Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-10-29
Mr.. Rieke Down in Dixie.

Mr.. E. D. Ake:-If it should please
you and the many readers of the
REGISTER, 1 will give you a brief
account of my trip to the "Sunny
South" My train left Union Sta
ton, st. Louis, on time, going
down through a part of Illinois.
Saw some very fine wheat fields,
most all of them green, also very
fine corn fields and coal mines. In
Carbonate we had to change cars.
We had to wait there for a train
loaded down with excursionists
from Chicago, after which our train
vas divided into two sections, l
being on section No. 2. After we
left the above named town, it grew
dark and I could see the country
no more until next morning, when
we reached Jackson, Miss. That
is a fine, large town with street
cars and electric lights. Then
down we came into cotton fields
and negroes. To my observation
there were as many negroes as
cotton plants. Saw few cattle and
hogs, and those hogs / did see
were all razor-backs and hazel
splitters. Coming down on the
Louisiana line, saw plenty of pine
timber and saw mills. They haul
the logs with OK teams, and L saw
as many as eight oxen to one
wagon. Also saw some very fine
cedars and cypress trees and
swamps.
My train was over four hours
late. The city of New Orleans is
not a very clean city, only their
principal streets being kept in good
shape. The houses arc small and
low and mostly frame. The city
being from eight to ten feet below
the river, making excavations for
deep foundations-necessary for
large buildings-impossible; there
is scarcely no drainage and the
stagnant water stands all over the
city as a result. The sidewalks are
bordered with weeds, some as tall
as a man, and no one seems to
bother about removing them. That
is only in the poorer sections,
however. In the city proper, of
course, it is different. The Bar
racks is the finest part of New
Orleans. The buildings are very
old, but in fine condition. The
grounds are so clean and so beau
tifully kept chat it looks like a
large green velvet carpet.
Probably the finest crop raised
here is mosquitoes, and l tell you
they are immense. They have legs
like a stork, bill or trunk like an
elephant, wings like a bald-headed
eagle of Missouri, and are very
fond Of human blood. They can
make great music, too; listening
to them of an evening, they sing
every popular air ever written, one
would think. They are at present
practicing "Hiawatha," and in
due time will beat the Budweiser
band.
Took a street car ride about the
city yesterday; going out on what
is known as Esplanada avenue to
City Park--a most beautiful place
and the New Orleans cemeteries.
These are keptin magnificent state,
and owing to the fact-already
stated-that the city is so far be-
low the river, graves cannot be
dug, and all the dead are placed in
vaults, which may be as mag
nificent as can be afforded. After
a thorough inspection of these we
took in the show street of the city
Canal street-and the river front;
the far-famed river front of New
Orleans. Here we discovered the
Italian cruiser, Liguria, COM
manded by Duke Abruzzi, the
great Arctic explorer. Also an
Indian merchant ship, which was
loaded with sugar from India.
Here ends my sight seeing; the
rest of my time was devoted to
social and business matters.
A. r.
New Orleans, La, Oct. %, 1908.
We will trade goods for hay and
--- " 81 49, a.