Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-09-23
THE TRIP TO LEBANON.
$500 People from Nashville.
A Day of Jubilee slightly marred.

We reached the depot of the Chattanoo-
ga Railroad, at about fifteen minutes past
seven o'clock yesterday morning, In order
| to be ready for the train which was an
nounced to leave on the grand excursion
fifteen minutes later. The platform adjoin-
ing the track, and the adjacent space about
| the depot, was one mass of living and
moving beings. Upon our arrival, and in
search of an empty seat, we soon ascer-
| tanned that the first train, which was to
leave at $50, had not sit out, on account
of the accident that had taken place on the
road the night previous. 1t was whispered
about however that the wrecking train was
due and would appear in sight in few
minutes. The excursion trains came into
position alongside of the platform, and at
the appointed hour for starting, the cars
in sight were rapidly filed. The
switch engine commenced its usual
work, and the changing of cars from one
| track to the other, kept the crowd not yet
| furnished with car room in state of ner-
vous excitement While eight or ten cars
were densely packed, the crowd on the
outside seemed to be large enough to fill
| eight or ten more.
Rumors of various kinds ran through
the crowd relative to the programme to be
| carried out and the manner of starting,
| and SO forth The members of the City
| Council will occupy a car on that other
| track, said one. The Mechanics and Man
ufacturers Association will be provided
with the rear car, said another, ALI ladies
will step forward this way, said gentle
man with badge. Just about this time
there was kind of semi-oficial shout of
''all aboard, and a conductor was seen
opening the door of a car on the side
track, which had not yet been IN
locked. The steps at either end were piled
up three deep, and the gentleman who car
red the key allowed number of persons
with badges to enter, and then closing the
door, locked it again after him. There
was still plenty of room in the car, and nu-
merous individuals, still swinging on to the
platform, looked wistfully in at the win.
dows. 1t was at this juncture that friend
on the inside raised a window, and we
sided through and got a front seat"
A number of individuals in our
fix followed suit One of our portly magi-
strates attempted to effect an entrace in the
same way, but he stuck, and notwithstand-
ing the assistance rendered he soon became
satisfied that his proportions would have to
be reduced, or the window enlarged. He
was in a dilemma; his legs were on the in
side, but the other half of his body polite
was swinging on the outside. The next
movement on his part was a retreat which
was executed in good order, and all of him
was once more on the platform. He i'm
mediately afterwards made a reconnaissance
in force on the other end of the car, met
the man with the key, and was escorted to
seat. From the notes of active preparation
we were certain of a start. The Odd
Fellows Band, occupying an open car in
the front, was playing lively air; there
was a snort from the locomotive ahead,
and we saw the cars in front of us COM
mence to move, and sure enough the for
ward cars moved off and left OR car and
a number of others in the rear, standing
still. Thus locked up, we felt that We
were in a fix But we concluded it was
no use to catch the flying train, for that
was full to the break, and taking things
like philosopher, we quietly awaited the
result The departing train was back
again in a few minutes, and our car
was properly attached, and we became
satisfied that we were a part and parcel of
the main stem. 1t was now o'clock, and
poking our head out of the window, We
asked an individual, who seemed to know
everything that was going on, how long
before we would start, and his reply was,
Gin about five minutes" The train was
again in motion, and going up hundred |
yards or more backed down on another |
track TO about the same location which we |
formerly occupied. Things remained at a |
stand-still until about o'clock, when the |
gentleman who had given US some impor- |
tant information on a previous occasion, |
hove in sight. We propounded the same |
question, and his answer was ''all ready, |
we will off in five minutes" We /
told everybody in the car, and they be- |
lieved it, An agreeable conversation now |
ensued, which was entered into with so |
much spirit that all in our particular loca-
lily seemed TO forget the fleeing moments. |
Ten o'clock arrived, and we had not moved |
a peg. Another half hour elapsed, when |
gentleman opposite us learned from the |
brake man that the wrecking train had Just |
arrived and we would be off Immediately. |
We looked out, and noticed general rush |
of stragglers for the train Our friend ap- |
peared in sight again and in answer to an |
other inquiry, said, mo fooling this time,
we will be off in five minutes" We be- |
lieved him this time, and got fooled. But |
to make long story short, it was about |
half past eleven o'clock when the first train |
started for Lebanon.
This delay was owing altogether to the |
accident on Wednesday night, twelve miles
from Lebanon, and while such a state of |
things was disappointment, it was never
theless unavoidable, and speaks we'll fer
the officers of the road, who were deter
mined not to hazard the lives of the excur-
sionists by moving off until they were sat
isfied that there could be no danger from
collision or other causes.
There were three trains loaded with
precious freight, the second and third fol-
lowing in quick succession to the first. On
the second train WAS the Odd Fellows
Band and beautiful brass field piece, (six
pounder) in charge of Capt. John w. Nor
ton and a squad of picked artillerists from
the boys who formerly wore the gray. At
the various stations along the line of road,
q salute was fired, and the hills and valleys
echoed with the roar of cannon and the
shouts of excursionists. Sweet strains of
music foated through the air, and died
away in the distance. It was not
the artillery which, a short time
since had reverberated through the same
or the shouts of advancing
columns which had been heard in the same
locality in the days gone by, or the trum
pets sound which prefaced the fearful
charge, but harmless cannon, peaceful men
and jubilating music combined to celebrate
an important event in the history of the
State and to rejoice over an enterprise
which brings the capital in close connec-
ton with the hourishing city that is noted
for its brave men and handsome women,
its educational importance, and withal the
hospitality of its people.
At this late hour we cannot
undertake to mention the many
incidents of the trip. The trains
arrived at Lebanon about o'clock, and
the cars were soon emptied, and the crowd
proceeded to the Fair Grounds, where the
hospitality of the people of Wilson county
was Displayed to its fullest extent. Not
the fact that news had reached
the grounds that the excursion had been
as soon as the firing of cannon
the approach of the trains, the
for a cordial reception COM
menced. The tables were filed with an
abundance of edibles, and upon the arrival
Of the excursionists, they found all that the
inner man" could wish for. In short, a
more bountiful supply of good things could
not have been placed before a hungry
people.