West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1900-03-15
IN THE SOUTHLAND.
Another Interesting Article From
a Member Of The Argus
staff.
Memphis, ''rhe Chicago OF the South,
and Other Cities of the Great MissIs.
sippi Valley.
BY MAY FAIRFAX MORGAN.

Louis, was Memphis, Tenn, where
we were most elegantly entertained
by the citizens of this hustling city.
which is called the "Chicago of the
South"
Memphis is situated on a bluff
over looking the Mississippi river
with Arkansas just over the river
on the West and Mississippi to the
South. So you see Memphis be-
longs, you might say, to three great
states.
The editors were escorted to the
Peabody Hotel where very elabo-
rate breakfast was served TO about
400 at one time. While we were
seated at the breakfast table, gen
tlemen passed through with great
walters loaded with bouquets of
beautiful and fragrant flowers for
everyone. We saw more flowers
in Memphis than in New Orleans.
Addresses of welcome we're made
by the Mayor and newspaper men
of the city, after which we were
taken on the trolley cars to all parts
OF the city. First to the great
brewing establishment, the largest in
the South. Here beer flowed like
water, and the brothers and sisters
who lead the Good Templars and
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union at home, struggled des-
perately with each other to get to
the front and succeeded in spelling
considerable of the product of one
of the chief industries of Memphis.
Then we were taken to see some
of the great cotton congresses and
warehouses, Memphis exports more
cotton than New Orleans or Gal
weston, although an inland city.
They have ten cotton congresses
in the city and in these places is
where the great bales are put
through machinery that reduces
them down to about one fourth their
first size and while they are in the
compress the sheet iron bands and
canvas covering is put on them and
they are ready to be shipped to any
part of the world. The cotton bales.
after they are compressed make the
best kind of breastworks, as bullets
or even cannon balls will Just bury
themselves in the cotton. This
was what old Gen. Jackson used at
New Orleans in 1915, when he an
initiated the British under Gen.
Packenham and taught them les
son they have never forgotten. For
several years the South did not try
to raise anything but cotton and
the price got so low it did not pay
to raise it. So they quit planting
so much cotton for the past few
years, and consequently the price
of cotton went up. This year the
cotton export of Memphis is i'm
mense. The cotton market opens
in September and up to February
they had exported $40, 900, 900
worth had SO, 900, 900 in the ware
houses and about SO, 900, 900 to be
brought into market before the sea.
son is over, making a total of saS.
900, 900 worth of cotton imported
from Memphis, an inland city, in
one season.
We were taken out to the race
course, one of the finest in the
United States. They have mile
track and many elegant stables, and
noted horses from all parts Of the
country are taken here and win
tered, as il is warm nearly all win
ter and they are exercised and
trained for the spring races. About
100 fine steeds, that were noted for
their speed, were brought out by the
jockeys and their names, price and
rate Of speed called out. They
were all noble specimens Of horse
flesh, some worth $4,000, several
SIS, 900 and various prices. They
had over 100 in the stables. but il
was impossible TO exhibit them all.
as our ;ime was limited. The "Bele
Of Memphis" and "Our Nellie"
were beauties indeed, and the IA
yorites with the Editors, as they
were applauded time and again.
After feasting our eyes ON these
magnificent animals, many. Of them
having national and world wide
reputation In the sporting world, the
ladies were invited into the bar
room and told to walk up, ladies,
and order what ever you want, like
a man" The gentlemen we're not
invited and we're expected to re
main on the outside and give the
women chance As we have al
ways believed in che equal rights Of
women, we did not hesitate 10
"walk up" but that was an the