Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1906-03-01

book that tells all SIX
about it, both sent free 1se:::$$ss HI
by mail. Address DIR. =
kilmer g. Co., Bing- S4@@
hamton, N. y. When Homo of sv.mp-Ro
writing mention this paper and don't
make any mistake, but remember the
name, Or. killner's Swamp-Root, and
the address, Binghamton, N. Y.
On Board America, Missis-
sippi River, Feb. 20, 'O6. Dear
Folks: 1t was raining when
we got up this morning and
now the fog is so dense we can
not see the banks of the river
most of the time. If it con.
tinues we will not be able to
see Vicksburg when we get
there. Will have to lay up for
the night as we can not go in
this fog. This is really the fin
est part of our trip, would not
have missed it for anything.
We stop at each place and see
everything as we go. We spend
a portion of our time in pilot
house or any place on the boat.
All are so friendly and nice, it
seems like we are among our
own friends. Della is having
quite a time. Natchez is q
a quaint, romantic looking
town. "The old Natchez under
the hill" is of the old war
times; the new is on the hill
just over the old town and is
very pretty with its fine new
post office, library and beauti-
full park, a place of 5000. One
can not help but feel a sadness
in standing up there on the hill
and looking down on the old
town and thinking of what her
pride and beauty must have
been before the war. The war
is still in evidence all through
this country. The only place
that has seemed like Iowa was
at old Fort Adams, built among
the hills. AS Della told you,
the plot Of the story, "a Man
Without a Country was taken
from this old fort. This morn
ing we pass through Lake Pei
mire. The river is at the right
of us and after leaving the lake
we again come into the river.
Along this lake are the planta-
lions of jeff Davis and broth
ers. Hurricane, the brothers
plantation, and Biefield, Jeff
Davis plantation and home be-
fore the war, situated on an
island with a good many acres.
The lake is shallow in a great
many places and all along can
near a coon calling the depth
of the water; 'sfour," then
"mark twain" meaning two
fathoms, and that is where
Mark Twain took his name. He
was once pilot on a boat him
self. We land at Ashwood
Place, where Grant held his
men to get in behind Vicks-
burg. This place rents for
$4,000 a year. The owner
married a niece Of jeff Davis
who is said still to be a very
handsome lady, one of the
southern beauties. The beauti-
full southern mansion which
once stood here was burned
during the war to keep Grant
from using it as his headquar-
tiers. Yesterday we rassed an
island of 5000 acres. caused by
the cutting of the river. the
river O2lng on one SIDE ana sc.
Mary's lake on the other, and
what seems strange is the fact
I'LL this 5000 acres hasn't a
white won an on it. IL is
worked by the blacks and con-
trolled by the white owners.
Last year did not give a good
cotton yield; $4,000 bales is a
good yield an last only gave
300 bales and that was a big
fall. Yesterday we had as pas
sengers two of the largest
plantation owners, and the
diamonds the wife displayed
would make your eyes tired.
This part of the river is all
cotton plantations, the lower
part sugar plantations which
are kept up in nicer shape. We
have just passed a levee camp;
labor hoin0 dnne nv tho convict