The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1900-12-26
From Lexington, S. c. to Meridian, Miss
To the Editor of the Di-pstch:

To the Editor Of the Di-pstch:
Thinking perhaps that the readers
Of the Dispatch would be pleased to
hear something from the distant
State Of Mississippi, have decided
to write short description of my
travels toward The setting sun.
On Tuesday, November 2lst, [
boarded the cars at Columbia at $50
a m., on my way to the West, con-
ing ever the Southern by way Of
spartarburg, Atlanta and Birming-
ham, Ala, to this city, arriving here
at o'clock Wednesday morning,
being three hours late and quite an
uncbristian hour for stranger to be
dumped into strange city.
The trip was made to the heauti-
full and thriving Piedmont City
Spartanburg, which city we reached
st 1880 a. NJ, without incident.
Here We had a long wait for the
through vestibule train from Char
lotte to Atlanta. At last it came
putting in, and I hurriedly got on
board, glad to be travelling on as
no1eiDg is more detestable to me than
waiting on a belated train. Then We
started on the long run for Georgia's
fair capital, distanced 1876 miles from
Spartanburg. The scenery along
the route was beautifully grand,
rough and rugged. At one place on
the route the road passes through
quite mountainous country, over
high trestles and through deep
gorges with lofty mountains in full
view. Sometimes skirtiDg precipices
that would make one shudder to be-
hold, then around short curves where
the engineer could be seen by one
riding in the rear coach apparently
coming back to pass the car in the
rear. All Of this was calculated to
make fellow little nervous, es-
peciaIly one that has been sccus.
toned to the level country of the
Congaree bottoms of grand old Lex
ington county.
Mr.. Editor, it almost makes man
homesick to write about Lexington,
S. G, and have his thoughts travel
back to the old home, with al of it's
pleasures, one thousand miles away,
so 1 will continue my journey on to
Atlanta that magnificent city that
General Sherman and his horde of
7andals so ruthlessiy destroyed thir-
ty Eve years ago. As I neared this
beautiful city of one hundred and
twenty-five thousand people, I
imagined I could hear the booming
of the Yankee cannon in the distance
and looked with anxious eye for some
sign Of their vandalism, but when
we rolled into the spacious depot all
signs of strife were missing and
peace and happiness were pictured
on every face and mad rush being
made for the Almighty Dollar.
We changed cars at Atlanta at 5
p. N for Birmingham, Ala, at which
place we reached at II o'clock at
night; another wait and q change of
cars for Meridian, Miss.
The train on the Queen and Cres-
ent route was two and half hours
late With nothing to do but sit in the
waiting room and await the coming
OF the train. At last some one yells,
Here she comes" and l made all
speed possible to get on board, as
they only made stop of little more
than one minute. Soon We were
laundering on our way to our jour
ney's end. The entire trip from At
lanta to Meridian was made at night,
so I am unable to say anything of
the country through which I passed
or the cities on the road, however, I
am glad to say that l landed safely
in Meridian at last, completely worn
out. Fortunately, or perhaps unfor-
tuuately, found representative of
the Southern hotel, who courteously
took charge Of me and my baggage.
On our arrival at the hotel the clerk
cooily Informed me that all of his
rooms were occupied, aDd he did not
think that I could find room in the
city, as the town was filed with visi-
tors to the East Alabama and West
Mississippi Fair, which was then be-
ing held. OF course that was dis
coureging news to tired man, but
I co1so!ed myself with the thought
that it was only a few hours until
| Gayliuht so I nu;etlv took q seat in