Morning journal and courier., 1884-02-09
Masonic.

ex-Seuator H. Wales Lines, of Meriden. with very neat volume nicely bound enti- tied ..Fron the Nutmeg State to the Golden Gste,n which is dedicated to the Sir Knights of St. Elmo commandery No. 9, K. T., and their ladies of Meriden, Ct, by the historian, Sir Knight E. B. Evsritt, of Mer1den, ana contains very vivid and interesting descrip- tion of the tour of the St. Elmo party through the New England States, British provinces, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New
 Mexico, Arizona California, Nevada, Utah,
 Wyoming, Nebraska and Iowa. It was iournev of about ten thousand miles and as the author says "every mile pleasure" The party left Meridsn in two palace excur- sion cars of the Worcester Car company on the 23d of July last for the purpose of join
 ing the almost innumerable hosts or Knights Tsmplar which congregated at San FrapclSco,
 California, on the goth os August, 1883, the
 occasion of the 22d triennial conolaVe Of the Grand encampment of the United ntases-
 The writer gives a very pleasant account of the hosPltable way in which their party was received and entertained by members of the Masonic order and citizens generally at each place where they stopped while en routo- A glow ing description is given of the great West through which they passed. The manage ment of the Chicago and Alton railroad IS mentioned as being in striking contrast with that of many roads and is thus described:
 s'The regular train to which our cars are at tached consists of an elegant smoking car, one day coach, two reclining chair cars, one Pullnaan sleeper and one dining car. The reclining chair cars are worthy of note. Those have room for forty four pas sengers The chairs can be easily set at any desired angle; for reclining the top of the back comes forward, forming an easy pillow for the head.
 "For these this company makes to passen- gers no extra charge. In each car Is also smoking room, and a cosy washroom with every convenience. The coupling is double
 and absolutely proof against telescoping.
 The dining car is almost absolutely perfect
 s'The cars of the Chicago and Alton rail-
 roads are all built by the railroad company,
 and their manu factories located at Blooming
 ton are remarkable for solidity- The pay
 roll of the company's works is over Sloo,0oO
 a montht The officers of the company have
 placed on our cars two large crates ot fruit 1 for the party. Large and beautiful boquet"
 wero also sent on board to adOrn our tables Passing on special mention IS made or the 1 reception at Pueblo. The party were met | by Sir Knight J. B. Kilbourn and wife with presents of beautiful bouquets. Sir Knight l Kilbourn was formerly resident of Middle
 town, Conn. They were accompanied by
 Sir Knight J. w. Stanton, Congressman
 and personal friend of Sir Knight IL. | Wales Lines. He Is postmaster at Pueblo.
 Many other Sir Knights and citizens were of
 the party. In passing through Arizona
 many points of interest were spec | ially mentioned. The city of Tucson of 10000 inhabitants WAS particularly noticed During the day meeting of the l common council wns called and resolution
 adopted conferring the Inequalities End free
 dom of the city on the St. Elmo party. The
 mayor and entire body of the common coun-
 cil met our party and insisted that we should
 indulge in an hours carriage ride around the
 city, The many mud houses, with modest ex-
 terior but richly furnished, attracted our GU.
 riosity. The streets are hard and clean
 with many fine buildings, with stores
 larger and better stocked than ours
 with electric lights and doing business of $lOO 900 8 month, and all this away out
 on the plains of Arizona
 Referring to Los Angeles Sir Knight Ever
  | orange groves, gardens and vineyards. Ther'
 are many large and elegant buildings, mucl of refinement and wealth. and strange ad , | mixture of MongoliRn, Mexican and Amerl l can civilization, The air is spicy and refresh ing, heavily laden with perfumes of the nan. , orange groves, and groves full of peppe trees which line the streets" The product of the fields are described. Watermelon were offered the party at breakfast, weighing 90 to 100 pounds each There were birds o 1 paradise trees, figs, peaches pomegranelts l and luxuriant grapes in abundance. Her are showers, but never thunder and lightning The dry season is without drop of raip, sbu delightfully."- cool, except at midday. 1rri pation protects the vegetation under cultiva ton and there seems to be no portion of tn
 year unlovely Four and half miles fur ther on sunny slope is reached. The i'm
 are here located. They have on plot of vines in bearing jus
 one mile square Here are hundreds o
 bushels of oranges lying on the groun, under the trees which are laden with ripen 2 ing fruit.
 f This farm manufactures annually 63O, co gallons of wine and brandy. Wa were show 200. GOO gallons in one room, some of tL
 large butts containing 2,2OO gallons each They raise one and one-half million pound
 of grapes per annum and purchase six mil lion more.
 ! horses was one for which $25, 900 was re cently refused MT. Rose is worth &, GOO, O0O Twenty years ago he crossed the plains wit , a single yoke of oxen and capital of $1, ! 900. Leaving Los Angeles the party sped O , for San Francisco, 462 miles distant, haltin ! occasionally at various stations of interes ! and accepting of the escorts offered them 5 and visiting many points of admiration an 3 wonder A short journey through the Yos 2 emite is here described and an Gxcitln
 horseback ride up the zig-zag trail whlc lifts the daring riders step by Ste 3 to Glscisr Point. Sir Knight H. Fl. Strong major of the Horse Guards of New Haven. here complimented for the fine and fearleE : manner in which he urges his plucky pon in ad vance of the Indian guide, at one tim led seemingly into the solid rock, but shar f turn leads the rider up steep incline, an i; after sharp tug Glacier Point IS reached r tying their horses and going to the edg 7 which ovsrlooks the valley three thousan, : two hundred feet below Near by hotel wa
 found where the tired travellers refreshe themselves after the dangerous and wear 2 ride. After an hour of refreshment slowl r and cautiously the party descend to the plai f from whence they started. with Major Stroni 1 in advance The remainder of the trip | California and the return therefrom with tn , many pleasing incidents there with connecte is at length described in this interest 1 ing book. An account of their recep , tion by the members of the freternit and citizens of Meriden, headed by Si 2 Knight Acting Mayor Curtis, on their ar rival home, on the evening of September Sd closes the well written and exceedingly inter g estipg narrative; and Sir Knight E. B. Ever it, their historian, is entitled to muc : praise and many thanks for his labors in pro - ducing a work that will be so greatly Appre l ciated by it's readers.
 Tho Court Record.
 City Court-CrIminEl Side-JudGe StOd a dlards