Milford chronicle., 1926-01-29
Miami. Florida. Jan. 13.

Miami, Florida, Jan. 13.
Our party left Milford January 4th
in a closed auto, during a rain
storm, for a trip to the Land of
Sunshine in Florida. From Milford
to Cape Charles, Va, the roads
were rough after leaving Delaware
and Maryland; but, the dinner SER
we'd on the steamer between Cape
Charles and Norfolk caused us to
forget the road.
At Norfolk we found good accom-
modations at the Lorraine Hotel,
and started our second day in a
heavy fog which alternated with
rain for most of the morning.
Crossing the ferry at Elizabeth
City, just across the river from
Norfolk, we found the roads very
muddy for fifty miles. We were
!. discouraged over this, but the
A&0rst was yet to come later, when
we got to South Carolina, which
needs volumes to tell of the awful
conditions in that state, as to
roads.
The country was interesting be-
cause of the old homesteads, the
churches, log cabins and the old
open wells with their well sweeps
and buckets. In the fields there
was spinach, peanuts and further
along cotton. Loads of peanuts be-
ing hauled to the threshers and the
hulled nuts going to the buyers,
passed in view.
The Negro population was amaz-
ing to us; we travelled for miles
through this tidewater district
without seeing one white person.
Absence of fences was another
striking part of the farming section.
bitches seem to mark the division
lines and there seems to be little
grazing by cattle, hogs or other ami
mails.
1t was a sameness until Rocky
Mount was reached, and from there
we passed through many small
towns and reached Raleigh, N. c.,
the state capitol, with a population
of $4,000. We had rode a distance
of 200 miles and were tired and
ready for rest at the Marlborough
Hotel. At this place we met an old
gentleman who is said to talk with
all the good looking lady tourists
who stop in Raleigh; of course Mrs.
Davis and the writer were not
slighted by this gallant old gentle
man.
Wednesday we started, intending
to reach Columbia, S. c., distance
of 234 miles, and the roads were
better that day. We started early
-o,1d e4on,ood fo,. LraoIrfoc of on in
Viting small hotel in SandfOrd.
This day we enjoyed the scene
ry as we rolled along. The cotton
fields had been harvested long be-
fore, but there was some cotton
bolls yet on the stalks, and we stop
ped at one place to gather some OF
the cotton. Fields where tobacco
had been grown were on every side,
peach and fruit orchards that had
been well cared for passed quick
ly. One crop was curious; it was
said to be a "huckleberry" which
was cultivated, being set in rows
about fifteen feet apart and growing
to about seven feet in height, the
top spreading out on a trellls OF
wooden frames.
At some of the homes the people
were cooking by an open fire in the
yard about the home; an odd sight
to us. The day grew warmer and
about noon we got comfort by re-
moving our wraps.
When seeking information we
found everyone courteous and the
southern dialect was a source for
holding our interest.
Our driver, Mr.. Houston, had
learned somewhere that the auto
drivers in North Carolina went at
reckless pace and without regard
for others; so he was very careful
From observations we can endorse
the report as facts, for we saw
many who qualified.
Southern Pines impressed us
with it's beauty and it's many hand
some homes, but we did not stop.
While crossing the PeeDee River
into the northern part OF Soutn
Carolina. we came upon boy
about nine years old on a mule'
which was standing directly across
tbe roadway on the bridge. We
stopped and Mr.. Davis asked "haC
the trouble was, and the boy ans
wered in slow and plaintive tones:
"He Just won't go, sah!' The roads
in South Carolina afterwards made
us almost sorry that the mule
moved to let us pass.
We finally reached Columbia, 5.
c., the capitol, with 1884 popula-
tion and saw one of the most beau
+if,lI sunsets. No painter with
brush or pencil can reproduce
such; only the Great Artist can
produce such wonderful colorlngs.
We stopped at the Jerome Hotel
and had a good nights rest
Thursday our route took us thru
Batesburg, 35 miles from COLUMBIA
and there we had breakfast, wnlcn
c0nsfsted- of ham and eggs, bread,
butter and coffee. The charge was
only S1.OO for all. The scenery was
very similar to that of the day be-
fore. with the exception that the
hills were covered with pines.
The soil was a very pretty deep
red. but this extends through about
all of South Carolina on the route
we went. In a very brief time our
machine was the color of the red
mud and the travel was most diff
ficult.
Bales of cotton going to the gins
TO be ginned to get the seed from
the lint, were met, while others
were going from the great COM
nresses where the bales are squeez-
cd under hydraulic pressure for
shipment to the foreign cotton fac
tories. ..
AT last we crossed he Savannah