Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-02-24
TRIP TO MISSISSIPPI.
HENRY PAINE WRITES INTER-
ESTING LETTER DESCRIBE
ING JOURNEY.
Party of Well Known DecOrahians
are Enjoying a SOjourn Among
Scenes of the COnfederacy.


Editor Public Opinion
In response to your request that
we write you in regard TO our trip
| will do so, for it may prove in
teresting to others who think OF
visiting the South Our party of
six. Mr.. and Mrs. E. w. Hoyt, Mrs.
Allison. Mrs. Matteson and Henry
Paine and Wife left DEBORAH the Sth
of February on the c. X. l. r.
train. Our object was to travel as
comfortably as possible and see as
much of the country as we could.
At GAS we took our sleeper at |
Cedar Rapids and reached st. Louis |
after 700 o'clock the next morning:
In about an hour we were located |
on the Louisville & Nashville train
enroute to Biloxi This is longer |
route, but we wanted daynsht
run to Nashville. We were pleased |
with the country in Illinois, passing
eastward across the state on an al
most direct east line from st. Louis.
While the country is no better ana
the farm buildings not as good as
in central Iowa, the country is bet
ter farmed as shown by cleaner
fields and full crops sown among the
corn rows and in other respects.
Shortly after noon we crossed the
Maumee river and passed into In
diana. Here the country was more
rolling, the soil much lighter In
color, but a nice farming country
and good improvements. We had
| a good dinner in Evansville and
shortly after crossed the Ohio river
and started on our way across Ken
lucky. We were disappointed In
this state. We did not pass a single
large farm or pretentious farm
building. The fields were small, to-
bacco being the best paying crop,
but that exhausts the soil. There
seemed to be lack of prosperity
in this part of Kentucky, as well as
| of the Blue Grass which has made
| this state famous.
| 1t was nearly dusk when we en-
| tered Tennessee, so we could see
| but little of that state. We reached
Nashville about $3.50 o'clock in the
evening and had good nights rest
at the Maxwell House, the Oldest
and best hotel in the city. During
the Civil War it was used for
hospital by the Union armies. Dur
ing Wednesday we drove over the
city. Many new and beautlful
homes have been erected during the
past few years. A nicely improved
CITY Park, the University of Ten
nessee buildings and grounds and
private school for young ladies, all
located contiguous to each other, are
among the many attractions of this
beautiful Capital City of Tennessee.
At 900 p. m. We took our berths
in the sleeper, which was not at
tached to the train until 2:4O a. m.
AT daylight we were entering Ala
bama. Outside of Birmingham and
Montgomery, cities largely made by
their iron industries, there was moth
7 ing attractive TO see. All through
this state the negro homes predom-
; mated. Imagine a fine forest as a
background, two or three acres OF
cultivated ground, small one-room
1 building about IL X 16 feet in size,
5 with a door and one small window,
and you have the typical home OF
the Alabama negro. In travelling
for ten hours through this state
v the two largest herds of cattle we
e passed consisted of five and seven
Y head of cattle, respectively. Ger
tainly the outlook for the poor
whites and negroes especially Is
Il poor in the extreme.
r When we approached near the
Gulf, for probably fifty miles II
length, the cyclone of 1907 hao
blown down tens of thousands O
trees and they remained as the
n storm left them. AT six o'clock IL
v the evening we reached our objective
= point, Biloxi We remained unit
" after breakfast at the Kennel.
IS House, the travelling mems hote
it near the station. After breakfas
r we started to find our permanent
q quarters, and through the courtes,
of young lady We met on tn
e train we went to the present plac
s. train went to the place where we re
IS ceived our present quarters. Do W
80 like the place? Imagine a larg
dwelling with a beautiful yard, an
only the shell road separating tn
grounds from the Mississippi Sound
and you have only faint idea OF tn
~ beauties of our present home, whic
is presided over by Miss Mamie Hal
III ris. The table is excellent in ever
Mt particular, so we feel like sayin
i. Eureka" eve have found it,
Id There are beautiful drives an
nc walks among beautiful home
around Biloxi Only short di
10 lance away from our quarters thei
II is an avenue of life oak trees whic
Is, is the most beautiful the writer hs
g. ever seen. The tops of the tree
-, interlace, covering the street an
% the Spanish moss hangs down fro
all their branches in festoons, form
ing a natural archway for distan'
of some forty rods.
M We visited the former home
Jefferson Davis after a drive of son
ne five miles over the shell road fro
of Biloxi to Gulfport. The state
he Mississippi purchased this home Il
IN their Confederate soldiers, the
wives and widows. When we ente
NY ed the grounds there were thr
In Salvation Army singers entertainil
ng the old soldiers with some beautif
at hymns. We removed our hats
the old soldiers and singers, al
then were escorted to the mansi
where Mr.. Davis resided. We we
cordially met by the officer
in, charge. The building and furnitu
IGN 10 yaet inst nc a. xuac cNp,n twap