The Dawson journal. (Dawson, Ga.) 1878-18??, 1884-08-07
The Georgia Press Excursion,

the Markham House, Atlanta, on the
23rd Of the last month for the pur-
pose Of accepting an invitation to
eXcurt to Baltimore. The writer had
the pleasure Of being one Of the
above number and, now, he proposes
to tell N the bIiefest manner posi-
BILE something OF where he went and
what he saw 1t is proper to state,
however, in the very beginning, that
this excursion had been rendered the
Georgia Press Association by the
z. 7, Va & Ga. r. r., aud it is TO
this company that the editors Of
Georgia must forever remain CRATE
fol. After most delightful meeting
Of the Association in the parlors Of
the Markham House, the Atlanta
Constitution invited the body as a
whole to dine with it on thai day. at
the Markham. As everybody knows
that the Atlanta Constitution never
does anything in a half hearted way,
it is hardly necessary for us to state
that the dinner was a grand success
and that the Georgia editors at once
felt more endeared to the Consilu-
ton than ever before. The train of
cars that had been made up express
ly for our party, consisted of three
Pullman sleepers, a smoking car,
baggage car and one Of those large,
fine, new engines to be seen only
upon The roads north of Atlanta. 1t
was magnificent train of cars-an
evidence that showed at once that
the e. T. Va. & Ga. R. r. had deter
mined to treat the Georgia editors to
the very best of all they had. At
1l:3O p. m our party was all safely
aboard and the conductor signaled
the engineer to move forward. In
little while every editor on board
was in his little berth gently embrac-
ed by the soothing arms Of Nor
pheus, while the engine was leading
the train forward at rattle of about
forty miles an hour. At the dawn
of day we we're peeping out the win
dows upon the rich valleys and rug
ged mountain crags of North Geor-
GA. Enquiry located us in the vicin,
ity of Dalton. with the information
that, already, our magnificent train
Of cars had fallen fully two hours be-
hind the regular schedule time. This,
we learned, vas owing to hot axles.
From this time forward we we're to
be treated to some unusual good
running, in order to make up the
time already lost. In q little while
we dashed at a head long rate OF
speed across the line into Tennessee
On and on we sped throughout the
day, Witnessing upon either hand
some of the finest farming lands to
be seen either in Tennessee or Vir
ginia. Passing a multitude of towns
along the route, including Knoxville,
Bristol, RoanOake and other places
of interest, nightfail came upon us
while yet we travelled and nothing
was left to be done but "turn in
and seek repose and rest again in the
tender arms OF our former nights
companion, Morpheus. A little in
cident occurred during this night Of
travel of which, fortunately, but few
OF the party ever became cognizant
While passing over a spul of the
Blue Ridge and descending the very
steep grade upon the opposite side
the air brakes refused to work anC
the engine, train and all were sonr
flying down the mountain side at E;
rate of speed haldly equalled in al
the annals Of railroad adventures
We were told the following morning
when the fright was all over, tina
the time made during this wild run
was 36 miles in "a minutes, at TIN
rate of about 65 or 70 miles pei
hour. The morning sun came GU
upon us in all Of its efrulgence, anC
found us, this the second day, fyin;
along the beautiful Shenandoah
Valley of Virginia. Here, the wri
ter had spent the greater part of tn
four years of the late bloody wal
and while it was pleasure to pas
over this historic ground again, afte
a period of nearly twenty years,
was one mingled with good deal O
sadness. This beautiful valley, mad
almost desolate by the cruel ravage
of the late var, and left impoverish
ed almost beyond the power OF re
cuperation, has, Phoenix like, risel
up from her ashes, and, now, instea,
of desolation and ruin, plenty, peac
and prosperity smiles into the eye