Huntsville gazette., 1893-06-24

Accepting an lnvltatlOn from MT. W.
r. Rison yesterday to join party going
over the new road to Hobbs Island, q
MERCURY representative repaired to the
new Depot of the n. G. 81 st. L. r r.
Being first to arrive he was met by the
accommodating agent Mr.. X. L. Whit
man and shown through the new build
ing, which is a model of neatness, con
venience and architectural desigU. The
rooms are large and well ventilated.
Seated with fine plush revolving chairs,
toilet rooms and CLOSETS with all modern
conveniences. tits altogether the shapd>
somest and most convenient Depot builds
G in the State and is .altogether differ
ent to what our people have become ac-
customed to. The grounds are not yet
completed, but they show evidences OF
what they will be, and as Mr.. Whitman
says, Maj. Thomas never does things by
halves, we may expect to see handsome
approaches to the handsome building.
The party having gathered in the mean-
time our ''chair car" drew up at the door
and obeying the ''all aboard" of conducs
tor Whitman the members fixed them
selves comfortably for sightseeing. In
leaving the city the road runs as straight
as a die for five miles where a slight
curve is reached. tits level and ballasted
with crushed limestone almost the entire
myth, making it one of the smOothest
riding pieces of road We ever went over.
The crops along the road did not look
as well as we expected to see. In fact
they showed up more slip>shod farming
that one would expect to see In that fer
tile section. Really the. crops need work
ing and need it badly. The farm Of 5.
w. Harris showed up to advantage. His
crops are clean and advanced and give
evidence of scientific cultivation. Mr..
Harris has magnificent body of land
and it appears to be in good hands.
Lilly Flag Station was called, but we
failed TO see the "station." Nothing but
side track breaks the monotony at this
point. Farley alton is about the near
est point to Whitesburg and has nice
freight depot. The section houses are
also built at this point and give it the ap~
appearance of little town in embryo. At
this point one of the party called atten-
| tion TO clearing on the mountain top
and remarked, There is where the
grandfather of John FL. Inman lived"
This was news to majority of the party.
Taylorville, or "Hobbs Island" as it
will be called on the railroad map, is at
the terminus. The freight depot and a
new store forms the nucleus for small
town. We noticed few loads of spoke
and handle timber deposited near the
track. This promises TO be good ship
ping point for the lumber interest.
Arriving at the river the party was met
| by Engineer Gordon hicks, who
conducted them through the hand
some steamer City of Huntsville.
She is beautiful steamer, entirely new,
handsomely furnished lighted throughout
by electricity. She is also provided with
an enormous electric search light. Til y
have had some fun with it already. They
state that while making "trip up the
yer, few nights since, they flashed the
light into the open window of an humble
cabin on the banks of the river, when
they were surprised to see a form in
white, " ith baby in its arms, dash out
of the open door and make for the mouL,
tain at 2;40 gait. The humble inhabi-
tants evidently thought his cabin had
been struck by bolt of noiseless light
ming. The engines Of the Huntsville are
beauties, of enormous power and will
carry The huge barges up the river easily.
| The work at the terminus has been much
delayed by high water, but is being
pushed to completion by Contractor
Smith, under the supervision of Engineer
Hicks. Onr understanding is that the
REGULAR trains will be run between Attal,
la and Nashville July 1st. If the incline
is not ready at that time the passengers
will be transferred by steamer, without
the barges.