The Russellville Democrat., 1879-07-17
THE EDITORIAL EXODUS.
The Sightseeing and Free-Fe ing Expedition Through the Golden North
 West.
From our special corresponaent.l
ST. Lotus, July ?, 1879.

DEAR DEMOCRAT: On Monday morn- ing, June 30, your representative, ac- companied by his better half, left your beautiful little city, to join the "Great Donan Excursion" which was to leave Little Rock on the following day, to visit the s'Golden Northwest. AL about o'clock on the 1st, about 175 ladies and gentlemen comprising the excur- sion party, were comfortably ensconsed in palace coaches of the St. L., I. NJ. & $. Ry., and were whirled away at the rate of 10 miles per hour in the direc- ton of the "Future Great" About 10 o'clock at night Walnut Ridge was reached and q splendid supper was found prepared for the excursionists. Of course full justice was done to the repast. After all had feasted, the train was boarded and our journey resumed. Every birth was taken in the sleeping cars, and the remainder sleptas we'll as they could in their seats. Conductor Pratt was unremitting in his attentions to the party and contributed largely to their comfort and pleasure.
 | At about 10 o'clock, 6 hours behind | time,) we were set down at the Union | Depot at St. Louis, and were met by representatives of the press of the City and Col. J. II. Turner, President of the Missouri Press Association. Carriages being in waiting, we were at once driven to the Lindell Hotel, one of the party filed into the rotunda, caused the employees to wonder if we had left any body at home. After an ample break fast prepared especially for the excur- sionists, the gentlemen of the party formed in procession and marched to the Merchants Exchange, leaving the | ladies to prepare for ride to Shaw's Garden and the Fair grounds. At the Exchange half an hour was spent in examining the beauties of the building and learning of the immense amount of business daily transacted in this temple of commerce. Carriages were announ- ced, and the party driven to the ware houses of the St. Louis Cotton Com press Co.,, where they were joined by several ladies of the party, the remain der preferring to rest preparatory to the evenings entertainment. The par ty was cordially welcomed by Wm. NJ. Senter, Vice President of the company, and others. The buildings were care fully inspected, and the operation of pressing the fleecy staple into mini mum of thinness was witnessed. The visitors were highly delighted with the quick and effective manner in which the work was done, and the magnitude of the building, which we were told has storage capacity of 300,000 bales of cotton. After the manner of receiving, shipping, pressing, and storing had been duly explained, We were led into large hall where three long tables were found fairly grooming under their weight of dclicacies, which, by | Vice-President Senter was termed a lunch, but agreed by the visitors to be a magnificent banquet. The elaborate spread reflected credit upon the liber- ality of the company, and was duly and truly appreciated by every one present. There were wines of all kinds, spark ling and still. They were freely pour | ed out, but drank in moderation. Af- | ter the solids and fluids had been dis posed of, Wm. NJ. Senter delivered an appropriate address of welcome, thank ing the editors for their visit, and re- ferring to the mutual interests of Ar 1 kansas and Missouri. He said they had expended money liberally in order to be prepared to handle the great sta- pie of Arkansas to the best advantage. Being a new market, the company could see where the old makkets had failed, and had profited by their fail ures, Sc. Col. F. Donan was then called upon to respond in behalf of the visitors, and didsso in his usual happy style, and after he had closed Hon. E. O. Stanard. of St. Louis, was called for and responded in neat address com plimenting the good appearance of the Arkansas visitors, At the conclusion of Mir. Stanard's remarks three cheers were given in true Arkansas style for the St. Louis Cotton Compress Co.,, and an adjournment was made to the car riages in waiting outside. drive was then taken to Shaw's Garden where we were highly pleased with the beauties of this floral retreat, and from thence to the Fair grounds where the zoolog- ical and other attractions were hastily inspected. We then returned to the Lindell for supper, and were then driven to Uhrig's Cave, where we had been invited to listen to the melodies of the ''much-and-most-played" comic op- era. "Pinafore," and the beautiful one- act operetta, "rrial by Jury" by a New York Company. At the conclu- sion of the performance, another ban quet was spread in the garden, and the always ready Arkansas editor was again in his glory. After disposing of the splendid collation., music iloated upon the breeze, and the lovers of the