The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-08-09
LETTER FROM Mr.. COWNGT0N
Stevensburg, Va. Aug. 4th, 1910.


The country is indeed prosperous
beyond measure. All OF the way
from Watertown, ). d., to Nir-
ginia the crops of corn, oats, and wheat
were fine, but | did not see any fruit
until about the middle Of Ohio, then
only a little until | struck Maryland and
all through that State and Virginia the
trees are loaded with delicious fruit.
remained home l-2 weeks, then
with urgent business | left for Balti-
more, Washington, Alexandria and New
York. met with many OF the Union
soldiers who are always 50 nice to me.
Other people say sometimes ugly things
of the South. but | am posted enough 10
give them a good answer. In New York
/ visited the STOCK, corn, flour and curb
exchanges; also the Battery, where
immigrants land, and Chinatown and the
thick settlement IN the tenement houses
of the Russians and Jews. How people
can live IN such crowded places | cannot
conceive, yet the policemen tell me 1t Is
good space compared with some OF the
cities Uf Japan and China.
A trip up the Hudson reveals the
fact TO me that its grandeur in no more
than the Rappahannock or Potomac.
While at my friends, Mr.. j. l..
Lockwood, who was here with Gen.
Hancock in the sixties, |, through mis-
take. touched the turmoil in a comblna-
ton light Of gas and electricity and
gas poured in my room all night. but
the windows were up and consequently
suffered no inconvenience therefron,
but suppose the gas had killed me that
night, what could have been more
lovely or beautiful than Confederate
soldier dying in the house of friend
on the other side? He was indeed nice
to me.
Well. | am told few lrishmen are
laborers now around New York, as all
of them by their industry have saved
and are owners of their homes and
business. Italians are the principal
laborers in that section now.
visited Trinity church, said to be
the wealthiest in America. 1t and It's
old-fashioned graveyard occupy a
square right in the heart Of the great
metropolis. There Alexander Hamii-
ton and Robt. Fulton are buried and
lots of others of less note. Millions of
dollars has been offered for this old
graveyard, but il seems money cannot
purchase it. Very near it IS the sub
treasury, with Washington statue In
front Of it, and the great banking-house
Of J. p. Morgan & Son.
The weather is very dry IN New
York and New Jersey. The fields and
soil on Long Island are very much Ike
old Caroline. where once lived Jim Cor
bin at Petticoat Hill. He would never
mount his steed 10 take a ride until II
was sponged off in cologne. This was
told me by an old citizen OF New YORK
who knew Mr.. Corbin.
Blackwell's Island, which IS the PRISON
Of the Greater New York, is another
place Of great interest to visit. IL is
right in the middle of East river. There
are still many horse cars in the city.
Where the provisional congress met IN
1776 now stands an srmory at White
Plains, and at that time the west
chester courthouse stood upon the
ground. There the independent State
of New York was declared. A monu.
ment was erected by the Daughters OF
the Revolution this year. 1t IS Deauu-
full, Just 30 miles from New YORK, with
a mile stone there erected in l7Io.
All the banks of Westchester county,
of over 200, 900 people, have declared
they will not loan money to any one
who owns an automobile, also the State
of Kansas. The reason is the rich and
poor neglect their business, someone Is
suing the rich for damages and the
poorer class are getting poorer who
buy. They generally give a mortgage
on their homes to get one and never
pay for it. While ! was on Long Island
at least 1000 autos passed there on the
4th Sunday in July and nothing special
going on. Westchester county has a
great many saloons in it, consequently
It has many prisoners. The prison is
model and kept in fine condition.
While in South Dakota | asked Rev.
J. P. Jenkins to preach on the 4th
commandment. He did so and he
hewed to the line. Most of our minis
ters are afraid to preach from it fol-
fear they will offend some one. l also
asked Miss Caroline Boggs, whose
father was a Methodist minister from
the East, to sing "Sweet Hour OF
Prayer" and she did so in grand style
and how | did enjoy it. She is one of
the sweetest singers it has ever been
my pleasure to hear.
Well, it is useless to say anything OF
protracted meetings, for they are every
where.
They have a grievance day in New
York and a commission sits TO adjust
anything, which is fine. While | was
there an old Quaker woman appeared
before it and said the assessor had only
put her personal property at $50, OOc
when it should have been $50, 600.
What a difference between her and
many millionaires, who do all they can
to shun taxes.
Well, if you are not tired Of this