The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-10-27
EASTLAND.
Correspondence of the Herald.

correspondence of the Herald.
EAsTLAND, Oct. 90, 1880.
Iwrite you to-day from the shady side of
an ancient OAK not more than eight inches
in diameter, but which has the appearance
of having stood the storms of one thousand
years. After telling you to take care of
yourself, we boarded the Texas 81 Pacific
train for the west. This train was manned
by ono of natures noble conductors. We
did not arrive at Weatherford until four
o'clock the next morning, and then we found
all her good people in dream-land; not even
the town loafer could be seen on her beauti-
full streets, until "old Sol" began to climb the
eastern hills. After psrtaking of hearty
breakfast we were fortunate enough to get
on construction train (Weatherford is
row the terminus of the passenger trains),
although in caboose car. We had lively
passengers and clever conductor, who
landed us at Gordon, right side up with care,
at noon. Although the country between
Weatherford and Gordon is broken and the
soil is not of our best, it is surprising to see
the amount of business done there.
There we found our old townsman,
Major Stocking, who was great favorite
with the people Of Sherman, as long as
he remains there. TIL major has assisting
him the genial Charlie Harris, who is re.
spected by all the girls and boys of Sher-
man. That ev,ning we lef! Gordon on
top Of q caboose car, to give us all the aG-
vantages in viewing the wild scenery that is
between here and Gordon. AT point six,
teen miles east of here, we were left on the
side track to be taken to the front by another
construction train. Our crowd by this time
consisted Of twenty men, three ladies, and
God only knows how many crying children.
After remaining there several hours without
anything to eat-when we had almost be.
come demuralized, humanitarian in the
shape of conductor, Jack Wright, APP
preached. The hungry crowd was arranged
around hugo log fire, some of whom (ths
has reference to those who were born tired),
were sound ssleep, while Others of more en-
ergy had endured The pang5 of an empty
stomach with commemorate fortitude.
OH how pleasant TO your humble servant
was the cry of the big .souled Wright when
he said, "All aboard fol the 'front.'" The
ladies, the most of the gentlemen and a few
of the crying babies were snugly slowed away
in box car, one-fouth full of shelled corn
in sacks. The lsbies retired to rest on the
sacks, the babies had cried themselves hoarse,
and after several Intellectual efforts to raise
more racket, had to succumb TO nature, and
they, too, had to become quiet. The men
took the top Of the car to see the wild
scenery twelve miles east of here. One
trestle-work one hundred feet high and five
hundred feet long spans from one mountain
10 ant ther, and another trestle nineteen hun
dred leet long and sixty feet high con-
nec's Two other mountains, with
here and there deep rock cuts to 90 through,
reminding ono of the horse shoe country in
Pennsylvania, or the wilds of West Virginia.
This scene, with us, was by moonlight, and
| have seen nothing grander this side
of the big river. Arriving at Eastland some
time before daylight, we fol asleep on q corn
sac, and when the morning light had sot in,
We looked out on an ole field where it is said
the futu great city of the west is to be
and near by tho track, we discovered sub
stantial building with big sign that read
Occidental" and then we exclaimed "Enre.
ka." 1t had been some time since the
governor of North Carolina had met the
governor ofSouth Carolina, and rest assured
that we lost no time in seeing what was OF
iheinside There we found our old German
friend, Harry Herrschen, and that good
nmsiured and prince of good fellows, M. b
Iallant, made no mistake in having ou
Ieuton friend to go with him to the end O
me line. We all look for Major Stocking
aere on Monday. After he arrives this will
0ethe western terminus for some time.