Dear Jessie,

I wrote to Gracie yesterday and will write to you today. I left Cincinatti at 7 O'clock this morning on the "Cannon-ball" train 355 miles. After it became light enough to see in the morning I kept a good look out for we were running over much of the ground that I had marched over. We passed through several of these new Southern towns that are now being boomed. Some one or two of them did not have to exceed a dozen, cheap little cottages each. The mountains on either side of the road came down to within 40 to 200 rods of the track, leaving scarcely any level land to build a city upon yet I am told lots are selling rapidly at fabulous prices, and people are flocking in from all directions. In a few instances, I noticed tents put up and people living in them. These mountains are full of iron ore and coal to such an extent that it is claimed that iron can be made cheaper here than any place in the world. In two places I noted they were building immense blast furnaces, while in others immense trains of cars loaded with coal were on side track ready to be shipped.

Chattanooga itself if a city of about 55,000 inhabitants, and one of the most beautiful ever I saw. It lacks one thing, however, and that is shade trees, there are but very few to be seen anywhere I have been. They have several magnificent large business blocks as good nearly as can be seen in Detroit. I have not seen many very nice private residences as I have not been around much but am told there are quite a number and very many in course of construction. They are selling city lots 6 and eight miles out and when you think that Chattanooga is only a quarter the size of Detoit you see they are carrying the "lot" business to extremes.

There are thirteen railroads centering here and in time this place will undoubtedly be a very large and wealthy city. There are two railroads running to the top of Lookout Mountain. I took one of them and went up this morning. It is fifteen miles long and it takes a powerful, heavy engine to draw two cars. The fare is 60c for the round trip, which includes admission to the park. The park consists of a board fence with a gate in it. I did not recognize but one shot on it and that was the large rock at the point on which my Company's picture. (sic). Could not find our old camping ground or the old dirt road by which we used to climb to the top in war times, nor could I find anyone who would give me any information. The ground except where it had been recently cut off and houses built, is grown to high bushes 3 to 6 inches through, whereas in war times the top of the mountain was almost free from underbrush. There are several fine hotels up there, one of which just being completed, is a larger and much finer one than any on St. Clair Flats or the river.

Everything in the City and on the mountain has a new look as though it had sprung into existence over night. There are on the streets about three niggers and five mules to every white man and mule. I went up in a cable car to the top of Cameron hill overlooking Chattanooga, the river, valley, and Missionary Ridge. It was one of the grandest sights I ever saw. I have not had a wink of sleep since I left home, and I am going to bed as soon as it comes dark and shall start for Atlanta at 11o'clock Sunday morning.

Your Papa

Will