The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1880-07-17
rIE TowN-1HcIDRHTs OF THE DAY, DC
Forange (Texas) Tribune.l

I gather abont the depot with the pu
pose Of participating in the excursio
e to Lake Charles, gotten up by the o.
: ange Rifles. The L: d n o. train, fo
7 Houston, pulled ont at $3.50, and shortl
aftermard the Louisiana Western ea
cursion train came in. Il consisted Q
the company's tive handsome caboose
and four fat-cars, with stanchions, raj
ings, and comfortable seats, most o
which were taken from DR. Brown
hall. The train no sooner drew up int,
the city than the people began to ge
aboard, and few moments sufficed Il
show that the Rife company had no
calculated too largely when they EN-
ployed six cars, for while there wa,
room plenty there was none to spare
| The cars were decorated with flags; thu
stars and stripes were most prominent
but among them waved the Lone Star,
and streaming conspicuously in the all
also was flag which had belonged to
the 18th Texas regiment and which had
waved amid the shont Of battle during
the war. Ii is the property of Judge
John I. Stark. At few minutes to 6
o'clock the train backed out.
Getting on the track of the Louisi-
ana Western road, the Orange Brass
Band struck up lively air, and all the
excursionists felt happy. The train
dashed along at rapid speed over the
steel rails and level bed. The long
iron bridge across the Sabine scarcely
quiyered as the train passed over ii, and
the treste work on each side seemed
equally strong and steady. Beyond
the river the country is level and smooth,
with here and there a grove Of trees.
Over this beautiful scope the train
moved at the speed Of about % miles
an hour, and the exearSionists were de-
lighted, Notwithstanding the smoke
and cinders from the locomotive were
a little disagreeable to those on the
open cars: Bat on the train rushed,
as if rejoicing in its power to put the
Queen City miles behind it, and while
thus rapidly consuming the distance
before it, the whistle shrieked down
brakes and the train came to sudden
halt. at an equally rapid speed To-
from the Lake was being
driven over the rails, and the engineer
d the excursion train not anticipating
is approach there came near being a |
collision, The iron horses came in
'lgnt OF each other as one founded a
;urye, and reversing the engines and /
the brakes stopped them not
Until they were. believed to be within |
forty steps Of each other. However,
she miss of an inch was as good as a
nile, and the incident was forgotten as
soon as the train was again under head
way. The timber became more general
IS we neared the Caicasieu river, and
he soil seemed richer.
Just before 10 O'clock the train drew
lp to West Lake Charles, and as oar +
,and was playing, the railroad tug
Alert, under Capt. Tom r. REYNOLDS, |
anne steaming across the lake, bearing.
IS we afterwards ascertained, a recep-
lop committee, composed of promin-
mt ladies and gentlemen of the place.
The train stopped, and the excursion
SITS jumped out to the number of about
onr hundred. Indeed the crowd was
o large we began to feel a sympathy
or our neigbbors. But the time foI.
election was short; the committee.
'earing badges by which they could
'e distinguished, were among the ex-
nrslonlsts IN an instant, bidding them
WELCOME TO LAKE CHARLES.
nd the words fell from their lips with
hospitable emphasis. They z,
us to two large barges, on 4
and Tor the occasion; large awnings
'ere drawn to shelter the ladies from (
le parehing rays Of the sun, and when /
II had gotten aboard, the powerful I
lg Alert pulled the barges from shore 4
al bore the exeursionists out on the /
osom of the prettiest lake we have s
yer seen--Lale Charles, from which
le gay little city that ornaments its |
ariks, derives its name. The lake is r
lrronnded with high shell banks, and i
2 all sides we could see substantial a
ssldences, saw mills, etc. The distance .
cross the lake is two miles, and on II 4
10 opposite shore was plainly visible b
re beautiful little city. The heat was a
tense, but the excursionists world not :
ave missed the ride across this lovely 4
edy OF water for scarcely any consid- q
ahon. The band played constantly, v
I'd IN less than an hours time the city !,
as reached. AT the landing many Z,
dies and gentlemen were ready to Ii
Get and did greet the excursionists il
IN SMILING faces and a hearty recep- II
on; the tiremen in their red shirts .,
"a the United Friends of Temperance ii
their regalia all bidding as vel .,
me. Getting ashore the natives en- 8,
'avored to take complete possession. 3,
the large crowd, and separating us +,
ey conducted us TO their respective u
mes and to the several first-class ho- a.
3 q the city. The residences Of "a