Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-04-30

H W..
of its towns and the country
%traVersed, cannot but be Of interest 10
them and induce our merchants to
make an effort to obtain the trade Of
this industrious and thrifty people.
After leaving the depot the FIRST thing
that attracts our attention Is crossing
the great Mississippi on the Queen e
Crescent transfer steamer Northern
Pacific; after leaving Delta, we run
for several miles through q beautiful
level country where the soil is free
from stump or underground and where
l predict, some day, much Of this
land will furnish Vicksbnrg with a
large quantity Of her hay, Of which
she yearly consumes many tons, and
where all kinds Of improved machinery
can be used. The first station Of
any note is Tallulah. the parish
seat Of Madison. Its citizens
are all well and favorably
known In u city. The train moves
on and after passing thrugh a lonely
swamp, where the work Of raising the
railroad is progressing freely, we
cross Bayou Macon and come to Delhi,
a pretty little town Of three hundred
inhabitants. Delhi is situated near
the centre of what is know as the
Macon Hills-the county for thirty to
forty miles in length, running north
and south, and from eight to ten miles
in width, is free from overflow, the
lands are rich and productive, and its
people are intelligent, honest and in
d~ustrious. From here the road to
Monroe is what is called By engineers
a tangent, being perfectly straight and
free from Hills, and ! am told
the headlight Of the locomotives a be
seen for twenty-five miles or more.
After a ride Of fifty minutes we came
to Rayville, the parish seat of Rich
land, a town about the size of Delhi, but
not SO fortunately situated, being sub
ject to overflow, which, however, does
not get very high, most Of the town
being built on a ridge. After eating a
good supper at the railroad eating
house, kept by Mr.. B. R. McLemore,
the genial and efficient conductor,
Fleming, cries all aboard, and we again
take our seat in the parlor car. In a
few minutes we came to B9uf river
and to Girard, a small town, which has
gone down very much in the last few
years, many of the people having
moved to Florida, where they were
no doubt induced by fabulous tales Of
wealth.
The disastrous overfows for several
years have a tendency to break the
strongest purses and weaken the stout.
est hearts, but If these people can get
what they have a right to expect from
the national government, they will yet
be rich and happy. After a short ride
we strike the new steel road, (Which
extends 10 Shreveport) pass the fine
residence and plantation Of the late
Major w. r. Gordon, at n time u
p%erlnteEdant Of the Vicksburg, Shreve-
port & Pacific, after whom the station
is named, and a few minutes ride the
shrill whistle Of the engine warns us
we are approaching Monroe.
Here the company has a fine yard
with a capacity for seven hundred
cars, and their general repair shops.
A fine roundhouse has lately been
erected here with a capacity for TWEEN
ty engines, and a large machine, car
penter and paint shop have been
staked out and will soon be erected,
which will require a large additional
supply of men to keep in repair the
engines, coaches, box, fiat and coal.
cars, which number about five hum
bred. The mechanical department is.
under division Master Mechanic w.
Bell Smith, a thorough master of his
trade. Near the center Of the city the
company has their splendid passenger
depot, which is said by
many who have seen it not,
to be equaled in n~eatness,
convenience and its unique simplicity
by any other Oh the @ & G. system and
by few or any railroads. Mr., John
Faulkner is the clever and accom-
modating agent of the company here.
MUuIOC 10 q DSduIAAul AlUIAC CAtJ VA lOuN
or i've thousand inhabitants and is
situated on the east bank OF, the
Ouachita river; the streets on either
side are bordered with large water
oaks and givesi it the appearance Of an
enchanted land or fairy city. Stand
ing on the ine bridge Of the v. S. &
P, which spans the river here, looking
into the crystal waters of the Ouachita
and viewing the large water oaks
which line the river banks for
many miles, we have a picture Of nature
on which the eye would never tire, and
by the side Of which the finest of art
fades into insignidcance. Monroe
numbers among its inhabitants scme
of the best families of North Louisl-
ana-and 1t was once the home of
Frank Pargoud, after whom that sue
cessful and palatial steamer was
named. The present Governor, S. d.
McEnery, is also from there. Monroe
has some fine stores, where large stocks
of goods are offered for sale at prices
which compare with much larger and
more p~retentious cities. There is also
an ice factory, oil mills, a good bank,
with ample capital, several good
hotels, restaurants, a fne courthouse,
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