful snow
storm lately-said it was two inches
deep-only think Of it Most of the
gardens are made here, and farmers
commencing their spring blowing. -
The South is greatly changed, the
once large plantations are now cut up
into small farms, and negro huts
abound, Well | might write dozen
pages, but will close, and 90 to bed,
and dream of mud 40 feet deep and as
red as magenta-these two last state
mcnts are fully one half true.
Yours Truly,
c. o. BoYDEN.