Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 February 1902 — FROM THE HELMICKS. [ARTICLE]

FROM THE HELMICKS.

Paducah, Ky., Feb. 3. Editor Democrat: Since my last letter we visited Brookhaven, Miss., a city of about 6,000 inhabitants. Here is situated the Whitworth College, and there are several hundred lady students attending this institution. There is also a very large public school building. There is also situated at this place a very large cotton compress, capable of turning out a bale per minute. An ordinary bale of cotton is placed upon edge in this press and in one minute is made to one fourth its former size. The Illinois Central railroad does a vast business here. Their

freight room is 300 feet long by 30 feet wide and is kept filled with freight, mostly merchandise. A gang of men is kept busy unloading and loading freight, much of which is hauled with ox or mule teams into the interior, to towns and stores having no railroad. A large amount of these - goods are of a low grade, made to meet the demands of the colored people. Judging from the appearances there is about two cut of every five persons that are negroes, a very unpleasant state ofi affairs to my notion. The people of Brookhaven seem to be busy as bees, and very clever. One mark, of the southern gentlemen is quite noticable to us of the busy north, and that is the esteem and gallantry shown the ladies. On meeting anywhere the gentlemen always raise or tip their hat, which seems a very nice custom, and doubtless comes because of more leisure than we of the north have, and not because of more respect for the ladies than in the north While in Mississippi the thermometer was a few times down to freezing point, but much of the time a little stick fire in an old fashioned fireplace was all that was needed, but a damp air made us feel the chill very sensibly. The Illinois Central through the South is a marvel of business. Leaving New Orleans noithward they divide up at various points and come rushing over its branchles meeting again at stations like Jackson, Grenada, Memphis and Fulton Crossing the Ohio at Cairo they go chasing each other over the Illinois prairies toward Chicago, continuing to meet and. to branch off all along until the White City is reached. From Brookhaven we journeyed north- | ward to Paducah, Ky., where we I are now visiting our son, E. R Pierce, who is yard master here, in Illinois Central yards. On our way northward we struck snow at Sardis, Mississippi, and sleet and snow at Memphis, and the farther north the heavier the sleet until ; we arrived here in Paducah, where I it is a little short of a calamity. The wires are all a tangle, the electric lights have not burned

nor street cars moved tor a week. 'Cemeteries and parks were nearly ruined, shade and ornamental trees broken down, and the trees are loaded yet to a breaking point. The river is rising rapidly and a rain or sudden thaw would let loose a vast amount more water than the river can hold. The Tennessee and Cumberland rivers put in here, and only a short distance above the Wabash empties in, and it will be a providential mercy if the mercury remains low until the swollen rivers can empty themselves into the Mississippi. As yet there is too much ice on the ground for footmen and there being no street ears in motion we have not been able to look over this place, but it is a city of some 30,000 inhabitants, building up« ■ rapidly and will in time be one of the finest cities along the Ohio, having the additional advantage of the two great rivers, the Cumberland and the Tennessee. There is aidly packet lines to Cairo and return, which trip we would like to take if the weather conditions were not so unfavorable From this city we expect to return in a few days to the Kankakee Valley where the routine of business will again be taken up, where we hope to greet our old customers and many new ones in the Eagle Hotel.

MR. & MRS. J. M HELMICK.