The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-26
YELLOW PINE CAMPS
WHAT INDIANA LUMBERMEN SAW ON
THEIR SOUTHERN TRIP.
Vast Forests of the Pine and the Cy-
press Which the North Will
Draw Upon.

The Retail Lumber Dealers Association
OF Indiana and its guests, who returned
from Southern tour last Thursday morn
ting. saw much in the far South to interest
them OF course. the lumber interests down
there were the objective purposes Of the
"trip, but nevertheless those who accom-
panied the excursion saw many things
which are in no wise connected with the
lumber trade, but which. are interesting and
Instructive TO all people. To the Hoosers
the hospitality OF the Southern people
seemed more gigantic than the mills they
have at work cutting down the timber lands
as those or the North were cut few years
ago. From the time the party crossed the
Ohio until the swamps OF Louisiana were
entered. all those who wore the red, white
and blue emblem of the association were
received with open arms. In Kentucky
samples OF whisky were scattered broadcast
through the train, and, except in a few
cases where the samples were lost, they
were brought back home. In Tennessee ev-
erything possible was done for the visitors.
and the battlefelds OF Chickamauga and
Mission Ridge were shown them. Down in
mississippi the lumber districts turned out
masse TO welcome the Northerners. the
latter being given public receptions and
barbecues. While at New Orleans the cy-
press lumber men of that district devoted
their whole time and attentions to the In
diana dealers, and even those of the latter
who did not profit by the trip returned with
q well-defined impression that the style of
Southern hospitality Is simply immense.
The train which left Indianapolis on the
night of Jan. 10 was composed of five sleep
ers, a smoking car and a commissary car.
The party was composed of about seventy
five people and one hundred Hoo Hoos. The
latter are really people, and they are &C
cepted as such. but they compose an organ
fzation which is unique. and which has fig
ure mines, black cats. yells and other pleas
ant things for emblems. To the credit
OF the Hoo Hoos, be it said that they
behaved admirably. In the rear sleeper
OF the train were a dozen ladies-wives,
sisters and friends Of members of the asso-
citation. Besides these people mentioned, it
might be said that J. c. Adams. Charles
Krauss and M. S. Huey were members of
the party, and it would have been dull with
out them.
The. party awoke after the first nights
ride to find itself in the heart of the famous
bluegrass region. renowned for it's fine
horses and beautiful women. The stop at
Lexington was not extended. being just
a
breakfast, while others picked up what they
could The ride through Kentucky was de-
iightful one and at Somerset another stop
was made for dinner. In little
room near the DEPOT a man kept
q store and in stock he had sew
eral barrels of apples The crowd made a
raid, paying for what they got, of course,
and the apples were cleaned out, all of
which caused the storekeeper to remark:
"There IS no mistake about that mob being
from Indiana"
Occasionally stops were made on the way
to Chattanooga and at the latter place the
night and the following day we're spent.
The party was received by committees from
the different business organizations. The
Hoo Hoos held meeting during the even
ing and the reputation of the party was not
injured in the least upon the following day.
The day at Chattanooga was an ideal one
and the drive over the battle ground Of
Mission Ridge and Chickamauga was very
pleasant. 1t a new atmosphere, with
new scenes to majority of the party. Dur
ing the afternoon Lookout mountain was
visited and dinner taken at the inn on the
top.
AT LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN.
The party had hard work getting on top,
although there are two inclines and one
railroad going up. and the wonder was how
General Hooker and his men ever mounted
the height in the face Of the enemy But one
thing was remembered and that was that
General Hooker did not have to face a bat
tie waged by competitive railway companies
Some OF the innocent and unsophisticated
Hoosiers fell In the hands of designing men
and they were hauled all over the mountain,
rather than to allow them to fall in the
han "a Of he DFA
late in tho afternoon before some of the
party reached the inn and then they had
walked many miles. 1t was cheerful Tor all
such to learn that had they but known il
they could have gone direct TO the inn for
one third they paid TO travel abour the
mountain.
1t ives at Chattanooga that one well
known lumberIran received a terrible shock
TO his mental pictures. lie had heard that
south OF the Ohio all colored men are
courteous and that they are kept in sub
mtSslve spirit. This particular man is q
friend or the negro and he piled them At
the hotel he ordered potatoes cooked in a
particular style as per menu, but very ordi-
nary potatoes were served. He offered a
protest In a gentlemanly manner to
which the waiter replied:
Them Just as you ordered them,' and
turning away he muttered, You needn't
think you can get gay with me-"
We'll, WE'LL said the lumberman, that
fellow skaters another mistaken idea OF
mine"
From Chattanooga southwark the line
between the old and the new South as
shown along the route of the Queen *
Crescent was very distinct. Chattanooga
and birmingham and other points are the
growths OF a new South. The old South is
fast sinking into decay and the towns have
worn look with their oxen and razor-back
hogs and old houses. The new South is rep
resented by buildings and Industries much
the same as are seen in the North. The
iumbermen were all interested in knowing
the condition OF business along the route
and at every stop inquiries were made
Chattanooga and Birmingham and smaller
places felt the panic, for the latter caught
them at a critical time, but the men of the
commercial organiza tons who acted as re-
ceptton committees gave the information
that business is improving and the growth
now is steady, although not fast as a
few years ago. Along the railroad, how
ever. are seen sad evidences of the panic
In the form of remains OF boom towns.
Fort Payne, few miles below Chattanoo-
ga. furnished an example OF the possible
result OF boom town. A company spent
two and a half millions in trying TO make
Fort Payne a city. A good depot a large
hotel and an opera house were constructed.
All are deserted now and few natives
stand as sentinels over the investment all
OF which sold a few months ago for
$1,000. Some say the company lost heavily
while others say they made money by the
sale OF lots TO the innocent. When one
sees the oceans OF land in the South which
purchased at from 81 TO so an acre, IL can
be seen how easy IL would be 10 lay out
town. The Indiana party was struck with
the Idea that efforts had been made to es-
tablish too many towns without the proper
development around them TO keen them