Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1913-03-13
MRS. EZRA SMITH AT new ORLEANS
Continued from page l

foraging expeditions and these stories
are hard for the southerner to forget
and cause much of the bitterness still
felt. In the center of the town is a
triangular grass plot studded with
evergreen trees, few cannon and a
monument to General Jackson.
Across the town and leading into the
country on either side is an old trail
now become a street celebrated in
the story, The Trail of the Scout.
Mrs. Smith brought home with her
many souvenirs, including sprays of
the beautiful palmetto and other
trees which grow SO abundantly
there.
Speaking Of social conditions, Mrs.
Smith says there is no middle class
in Huntsville, and, in fact, this is
largely true of the entire south. The
wealthy class and the very poor con-
stitute the two classes of society and
each are dominated by an arbitrary
unyielding caste. Each factory have
their own section of residences for
employees, with separate churches,
schools, theatres, etc, so the people
who work in one factory rarely min
gle with those of another part Of the
city. Their children attend school
but eight weeks per year and after
working so many months in the
noisy factory their ears are incapable
OF recognizing words of common
conversation for period often OF
two weeks. This, with the entire re-
organization of classes every eight
weeks, places their educational sys-
tenn in deplorable condition. The
law in Alabama does not permit
children under twelve years to be
employed in the factories, but Mrs.
Smith thinks some of them look
pretty small for twelve year olds.
There are six large factories at
Huntsville, the Lowe, Howe, Merri-
mac, Arlington and Dallas will not
allow anyone suspected Of being a
northerner or capable Of writing a
story to enter their buildings. The
Huntsville factory is not so strict and
admission was finally gained. In
some departments the heat is so great
that the workers dress only in under
wear Only one factory in the city
employs negro labor and in this one
the few negros are dismissed fifteen
minutes earlier than the whites so
that they would not be trampled
under foot by the 1000 white en-
ployes.
Leaving Birmingham on a daylight
trip to Chattanooga for the sake OF
the mountain scenery, Mrs. Smith ar
rived in the latter city at 1880 at
night The friends she expected
were not on hand, but through the
kindness of Rev j. NJ Wolf a for
mer pastor of Alma, whom she called
over the telephone, suitable hotel
was found conveniently near the de.
pot and Mr. and Mrs. Wolf were on
hand early in the morning to well
come her to their home. Time was
taken to go over the battle ground OF
Missionary ridge and view the quar-
tiers occupied by Generals Grant and
Bragg Just before leaving they
stood in the cemetery on Lookout
Mountain where are buried forty
thousand soldiers who fell that day
and twenty-five thousand Of whom
rest in unknown graves marked only
by numbers. Here, where the grass
was green and the ground carpeted
with beautiful flowers on the first OF
March, stands this army of white
head-stones in mute yet awful evil
dence of the great conflict.
AT Chattanooga Mrs. Smith was
joined by Mr.. and Mrs. Stuckey and
Miss Eta and they made the trip
home together.