Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-08-22
For the Herald and Tribune.
FROM THE LAND OF FLOWERS.
A Breezy Letter From the Land of
Pine Apples anu Oranges.

In accordance with promise made the
Business Manager l will endeavort to pen
afew lines from this place. After a pleas
ant but lonesome journey from Jones'
boro landed here on the evening of
July 81. Did not experience any strange
adventures or mishaps upon the way.
Was very ~agreeably disappointed in
finding the climate less hot than | ex-
pected, although we are having some
very hot weather at this writing. and
were 1T not for the cooling breezes
which prevail at nearly all hours of
the day, the heat would be almost I'M
endurable to parties exposed to the hot
rays OF the sun. 1t looks strange in
deed to one living among the hills and
vallies of East Tennessee to come down
here in this land of flowers, oranges,
grapes, bananas and barbarous Demo.
Gratis. The contrast between this coun.
try and ours is very striking. Here we
find the fruits adapted to a semi,tropi-
cal region, growing along the side
walks of the city. We think we have
hct political times in our country, and
so we do; but there is no comparison
between us and the parties here, and
strange to say the fight here is a family
affair. 1t is a contest of one faction
against another. The factions are
called "straightouts" and ''independ-
ents." The outs against the ms; the
railroads against the city rings. The
Call and the anti Call faction. They
held a primary here a few days ago for
county officers and members of the
Legislature and in some of the wards
more votes were polled than there are
men, women and children residing in
them. The railroad companies got up
excursions from other towns, and ever
brought train loads from Georgia and
voted them and carried the day by an
overwhelming majority. The scenes
that night was n of ~debauchery pro-
family and fighting; the like of which
we never experience in glorious old
East Tennessee. 1t is said Doodle,
whisky and railroad passes won the
day in the contest. They have two
tickets in the field and it will be war
to the knife and knife to the hilt" I'M
til the State election, which comes off
in October. The, railroad candidates
will, as they should, be elected. This
seems to be O pretty lively place COM
pared with staid old Tennessee. Every
one, who wants it,, seem to have en-
ployment at pretty fair wages and very
few idlers and loafers are seen. A
good many buildings are going up in
different parts of the city, and many
o will be. commenced soon. This
is a terminal, point for a number of
railroads and they are now building
immense car sheds and a union depot.
They have about 800 hands employed
hauling sand, grading and dri living
piles for the several, buildings. A
Knoxville company have the contract
to build the shed and depot, and now
have about thirty hands at work. Will
put on a large force soon. The city
will put in an electric light plants
beginning ofthe first of September. A
large city market building will be COM
menced about the same time. Excava-
tions for this large building was COM
menced sometime since, but the State
Board of Health stopped them as they
do not.allow excavations to be made in
certain parts of the city during the
summer months. The population here
is said to be about evenly divided be.
tween the white and the colored. In
the winter season when tourists come
in it is different. l see many large
hotels here closed; they are only open
during the winter season. This is a
city of saloons, restaurants and board
ing houses and they certainly under
stand how to charge for what one gets.
1t is also a great gambling place. l
have seen crap games almost in plain
view of the police. 1t IL said by the
city papers that open gambling bells
are known to the police and their at
tention called to them, but they pay no
attention to it. They sometimes make
a raid on a niger dive and pull o
few, but they are almost in variably re-
leased on a nominal fine or q day or
two in Jail. l was sorry, but not SUR
prised, to hear of the election of q Demo-
cratic Sheriff in county. AS he is
as clever a man as a Democrat can af-
ford to be / guess we can stand him a
couple of years at least. Besides it
will, perhaps, teach us u lesson in the
future-we will not throttle the will of
the people by nominating a man who
received q less number of votes than
someone else. Experience is a dear
school, but some of us do not seem to
learn much in any other. l guess you
will all lick your flints and try it again
in November. l would like to be
among you, but will not be unless
something unexpected turns up.
PHELIM.
Business Men In q Hurry