The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1899-03-10

ed via the Burlington. An inspection
of the train to which our cars were at
tached showed the extreme of elegance
and convenience attained in railroad
transportation. The day coaches, chair
cars, and particularly the department.
sleepers were simply magnificent. 1t
may be possible that there are finer cars,
but we can see no necessity or that any
thing could be added for the comfort of
the traveller. From St. Louis to Bur-
mingham, Alabama we ran over the fine
road bed of the Louisville and Nash
vile making good time. Thence to
Tampa via the Plant system, whose
equipment was rich and elegant, beft-
ting their immense winter excursion
travel which is largely composed OF
wealthy northerners, eeking the milder
climate of the south. From New Or
leans, north, the old Illinois Central,
runs at forty miles an hour for the 92l
miles of distance. 1t is the oldest west
ern road and one of the best paying cor
porations in the United States. 1t has a
fine road bed and is we'll equipped. The
excursionists owe many thanks for the
kindly courtesies extended by each of
the railroads over which they passed.
The climatic experiences of the party
were a disappointment. Cold, cloudy
weather was the rule and bit of sun
shine was exceptional. Of course the
cold wave that followed and remained
with us, was exceptional to the south,
and while inconvenient end unpleasant
to US, meant many thousands of dollars
of direct loss to the residents. Fruit and
early garden stuff which are largely cul-
tivated there, is certainly total loss for
this season, while it still remains to be
seen how much permanent damage has
been done to peach, plum, orange and
banana trees.
The North Dakotans, kept on their
overcoats and warm clothing, all the
way, needing it just as much as if a,
home. While the thermometer was no,
as low, the moist atmospher of the
south brought the shivers at 80 above,
so that warm stove was just as grateful
there as here when 80 below. The diff
ference is, that there one shivers uncom.
fortably, while here he can freeze with
out especial discomfort.
In so long a trip one can onl,
generalize as to the features of the coun.
try; beside large part of the time spen,
in travel is at night. Besides this the
time taken in mere travel is SO grea,
that stops are necessarily brief and onl,
small part of the sights can be taken
in at the various points ofinterest. Ten.
nessee and Kentucky were both in dark.
ness going and coming. Southern Geor.
gia. Alabama and northern Florida are
but thinly settled as to farms, as seen
from car windows. Great forests of yel-
low pine, mostly girdled for the turpen-
tine sap are the most prominent features.
Generally, the land is gently rolling with
numerous swamps. In Flori la the trees
are mostly covered with hanging gray
moss which gives dismal look to the
forest. The girdled pine trees give up
their lives in about three or four years,
and then are burned or cut into cord
wood. The Plant system locomotives
are generally wood burners. Here and
there are large saw mills, which cut the
long leaved" pine into lumber, much of
which is sent north and used for flooring
and inside finish. The fields for crops
are small. They raise corn, oats and
cotton and considerable stock. Villa
land is of nominal value. Thirty cents
an acreis a nominal price. 1t has to be
cleared and cultivated at considerable
expense. Fruit farming is venturesome.
Ii successful in getting the trees growing
and yielding, it pays we'll, but there are
many draw backs, like the recent frost.
and then it is not only years crop, but
may be many years labor and expense is
lost. Cotton oflate has been propor-
tionately much less in price than wheat,
and pays to raise accordingly. Truck
farming, raising vegetables for early
northern markets, is quite success, if
successful. The most of the labor is
performed by negroes, at wages from q
to 80 cents per day.
The first SHOW town" that we came
to was Tampa. Here we began to see
things, vegetable, animal and human,
strange to northern eyes. Tampa is
quite city ofsome 10000 people, two
thirds of whom are Cubans, mostly en-
gagged by the great cigar factories as op-
peratives. Negroes are also plentiful,
and seem remarkably SO to northern
eyes. Tampa sidewalks and streets
were mostly in state Of chaos, natural
and artificial, but there are some fine
buildings. We went the following morn