The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-05-20

Co res poude CO of the Herald.
EssWYLIE& wlLMANs' CAMP, May IS, 1881.
Although wet weather has interfere ma.
teri4lly with work ON the Chicago, Texas &
Mexican Central, dirt has been thrown rap-
idly aud the progress made on the contract
Of Belcher 81 Stranahan, Camp No. has been
remarkably good, and the grade is first class.
Camp life is exceedingly lonesome to
one not accustomed to it, and whose duties
do not require that no should drive mules or
hold b plOw or scraper. The monot)ny Of
the existence is Unlimited. There are noun.
tsins of monotouy out Of which rugged
ledges. pure wretcheduessc, rops in its ma
tive unalloy. As one sits in the shade by
his white and melancholy tent, and LOOKS
across intervening space, where is stretched
before him u little city of tents, and
then beyond, short distance,
watches the rapid manocuvering
Of men, horses and tools, he is forcioiy
reminded Of old war times, of ditone.,
breastworks, cavalry, artillery and Infantry.
Boon! boom! Here's change. The mono,-
ony slightly broken. Boom, boom again,
and the air is full of flying stones and earth,
and the smoke of burned powder goes up 10
the sky. Now it is easy TO fancy the ground
s.rewn with the dead; you can almost hear
the groans of wounded and dying heroes
whose lives are being sacrificed in fruitess
war. Boom, again and ,gain, and the
monster rock that has slept in its1uiet bed
for thoussnds-possibly millions -ot years is
rent asunder and removed by puny man.
SAND there was sound of deviltry by
night" Monotony is growing less monoto.
nous since began this letter. Some OF he
boys are having little fun over at the 8Jz
canvass LeGrande, and there will te black
eyes and sore noses tomorrow.
They are deciding the ques-
ton of the size OF the Phadelpbs
centennial building as to whether it cover
cd 500 miles or 800 feet. Several minutes
elapse; swearing and knocking are oyer; the
question ia settled; the 800 mile man is the
victor, and the $40 time checks, siaked on
the result, go to him.
Here's another Sunday morning, and q
welcome order from headquarters: "Bresk
camp and pull out for Parson Youts's
field" This field is only two miles from
Dallas, and on the same side of the river as
the one from which the amiable old parson
drove us about month ago, whils he and
the railroad company settled matter of
dollars and cents in court on the value Of
right of way. We cannot help wishing that
he and President Hale might have settled it
in more speedy msnner-as the centennial
question was settled. 1t il all over now, and
work is moving with such rapid y that the
first three miles out from the city will be
completed within the thirty dsys,
and connect with other completed
work on the line. The cars will he
running on this first twenty six miles of road
befyre that intelligent portion Of the people
OF Dallas, who take no paper because they
cannot spare the money from their beer and
tobacco billie, learn that there is such road
in course of construction.
This is Tuesday morning, and here we are,
all settled in our new quar- ers, and SO close
to the city that you can afford to come out
and sos us, or at least TO take look at the
progress that is being made inland we'll
pop a can of peaches. We use nothing
stronger.
1t al seem little strange to move away
from one town to ano her, and find the very
people that We bad left behind us living at
our now home, They must have tsken q
shorter cut than wo did lvENs.