Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-03-09


the great drawback seems to be that
the negro is depended upon entirely
for the work, and white men will
not work among the negroes, and
the negro as general thing will
only work long enough to get little
money to spend and then quit, un-
less they are CONTRACTED and furnish
ed money ahead to live on, as in
many cases. The boil weevil created
enormous loss to the cotton crop the
past year, and so impoverished the
people that they have begun to turn
their thoughts to the necessity Of
more diversified farming, and many
believe that it will prove a blessing
in disguise, as it will compel them
to look to other crops as well for
livelihood. They realize the need of
northern blood, of northern white
farmers to develop the country, and
it now seems that the south is just
at the Threshold of development
that will induce northerners and
foreigners to settle there and great
ly multiply the production of the
country.
At 10:30 o'cock Tuesday morn
ing, Feb. 8th, we arrived at the his
toric city of Vicksburg, made men,
orable by the siege and taking of the
city in civil war times, which proved
the turning point of the war Here
we were met at the station by many
of the citizens ard large number
of automobiles and carriages, and
were given ride about the city
and to the Vicksburg National Park,
located on the site of the siege which
began March 20, 1863 and ended on
July 4th of that year. Here is also
the great national cemetery, contain
ing 10000 graves of the brave men
who fought and died for what they
believed to be the right, $4,000 of
them being unknown" graves. To
Capt. ]. F. Merry of Iowa, belongs
the credit of taking the initiative
and largely the responsibility of Sc
curing the purchase and develop
ment of the park project. 1t is the
greatest military park in the world,
and will stand for centuries a monu-
ment to American citizenship and
soldiery. the tribute of the entire
nation to the veterans of the nation
Union and Confederate alike. Col
umns might we'll be written describ-
ing this beautiful park, had we the
space. 1t extends in a semi-circular
form, skirting the city from the river
on the north to the river on the
south. Nearly every state in the
union which contributed it's soldiery
to this memorable siege has erected
costly and magnificent monuments
and markers to memorialize the
spots where their citizens fought,
and Iowa stands well at the head,
the Iowa monument being one of the
most beautiful and occupying one
of the most commanding sites. The
Iowa monuments and markers were
sold and erected by E. H. Prior of
Postville, and do credit to him and
the state. Hundreds of brigade
monuments mark the various posi-
tions as well. and numerous markers
commemorate the spots where en-
gagements took place and where
brave men fell. An elaborate sys-
tenn of roadways throughout the
park enable the visitor to pass prac-
tically every point of interest.
Returning to the city the editorial
party was rendered sumptuous
banquet at the Carroll Hotel where
prominent citizens of Vicksburg and
members of our party responded to
toasts. AS a souvenir of the occa-
sion, the guests were presented with
copy of the mock Confederate bill
OF fare, composed by the soldiers in
the trenches and printed just prior
to the end of the siege, July, 1868.
1t will be read with interest. especi-
ally by the soldiers who were en-
gagged in that memorable campaign:
Hotel de Vicksburg.
Bill of Fare for July, 1863.
Soup-Mule Tail.
Boiled-Mule bacon, with poke
greens; mule ham, canvassed.
Roast-Mule sirloin; mule rump.
stuffed with rice; saddle of mule.
al armee.
Vegetables-Boiled Rice: rice. hard
boiled; hard rice: any way.
Entrees-Mule head, stuffed. a Ia
Reb; mule hoof. jerked, a la yam
kee; mule ears, fricassed, a Ia
getch; mule side, stewed-new
style, hair on; mule liver, hashed.
al explosion
Side Dishes-Mule salad: mule boof
soused; mule brains a Pomelette.
mule kidneys braised on ramrod.
mule tripe on half shell; mule
tongue. cold, la bray.
Jeliies-Mule foot (3-to-yard)
mule bone. la trench.
Pastry-Rice pudding, poke berry
sauce; wood berry pie, a l. iron
cad; china berry tarts.
Dessert-White-oak acorns; beech
Il.