The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-08-01
A LETTER FROM PHILADELPHIA

about the time we leave they will do
well to patronize some train other
than the one we are on for we are
beginning to think that some of our
must have borne the
name of Jonah. We left Ocala in one
of the heaviest rains of the summer
and that rain kept company with US
till we reached Savannah. Here we |
learned that every trestle and bridge
between that city and Columbia, S. c.,
was either washed away entirely or
so badly damaged that they were un-l
safe, so we were switched on to the
Atlantic Coast Line going by way of
Charleston, Sumter and McBees,
when we again got on the S. A. L.
The floods in the neighborhood of
Charleston had receded but left the
whole country one gigantic cake of
mud over which the heavy train had
TIC move with the greatest caution
and at rate of speed about equal
to that of Florida gopher. A few
miles from Charleston we struck the
water and mile after mile was travel
ed without the sight of land enough
to furnish foothold for pair of
No. 10 boots. We reached the climax
at place called Santee Creek. Now
under ordinary conditions that creek
is perfectly satisfied to meander be-
tween two banks about 100 yards
apart, but when we arrived it was
four miles wide and in many places
was trying to emulate the rapids at
Niagara. The railroad company had
been busy ever since the rain COM
menced and had dumped many thou
sand bags of sand to strengthen the
weak places in the fill or trestle and
tho the water was over the top of
the ties we managed to creep thru,
but as the water was still rising and
was but six inches from the top of
the rail it was the opinion of all the
train hands that ours would be the
last train till the waters reeeded,
which would be serious matter as
this was the only route open connect
ing the North and South.
1t was strange sight for nearly
three miles to see only the top cross
arm of all the telegraph poles stand
| ing out of the water and even the
wires from these were under water
between poles, while a heavy cable
and the lower wires were under wa
ter the whole distance, and the poles
| that carried them ranged from IL to
Is feet high, SO you may form some
idea of the amount Of water trying to
| find its way to the sea. When we
reached land again we were seven
hours behind schedule time so the
man on the front end pulled her open,
and the road was so rough that a
sailor suggested that if it got much
worse it would take two men to hold
one mans hair on. We were sure GO
ing some. And then while doing so
miles an hour an old darkey con-
cluded that he had business on the
other side of the track, and started
across about 35 feet ahead of the
locomotive, and the way the man
i damned down his throttle, and smash
ed on his Westinghouse, sent about
one-half of the passengers out in
i the aisle or over into the next seat
i with many bruise and bloody nose.
i Of course this didn't save the darkey,
4 who was landed on mud bank some
i distance away with hole in the top
of his head as big as a mans thumb,
4 but with no injury to his shins and
still able to swallow some dark look
ing fluid from long-necked bottle
It is quite probable he will recover,
j especially as they piled him onto a
stretcher and slowed him away in a
nearby ice house.
| When we began to climb the hills
of North Carolina, it was quite evi-
!, dent that they had not been visited
by SO much rain and country and
crops looked fine, especially corn and
tobacco, more especially the latter
which think was the best I had ever
seen. We also noticed wonderful
improvement in stock over that of 9
few years ago and realized more
than ever the good results of a no.
fence law, for when it is necessary tt
tether "a cow somewhere near the
house, as we saw it in scores Of
places, it would hardly pay to tie up &
scrub, consequently every cow in the
country was either full-blooded Jer
sey, Durham or some other fine
breed, and another thing noted wa.
that any small farmer could work 10(
acres for every 40 he could work i
he had to fence.
Another thing worthy of notice was
the splendid condition of the Dixie
Highway thru the hills of North Car.
DINA and Virginia. The roadbed il
built unusually high in-the center SC
that it drains well and is as smooth
as the asphalt streets in Philadelphia
If the poor wretches who have to pay
i license for burning gasoline (and
incidentally to help support poor
i John Dee) had such roads in Florida
or even in the city of Ocala, preachers
wouldn't have to look the other way
when the man at the wheel gives ex-
lpression to his feelings.