Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-05-10
THE LONE STAR STATE.
Incidents of the Iowa Press Excursion to
Texas,

ly enjoyable, as well as profitable, one
to all the participants. The trip from
Burlington, Iowa, to Galveston, Texas,
occupied ten days, involving 3,051 miles
Of railroad travel, 1871 of which were
within the State of Texas. Not an ac-
cident, or unpleasant event of any kind,
occurred to MAJ the pleasure of the
journey, and the excursionists parted at
Burlington, on their return, with feel
ings of regret that a jaunt, so satisfac-
tory in every way, and companionship
so genial and happy, should so soon
come to an end. Our space will not
permit of a full or detailed account of
the many interesting scenes and Incl
dents of the trip, but we propose in this
article, in a general and off-hand way, to
describe something of what we saw and
heard, and how it impressed us. In a
previous communication en- route, the
rendezvous and start of the editorial
party from Burlington was chronicled.
The total number of excursionists was
105, of whom 33 were ladies. Every
male member of the party was supposed
to have an editorial or proprietary inter
est in some Iowa newspaper. That was
the rule Of eligibility, and the excursion
was fortunate in the fact that but two
or three persons had the cheek to oyade
it. OF course, we have no reference to
the gentlemanly railroad officials, whose
presence was SO welcome. and whose
services were so valuable to the party.
| Two Pullman cars, one ordinary passen-
ger coach and a baggage car were assign
ed for the use Of the excursion party,
which left Burlington on the Chicago.
Burlington e. Quincy r. r., about mid
night of Tuesday, April %. Quincy was
reached at an early hour next morning,
and at 10 o'clock A. NJ. we crossed the
mighty Mississippi, N a splendid iron
bridge, dashed through a tunnel in the
bluff on the western bank, and entered
the hill-perched city Of Hannibal, Mo.
This is the northern terminus Of the
Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway,
which was the route chosen by the
Iowa quill-drivers, by way of which to
invade the land of the Lone Star. This
road passes in a southwesterly direction
through the States of Missouri and
Kansas, and the famous Indian Terrific
ry, crossing the Red River and entering
Texas six miles north of Denison, which
is called the Gate City of the State.
There was not much that was interest
ing or picturesque in that portion of
Missouri north Of the river of that
name. The train stopped for dinner at
Moberly, a town of 5000 to 5000 inhab-
%itants, and seemingly prosperous and
progressive. Fayette, SO miles from
Hannibal, has a beautiful site, and con
tains several institutions Of learning.
We crossed the Missouri river at Boone
vile, 107 miles from Hannibal. The town
Is finely situated on high ground, on the
west bank of the river. 1t had an inter
est to our party, aside from its natural
attractions, in the fact that it was the
scene of one Of the first skirmishes of
the war wherein Iowa troops participate
ed, under the lamented Gen. Lyon. The
train stopped for supper at Sedalia, the
Aourishing metropolis of Southwestern
Missouri. Here is the junction of the
Missouri Pacific road, and here are located
the workshops Of the NJ, X. & T. R'y.
Sedalia is situated in the midst of a rich
and productive country, and exhibits
abundant signs of thrift, prosperity and
advanced civilization. 1t is marked with
a white stone in the record of the Press
excursienists, as one of the few places
on the route where a square meal"
was enjoyed. That portion Of Missouri
southwest of Sedalia, and the Neosha
Valley, Kansas, ~traversed by the NJ, X.
Il T., is among the most attractive por-
tons of the route to Texas. Unfortu-
nately, the greater part of it was passed
in the night, while the editorial travellers
were snugly tucked away in the Pullman
coaches, two in a berth, sleeping the
sleep Of the just, and dreaming of Or
ange groves and Texas steers. The
writer hereof arose with the sun, and
was. rewarded for his unwonted effort
by a glimpse of the beautiful city of
Parsons, Kansas. The first object that
met his gaze as he stepped out upon the
platform of the passing train, was a
large and elegant school building, a sure
indication of a progressive country.
The prairie scenery of this portion of
the route was entrancingly beautiful,
and the fourishing towns of Oswego and
Chetopa, which we o o passed, shone
in the morning sun like jewels in the
landscape.
About 9 o'clock Thursday morn
ing we entered the far-famed and
much-lauded Indian Territory. The rail
road circulars make a great card of this
portion of the route tt Texas, and des-
cribe its charms and wonders in glowing
rhetoric. While We could not quite re-
alize these lorid pictures of the region,
we were much impressed with the quiet
beauty of the landscape, and it's glorious
promise of future wealth and greatness.
For forty or fifty miles after entering
the Indian Territory, it is a vast level
plain, bounded only by the horizon, car
peted with a luxuriant growth of grass,
over which bands of deer roam I'M
disturbed, and in which feathered game
abounds. The signs of the habitation of
man occur only at rare and long inter
walls. Aside from the four or five sta
tions on the railroad, the only signs of
human occupancy are occasional patch
es of corn upon the prairie, or isolated
cabins in the woods. The inhabitants
of the towns along the railroad are part
ly Indians and partly white, the latter,