Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-02-02
A WESTERN TOUR,


tie ramble Westward recently, and propos
gi wing you short sketch of my perambula
tions. Left Shreye, Ohio, on the 10th inst, ol
the two O'Clock p. NJ, train. Found the con
ductor and all parties engaged in running it
very accommodating gentlemen. Was highl!
| gratified to notice the manly gallantry mani
Tested towards unprotected females Would
consider it perfectly safe to commit lady tt
the care of the conductor at Millersburg, o., tC
be conveyed to Topeka, Kansas, or even far.
ther westward.
| We arrived at Crestline at 6P. NJ. Found the
fare to Topeka, Kansas, to be s32 35. 1t being
exactly the same by way of Chicago and St
Louis. At this point (Crestline) was accosted
by the most friendly and familiar man ever
met with. He was very desirOus of knowing
whether we would go by way of Chicago or st.
Louis. On telling him that had not fully made
up my mind yet in regard to that matter, he
seemed quite easy and contented. We deferred
getting a ticket until the last moment, hoping
our very familiar friend would get his ticket
first, and then l could decide more readily
which route to take. The time for starting had
almost srrived-not moment was to be lost.
jumping from my seat, and running to the
iAOo" VI OLutNs L NsAh'N Sus Al &
very loud voice for the fare to Topeka, by way
of.st. Louis, and in an undertene asked for and
obtained a ticket by way of Chicago, and sue
ceeded in reaching the cars just in time. My
friend in the meantime in hot pursuit, insisting
that was going aboard the wrong train. He,
however, went with me. having pass. Now
it is query in my mind how he obtained it and
for what purpose?
Arrived at Chicago at o clock next morning;
was pulled about pretty lively by the hackmen,
and urged to take an omnibus for making the
connection with the Burlington & Guernsey r.
X. GOn entering the buss we were called on for
buss tickets. 4 number of persons presented
them. | told the conductor that had no such
ticket. He then demanded fifty cents. l re-
monstrated with him on the injustice of the act,
as had purchased through tickets, and ought
to be conveyed to my place of fdestination with
out additional charge for transportation. fl
nally remembered that the conductor of the
railroad train gave me transfer ticket, which
then presented, and was told it was just what
was wanted. So the fifty cents were saved, but
self little crestfallen at the idea of my mex
perience as traveller. 1t was some alienation
however, when on the next train, discovered
lldl luItt very HdDuspnlt lhttlliSSht Aooh-
ing men had actually retained their transfer
tickets in their pockets and paid their omnibus
fare.
Chicago is a great city. From the immense
quantity of lumber there, we would suppose
that its trade in that direction was unlimited.
There is an unusual amount of cheap. unsub
stantial buildings in its suburbs, but the city
proper will compare favorably with any city on
this continent, in regard to the magnitude and
beauty of its structures. Its warehouses on the
Lake shore are immense granaries, containing
untold millions of bushels of grain. Those ''el-
evators'' as they are called, are full to overflow
ing. The ships are now being ladened, and will
remain in harbor, ice-bound, until the middle
of April From sixty seventy thousand BUSH
els of wheat is load for a vessel. Notwith-
standing the severity of the weather, it having
been ten degrees below zero, Lake Michigan is
not frozen over. The citizens of Chicago say
that it only freezes short distance from the
shore. 1 think myself that the chances for pass
ing over the lake on the ice, at any time, would
be very poor. \ great many large birds were
lowering about the shore, and sporting in the
most joyous and ludicrous manner, by fantastic
flights, sometimes to the shore, now on t he ice,
now in the water, and then in the air. They
are quite tame, allowing men to approach quite
near them. The sailors call them sea gulls
They are scavengers, and subsist on offal and
filth thrown into the lake. They are the aquatic
turkey buzzard.
The streets of Chicago are paved with wood
en- blocks, placed on end. 1t is amost admirable
not so injurious to horses as
stone pavement. Vehicles run very smoothly on
them and they appear to possess good degree
of durability.
On consulting my watch in regard to car
time, found that my watchguard was nicely
cut. Expressing my regret at the supposed loss
of my watch, my friend remarked that the
watch was probably in my pocket yet, and I
found it even so. I remarked that the cutting
of the guard had evidently been a compliment
paid me by some of my familiar friends.
Finding it was time for me to look after the
Quincy train, repaired to the station and got
aboard five minutes before starting time: my
dear familiar friend not following me. Isought
him on the train, without any tears, sand found
him not'' although within few minutes of
starting he averred that he was going right
along.
The time of leaving Chicago was 10:4O A. NJ,
and we arrived at quincy at lU:4u T. NJ, SO that
we had no satisfactory view of the city or of
the Mississippi river.
The State of Illinois is very fine prairie
state. The northern part appears rather fiat,
but the southern part is undulating and has the
appearance of healthy and prosperous conn
try. AZ
At Quincy, taking sleeping car, Twas rock
ed into>a sweet and profound sleep, and woke
up to find myself in Kansas City. After. break
fasting, we are again on our flight through the
fabulously fertile fields of Kansas; the wind
blowing desperately and the snow falling faster
than ever saw it fall llelsewhere.
A number of Land Agents got aboard at
Kansas City, representing the interests of va
rious States. The Iowa men claim that Kansas
is short of water, but the Kansas men might
have parried that thrust, by saying that the
lack of water, in Kansas, was more than COM
pensated by superabundance of wind, citing
the storm then raging as evidence in the case,
but they failed to put in that rejoinder,
Yet onward we go. Lawrence is passed, and
Granville, and Tecumseh, and finally Topeka
is reached. Here we land. The storm still
RACES. The people are all housed up. We find
our way to the Capitol House, where we were
Hospitality entertained.
But more again. MILTON W. BROWN.