Home

CORVIZ

Main content

Title: R. Campbell, U.S.A. to W. J. C. Allen, Belfast.
ID495
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileCampbell, Robert/28
Year1870
SenderCampbell, Robert
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationmerchant
Sender Religionunknown
OriginAugusta, Georgia, USA
DestinationBelfast, N.Ireland
RecipientCampbell Allen, William J.
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipfriends, business
SourceD 1558/1/1/417: Papers of William John Campbell Allen Deposited by F. D. Campbell Allen.
ArchiveThe Public Record Office, N. Ireland.
Doc. No.9802482
Date17/11/1870
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
LogDocument added by LT, 09:02:98.
Word Count1021
Genre
Note
TranscriptAugusta Nov 17/70 [17 November 1870?]
W. J. C. Allen Esq Ulster Bank Belfast

My very dear Sir
I had the pleasure of receiving a letter
from you while in the upper country, but being unable at
present to keep my papers in very good order, cannot lay
my hands on it to speak of its date. I reached home here last
week and found that our old friend John Bones had been
recently carried to his last resting place. He had been
spending the summer in Marietta and had returned to Augusta in
good health but by an act of improvidence in taking a long
walk, he overtasked his strength, and was laid up with fever
in consequence. After a few days illness it was found he
could not recover. Perfectly aware of this himself, he said
he had no fear of death, and on the 25th ult., he quietly
breathed his last surrounded by a mourning group of
relatives and very warmly attached friends. He was in his
seventy ninth year and was the oldest man in business in
Augusta. He leaves an estate which is valued at about
$225,000 which is to be divided among his six heirs, all
of whom reside in this country, (the families of his sisters,
his two deceased brothers, and the children of William
Brown,, his brother in law). Apart from this a legacy was
left to his adopted daughter Miss Longstreet.
Though the summer was unusually hot being at ninety for
a few days at Clarksville, came down in rather better
health than when I left Augusta. I reached here on Friday
the 4th inst. and found everything quite green, even the
most tender vegetables & vines, out first killing frost
being yesterday morning (yet the city generally continued
healthy). Though very few buildings were going up, still I
could see various improvements going on. A new bridge
has been built across the Savannah river with stone
foundations leading into Washington Street, (the one
next below me). This is a railroad bridge for a new line
leading from Charlotte N.C. [North Carolina?] through
Columbia S.C. [South Carolina?]. This makes the third
bridge across the river at Augusta. The passenger cars pass
with a locomotive directly through the city, to the south
of the Presbyterian church, to the Georgia, (now called
the Union Depot), from which all passenger cars now start.
Since you were here the street trees have grown up very
beautifully, there being four rows of elms and oaks
extending for more than a mile in Green Street. Between
the two markets there are no trees in the middle of Broad
Street but above and below this interval, the four rows are
perfect. From the introduction of the river water to a
tower of considerable height on the nearest high ground
south of the Beaver dam, this water is distributed
throughout the whole city by iron pipes and secures very
effectually from any great losses by fire. It is also taken
advantage of, to supply a number of public and private
fountains, which add to the comfort and ornament of the city.
Besides this it is applied freely to laying the street dust
from which we used formerly to suffer. A large part of
the ground near the south east common has been recently
devoted by the city to public use and enjoyment. An
Agricultural Fair has just been held there with success.
A railroad on which a good deal of work has been already
done, is to extend from Port Royal harbour in S.C.
[South Carolina?] to this place, one of the most easily
entered and deepest harbours on the Southern coast. As soon
as this road is finished, it is expected that comfortable
accommodation will be erected there for emigrants to the rich
lands of the North West, in the largest vessels that come
to New York and Boston. It requires only this road to
make the shortest line through a pleasant winter climate
to St. Louis, where it will connect with the Pacific R.R.
[Railroad?]. You will see the advantage of this route by
looking at the map. Old as I am I hope to live to see the
day when I can reach Clarksville by a railroad now charted
from Athens via that place to Rabun Gap, in the direction of
Knoxville, Tennessee. Nonwithstanding some complaints
of the negro labourers, it is calculated that the state will
make as much cotton this year as she did previous to the
Rebellion, which shows that they have generally done very well.
Almost all sensible men now think slavery a happy riddance
and see a successful future for the state, which could
not possibly exist under the slavery system. The Politicians
only pretend to think differently. If they would heartily
give up their Confederate ideas, no state in the Union
would rise so rapidly, but from the tone of them and their
newspapers, Northern men are afraid to invest their Capital
here. Soon after I came down I saw your cousin Mr Bryson,
who though he had been sick in the summer looked pretty well
but complained of inability to walk about as formerly.
His family are very well - I believe he is doing his usual
amount of business. Mrs William Bryson her son in law,
daughter and child spent a few weeks in Marietta where her
health improved very much, but returning too soon here,
was taken sick and is now quite unwell. Mr John Davison
seems in his usual health. Mrs John Moore though
advanced in years enjoys comparatively good health. Mrs
Sibley, whom you remember as Miss Emma Longstreet, was
here yesterday with four very fine children, two boys
and two girls. She & her husband are as happy a couple
as I know and if she knew I was writing would assuredly
send her regards to you & your family. Her sister Hannah
has been good enough to write this letter at my dictation.
She desires to be affectionately remembered to your
circle. I expect to write and trouble you again in January
and with kindest regards to you and your family, I am dear
Sir, Most truly yours
R. [Robert?] Campbell
Kind respects to Wm. [William?] Campbell and his sisters Anne &
Mary.