The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-11
Description os the Sal, River Country.

slant, under the most favorable auspices
imaginable. At this writing several
thousand distinguished guests are regis
tered at the Grand Republican Hotel,
| while thousands more are on their way
from various States in the Union. The
season promises TO be one of the gayest
in its history. The hotel is being rapid
" enlarged and improved to meet this
unprecedented and unlooked-for army
! OF visitors, and hundreds of cottages
| are in course of construction along the
banks of this beautiful stream.
The climate is warm and delightful,
as the Democrats have made it pretty
hot for this latitude The roses and
honeysuckles are in bloom, also magnO-
las. lading the refreshing atmosphere
with their fragrant perfume. Tempting
and luscious oranges hang on the trees.
The walls of the city are of jasper
and the streets are of pure gold. The
waters are as clear As crystal, and As
cold St. John is delighted with it and
pronounces it of superior quality, as
do also his vast army of admirers.
Workmen in boring for salt water
struck vein of pure Nelson County
whisky, and it flows at intervals of
twenty minutes about ninety barrels
daily. Other wells will be put down at
once in the vicinity, and it may be 81
sufficient supply can be obtained to-
meet the home demand.
There is game here in great abun-
dance, especially raccOons, of which
an unprecedented number have, from
some unexplained cause, flocked to this
immediate neighborhoOd. Coon hunt
ing is therefore one of the most popular
amusementS.
The new and elegant steamer Flora
Lockwood arrived this morning bring
ing a vast number of visitors from
Indiana. She leaves this evening for
Pittsburgh to bring some 5000 waiting
transportation from New York. Mrs.
Belva Lockwood, accompanied by Hon.
BENJAMIN F. Butler, arrived to-day.
Mrs. Lockwood journeyed all the way
from Washington on a machine called
tricycle., and Mr.. Butler from Mass
achuSettS on one called bicycle, =
feat never before accomplished.
The grand opening ball of the season
Wa; given on Friday evening last, and
was grand success in every sense of
the word. The entire company par
ticipated, and waltzed to the music of
the Cleveland Democratic band, en-
gagged at an enormous expense especial
" for the occasion. The costumes worn
on the occasion were elegant beyond
description. 1t is simply impossible to
get complete list of them at this writ
inc. Among the most prominent, how
ever. | noticed the following cast Of
characters. "a In bal masIue:" Hon.
James G.. Blaine, Is the MeXicanizer;
Hon John A Logan. As the National
Cuspidore; Hon. Steve Elkins, as the
Manipulation: Hon. Jay Gould. as the
Associated Press; Hon. b. +. Jones, as
Old Money Bags; Rev. DR.. Burchard,
as Rum, Romanism and Rebellion. Hon.
Chester A. Arthur paid his friends a
tiving visit and unprecedented The
Lone Fisherman" He returns to his
friends. George w. Curtis and Roscoe
Conkling, who prefer to spend the win
ter in New York.
The only thing to mar the pleasure
| of the evening was the breaking of the
platform upon which they were dane
ing. Subsequent investigation revealed
the startling fact that several of the
planks supposed to be perfectly sound
were rotten and that it had a bad
foundation generally. The party all
fell, and great was the fall thereof.
Hon. James G.. Blaine is badly hurt. 1t
is feared that he is fatally injured.
Hon. John A. Logan, b. +. Butler,
Mrs. Belva Lockwood. Hon. Joseph
Mulhattan and Ex-Governor John 7. St.
John, all fell by the wayside, receiving
injuries of less serious nature than
Blaine, and they will all recover. The
Cleveland Democratic band have gen.
erously agreed to furnish them with a
new and better dancing platform.
where there shall be joys for ever
more, dancing TO the sweet strains of
the grand old Democratic band, which
will play old familiar tunes to their de-
lighted audience.
| would say to all those who contem-
plate visiting this delightful Kentucky
resort to take the Republican star-route,
and YOU will be sure to- land here safe
and sound. 1t is the best and cheapest
route to both Salt River and DelusiOn.
Many of the present guests have not
been here for twenty-three years, and
they are surprised at the vast improve
ments made by the Democratic pleasure
seekers in that period. Quite little
CITY has been built, and the former Oc-
cupants leave it very reluctantly, as
thev nave sOrter become attached to it
from a long residence. They are all
leaving for the city of Washington as
the others come to take their places.
The chief amusements at present con-
sist of hunting for Republican MAORI
test is exciting sport, as the game is
scarce-ishing for Irish votes, eating
crow, dancing to the strains of the
Democratic party, studying astronomy
bv the star-route, wondering if the
Government belongs to the people
or to the Republican party, and
if it is possible to steal a few
Presidential chairs without being
caught, and whether Blaine is really a
bigger liar than Joe Mulhattan, or
whether the whole thing is not one of
Joe's lies or a dream. Oh, it is q
dreamy, blissful existence here. We
are so charmed that we don't know
whether we are ourselves or our grand
mothers ghost, or our own mOther-in-
law, Belva in tights. Butler, the clown
but Salt River for us forever. We
love the charming name, dear. darling,
ducky Salt River-so full of fair. fat,
freedom, and Rum. Romanism and Re-
bellion. The land of me and Blaine,
Butler and Belya, so solemn, sad, sug-
gestive. Conc into the garden Of Eden,
Maud, and tarry with Us. Come, all
good Republicans, PrOhibitionists,
Greenbackers and Drummers. Come.
Come to the Salt River fountain, and
drink without money and MithGiIt nrice