Mexico weekly ledger., 1903-02-05
WRITES OF THE SOUTH.
Former City Clerk Williams Sees
Many Things of Interest In
Georgia, Alabama and
Louisiana.

correspondence or the Ledger.
BIRMINGHAM, ALA, Feb. /. "A
weary immigrant from Missouri with
his son, David, unyoked his oxen in a
valley In the far West and the
boy sat down to rest and refresh him
self while the old mar looked around
for wood for their nights camp fire.
Strolling down into a valley he saw a
stream and the yapor OF smoke and
soon came toa red-hoty bubbling, boil
ing spring. He hurried back to the
camp and yelled to the boy: "David,
hitch up the cattle quick! He'll amt
a mile from herel" And | sympa-
thized with the old migrants remark
when | landed last night in Birming-
ham, for the city looked like a blaze
of flame from coke ovens, furnaces and
smelters, while the whole heavens
we're lit with the red fame and the
air full OF black, curling, sutty smoke.
The earth for miles is turned bottom
side up-getting out miner raj Of many
kinds. A great city of one hundred
thousand inhabitants (including
suburban towns) built in a few years.
Immensely wealthy, mighty dirty and
awful tough. | was in Tuscaloosa a
few days since, the former home of
President A. X. Yancy and family,
who was certainly very dear TO those
people from the many enquiries made
OF their welfare.
In my stay in New Orleans | was
told there was not a cellar In the city.
The wells are all built on top of the
ground like railroad tracks The
houses are all built on posts or pixies
driven deep into the ground TO reach
solid foundation. Many beautiful
palms and oriental shrubbery ornament
the doors yards and drives In the
city.
! was through the sugar plantation
in Lvc!sian, where the celebrated Bell
Alliance brand of sugar Ks made. We
sold many a barrel OF II, but | never
knew where 1t was made before. A
great deal Of Northern capital is being
invested in Birmingham and many
other places In the South. The entire
northern section Of Alabama and Geor-
gia is n vast treasure house Of min
eral and ore, and prospecting and min
ing is the daily pursuit of its inhab-
itants. Little or no attention is paid
to agriculture; in fact, you can't find
level ground enough to make a field
on. These people all know about Mis-
souri's big corn crop and many mules,
and draw largely on us for those sta
pies. 1t is all cotton, sugar cane, rice
etc in Louisiana and Alabama, though
corn can be grown, but other products
pay better. | like the Southern sys-
tenn in all the states I've visited of
working their city, county and state
prisoners IN roads, farms and mines.
They don't put them up to sleep and
eat at Jubilee expense down here. 1t
means work and hard work at that.
Such a system would benefit Audrain
county, and lessen the number of
prisoners. The whole South-men,
women and children-are dead down
on President Roosevelt and will fight
before they will submit to negroes
holding office and voting.
I'm glad February is a short month
| am anxious to get home and If l
should have a ''eall" as the preachers
put 1t, whether human or divine, to-
come and take any position, by which
| could make a living and be at home,
| would take the first train in answer
TO the "call.n Sun shines bright and
the weather is warm down here. Plan
bers breaking ground for corn and cot
ton. They use big teams and gang
plows and run large plantations Of
from 300 to 1000 acres In a plantation.
Yours j. V. WILLIAMS.