The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-01-07
WAY DOWN SOUTH in DIXIE.
Trip ofthe so.,h Dako.a Ea.tors
to the Home of the Alligator ana
the Oranae.

ENAs A''h'to%N " NNRop3
eying the train rs If curious to know
what kind Of a circus had come this time.
The same gentle serrnety seemed to brood
over the whole city. Not a barber shop
or store was open and only one solitary
restaurant. As we strolled UP town in
quest Of breakfast and saw what seemed
to be most of the populace on their way
to church we concluded that the seventh
day was very rigidly observed in savan-
nah. Later i'll the day when a dodger
was handed us advertising a bicycle and
horse race at the driving park, we opin-
ed that you can't most always tell
that you least expect the most. 1t was
a beautiful day for sight seeing, as warm
and pleasant as a northern June.
At u northern summer resort the scion
OF a wealthy southern family was enam-
ored of a Northern beauty. They were
strolling along tie glistening beach one
night, these two. talking as only young
couples can and The conversation turned
Oh travel. II do so love the soft air OF
the South" she said stoo2ing to pick q
pretty shell. "How do l strike you," he
answered, wiping the she'll for her with
his handkerchief, "as q soft heir of the
SouthY"
As we first inhaled the delicious, Ian
guild air of this early winter morning in
Savannah our thoughts turned to the
northern beauty who breatlled it only tc
loyei it. "Soft'is the only word that rightly
expresses it. 1t may not be SO inyigorat'
ing as the balmy atmosphere of a north
ern spring-it is more like the Indian
summer days-but it is anything but
facilitating and must bring a boon tt
any northern invalid when Jack Frost
is monarch Of all domain north Of
Dixie.
The excursionists scattered all over the
city, some went to church, others visited
the parks or cemeteries, while a portion
went either to the ocean beach, the
oyster depot, or to "The HERMITAGE" ali
old plantation afew miles out OF the
city. The parks located in the heart o.
the city contain monuments of Reyolun.
tionary heross-the city is full of monu,
ments, In fact. Laurel Grove cemetery
is an interesting spot. 1t is named
from the large number Of magnolia trees
called laurel by most southerners.
The grounds contain very few deciduous
trees and the cemetery is now as green
as in midsummer. 1t is g very old c.m-
etery and nearly every other lot contains
II moss covered tomb. In ono plat of
ground $50 feet square were the graves
of 500 confederate dead. Another GENE.
terry we visited, Bonaventure, is saidto be
the most beautiful cemetery in the
South. It's beauty lies principally, If not
entirely, in a large number of massive
live oaks double the size OF the largest
usually seen. Their magnificent beauty
and wealth OF soft hanging moss gives
to the cemetery o sacred. protecting
appearance peculiarly fitting u city Of
the dead. The oaks have quite a romatic
history, too. The property originally be,
longed to wealthy southern planter
At the marriage Of his daughter, way
back in ITO, these live oaks were plant.
ed in The form of M T, these being the
initials Of the two families united by tn
wedding. There is much else romatic
and historical al connected with the place,
The city came into possession of the
property 80 years ago.
Despite, however, the natural beauty
of the Savannah cemeteries they cannot
compare with the carefully kept grounds
OF our northern resting places OF the
dead. 1t is doubtful it a more beautiful
spot could be selected In oil the world
for the purpose than B%onaventure. In a
northern city the size OF Savannah ii
would soon have q national reputation,
but the same general air Of neglect and
want OF care that marks the appearance
of so many public and private grounds
In the South Is seen at B0naventure.
One thing that detracts largely from a
nice appearance OF the cemeteries
mentioned Is the total absence OF grass.
This Is true Of nearly all public and
private grounds seen in the South. This
is due principally to the loose, sandy
soil which is not adapted to the growth
OF q lawn and partly to an indifference
characteristic of the people. In walking
around the Savannah cemeteries one
must wade through six inches Of this
fine. white sand. They contain no hard
walks or drives of any kind. 1t is evi.
dent that perpetual green the year around
aud the magnificent wealth of plant
life blooming at all seasons of the year
Is to the southerners sufficient unto2the
day.
The moment you leave q paved street
in Savannah-and there are many moi
paved-one must wade through the ever
lasting sand. and it drifts and accumu.
lates OH sidewalks and hither and th!,hel
in such a manner 81 to give the CITY q
very dirty appearance. 1t is the worst
city for a stranger to get around in we
ever struck. In going two miles me il
liable to be obliged to take three differ.
ent street car lines and its dollars ia
buttons that four people out of Eve YOU
meet cannot direct you intelligently tt
any point. Some of the streets have the
parking and trees through tho center
instead Of the more modern way of OF
each side. There does not seem to be any
principal business street, but the stores
and business houses are divided ant
scattered around the business portion
without regard to the general appearance.
of things. But they didn't lay out cite.
In 1890 as they do nowadays. Til,
harbor and shipping, the wharves ant
railway termini and the largest cottor
compress in the South are all interesting
The city has electric railway lines an,
is supplied with water BY artesian wells
On the whole, we were not very mucl
stuck on Savannah. But as the tow
l z. - 20 mn 49, ~lsA- -l - --.