The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1882-03-07
OVER PRAIRIEs GREEN.
Notes and Observations Alone
The NJ. II South.

In such excellent company as Mrs.
Georgia Drone and Misses Leila aud
lone Pogue, at an early hour Sunday
morning, an EXAMINER attache boarded
Conductor Drone's south bound train on
the Missouri Pacific, o enjoy the novelty
and exhileration incident to run across
the hills and valleys of McLennan and
Bell counties. Having been granted the
freedom Of the train, the newspaper
man proceeded to elevate himself to the
top of the cars, ungallantly leaving the
dies to the kind offices of other
gentlemen. Before going aloft, how
ever, the unsuccessful efforts of an
old colored "aunty," whose weight
WAS somewhere in the neigh
bOrhood of a ton, and whose breath
gave evidence of free use of onions and
bad tobacco, attracted the sympathy of
the Il. M, who, forthwith constituted
himself a committee of one, also der
rick, to hoist that mountain Of avoirdu-
pois into the car. After receiving a
hearty Tank you; God Dress you," we
HE'D TO the upper deck, and right here
we want to announce to Texas and the
balance of McLennan county that the
top of train going south affords mag
niticent view of Waco; also of the coun-
try for miles on either side of the Mis-
souri, Pacific road 1t is as easy to
measure the ocean with pint cup as to
gauge the feeling of pleasure one exp
riences in such a situation after
being coOped up for months in
the narrow ways of town life.
The lungs and chest seem
! l.. l., l..
joying a million gentle zephyrs, more or
less, pure, bracing and inspiring; while
the eye dwells with delight upon the
panorama spread before it, the handi-
work of the Great Artist. The prairies
are green and luxuriant, the country
tolerably well settled, and thousands OF
cattle, horses and other ock gallop
over the hillsides as the noise and
screech of the locomotive frightens them
| from their occupation of contentedly
nipping the succulent grass. The first
hardy flowers of spring are beginning to
make their appearance. In few weeks
more the flora of our Texas prairi"s will
| be he wonder and delight of thousands
| from less favored regions who will travel
over the NJ. 2. We skinned along
over the face of the country at
4 rapid rate. After having gone ten OF
twelve miles the reporter went forward
! to the engine, and was pie sanity enter
| tanned by Engineer PAM Ayres and
Fireman George Sandman, than whom
! two more agreeable gentlemen cannot
be found i'll all this land. The wonder
full machinery which yields such i'm
mense power WAS explained III detail
and much interesting as well as valna
bic information impaired. Among
other things we learned the history of
NIGER HILL,
well known to all the men OF the line
and interesting to everybody. Tn,
road crosses South Cow Bayou at
point sixteen wiIes from Waco. TIL,
fill Is 800 feet long. and the bridg,
across the stream 80 feet high. On til,
night of January 7th-the night be
fore the lamented WHshburne met hi
fate-this same train, oflicered by the
same gentlemen, was ordered to tax,
construction material to the front
Some fears were felt about the safety o
the bridge, but 1t was supposed to h,
passable. The train proceeded eau
tlouSy along, III consequence of bat
condition OF the track, intending t,
halt before going upon the structure
Some fifty or a hundred yards from tn,
bridge, the engineer observed hast,
signals in front, quickly reversed tn,
engine and called for brakes. An ole
negro who lives near had heard the train
coming and remarked to his wife that i
was a new one and he had better tia.
it, or it would be sure to nee
| / Ia laFE L.,
seml-nude state, lantern III hand, on hi.
errand of mercy. Upon examination BY
Conductor Drone and Engineer Ayres
1t was discovered that one of the bent
Of the bridge had been entirely under
mined 10y high water, and was merel,
hanging in place. That old negro has
free ticket whenever he wants to ride, an,
gave Its name to Niger Hill. A few
miles further on, probably hundred
yards this side Of Marvin switch, is th,
spot
WHERE wAsHBURNE WAS KILLED.
1t is the last place on the road where i
would seem that such a terrible ci
dent as the one which ended tn. careeI
of this brilliant man and the StoI
family would happen. On til,
rolling prairie, sufficiently ele
waited to overlook the entire
country around, it seems incredible thai
such a thing could occur at such place
But man controls not his own destiny
We made quick and safe run to Troy
Bell county, where u good dinner was
spread before us IN the boarding car
The return was made rapidly and pleas
antIy, and thus the entire day passed
The road had not been completed into
Temple, so we went no farther rhalI
Troy. 1t was doubtless completed YES.
terday. Before closing, the reporter
desires to thank the gentlemen of
the road for many highly an.
preclated favors. Mr.. Andy Drope
and his crew know full we'll how to be
pleasant and companionable. Mr.. Avres
has our thanks for souvenir of Major
WashburEs-a mineral rock, Of peculiar
shape and unusual weight, which was
bathed in his blood