The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-03
WINTER IN THE SOUTH.
InvaIids Can Now Visit that Section
with Perfect Safety.
TO the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:

TO the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
In answer to many letters from friends in
Indiana l beg to say through your paper
that every possible danger from yellow
fever is gone, and that the region lately
'scourged by the epidemic seems now UNI
usually healthy New Orleans is already
filled with tourists and visitors from the
North. The city has been thoroughly
cleaned and fumigated, and 1 was struck
by the gay and buoyant spirit Of the people
in the streets. From Mobile to New Or
leans the l.. & n. Railway runs close be-
side the shore line of the Gulf OF Mexico
with a station at each of the coast resorts.
Going westward from Mobile the first place
is Scranton, on Pascagoula bay; then fol-
low Ocean Springs, Mississippi City, Gulf
Port, Biloxi, Pass Christian and Bay st.
Louis All are beautiful places looking
out upon the Gulf of Mexico. The yellow
fever in all of these towns was of the mild
est type; SO mild, indeed, that the good
people half believe that it was not yellow
fever at all, 1t was yellow fever, however,
beyond doubt; but it is gone, and very few
persons died OF it. What ! wish particu-
larly to say is that no Northern person
need have the least fear about coming TO
the coast or to New Orleans. Since have
been here-we arrived Dec. 22-there has
been a sharp freeze, so hard that it burst
water pipes in our hotel Three white
frosts followed the freeze, and now the air
is clear and crisp.
Mardi Gras this year falls on the 22d OF
February, and the preparations for its cell
ebration are unusually extensive. Already
the choicest rooms i'll all OF the hotels,
boarding houses and private places are be-
ing spoken for by parties from the North
and East, and the attendance bids fair to
be greater than ever before. 1t is good luck
for New Orleans to have this famous car
nival come so early this year. February is
usually the jewel month of the winter here.
The rainy season is then over, the rose
gardens are in full blow, all nature Is in a
gush of splendor, and everything has
We have been here more than a month,
during which the city of New Orleans and
the lovely coast resorts have had almost
unprecedented health. / feel that l cannot
make the statement too strong. There is no
more danger from yellow fever here now
than there is danger from it in Indianapo-
lis or Charlottesville. If you desire to come,
don't hesj ate ON that account
A WORD may be worth while about the
accommodations for visitors and tourists
Mobile is very attractive city. with plenty
of excellent hotels and boarding houses.
Each one OF the coast towns that nave
Christian there lie very fine large
house with every modern Improvement. AT
the town is a thriving place. Bay st.
Louis, the nearest gulf coast town TO New
Orleans, has very agreeable little hotel,
where the morning train may be taken at
O'Clock, landing you in New Orleans at 9.
You can return in the evening at $50 or at
9:15, as, you like, giving you whole day in
the city.
] prefer staying at one of the coast town
hotels. Here the sea air is full Of invigorat-
ing qualities, and the walks and drives are
delightful AT Pass Christian and Bay st.
Louis there is a shell road along the sea
bluff for miles. | have found the bicycling
here the pleastantest that l ever had-the
she'll roads are even better than a cinder
track. Indeed, the pulverized oyster shells
form surface that is like lime pressed
hard. Yesterday rode many miles all the
way with the blue tumbling Oh one
side, and on the other the empowered
homes of people who make this a summer
paradise The houses are not fine, but the
grounds are attractive beyond description.
descriptive vein of ink So many letters
have come to me that ] have been quite
unable to answer them-most of them from
persons (many of them inValidS) who wish
to come South for a while and yet fear
that some lurking danger of yellow fever
makes it imprudent. There is no fever here;
there is no danger.
One word about something to eat: like
fish. oysters, crabs and game. Since l
have been here we have had Venison, wild
turkey, trout, red fish, Spanish mackerel,
mullet. and / don't know what-everything
that's wild and good washed down with
French coffee and very good claret
From Indianapolis to New Orleans is a
the Queen d Crescent. BY the first you
take a sleeper at Louisville at about in
the evening and arrive at New Orleans at
the next evening, and about the same
time is made by the other line.
MAURICE THOMPSON.
Bay St Louis, Jan. 81.