Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-03-21
THE EXCURSION ON THE /. A. AND r

afternoon and CHRONICLE man wal
one of the excursiOnists.
A trip out of town is always pleas
ant so those who are closely confined
10 city life and the route of the I. A
and 7. road is through u diversified
country that must afford much pleas
ure to those who delight in rural seen
cry. There are rocks and rills, forests
and fields. high precipiees, deep ra
vines, and, if no mountains, some good
size hills that little exercise of the
Imagination might make pass fol
mountains.
The train left the Central warehouse
at 2;30 p. m. Conductor Charlie Manner
in charge. Col Walter Gordon, super
intendant of the road, was on board
with his family
We were soon convinced of the very
accommodating nature of the train
officials, for before we reached the
saw mill, one of the passengers lost his
hat and the train stopped 70 allow him
to recover it.
From the saw mill to the tank just
beyond Red river bridge, the train
made what we thought was good time,
but it was not fast enough to outrun
an eager individual who came across
the tressel in wild and desperate haste
waving his hat and calling on the train
to halt He had struck a bee line
while the train was making the curves.
The kind heartedness of the Conduc-
tor was again touched and the train
backed to take on our feet footed
persuer. He turned out to be
A BOOK AGENT
with sample copy of Mark Twain's
new book under his arm. On this dis
covery being made war council of
the excursionists was Immediately
called and it was unanimously deter
mined to pitch the colportier out of
window over LeOnards' bluff, but be-
fore the train reached that point it had
become apparent that the young man
had more energy than cheek. He was
in fact rather modest. We may not
be able to make the public swallow
such statement from newspaper
reporter concerning a book agent, but
it was true nevertheless, and the
excursionists, therefore, relented from
their murderous intentions and the
young man still lives.
The train then sped on in really
good time and the reporter can say
truly, that his seat was as comfortable
as any he ever occupied on a Tennessee
railroad. This part of the bed has
been constructed for some time, is well
settled and the train passes over it with
very little jolting.
AT GLEN ELLEN
Station, a depot building has been
erected. Two passengers got aboard
here and went and returned with us
the balance OF the trip.
The country beyond this station is
very fine. The hills disappear and
the level plateau of South Christian
comes in view. Through this coun-
try the road is remarkably straight.
We noticed a great many broad
fields sown in wheat, but so tar as We
were capable of Judging, the prospect
of full crop was not very fiattering.
Numerous tobacco plant beds were
noticed in the woods and on the hill
sides throughout the entire route.
The most of them were covered with
cheese cloth but some more economic
farmers had substituted brush.
AT KENNEDYS'
the point where the railroad crosses
the Hopkinsville pike, they are pre-
pairing for future great city.
why are those stakes driven up
over that field ?" inquired the reporter
of colored citizen who stood by the
rold side.
"Dats wher de town gwyin' ter be
boss, dey tells me dis Ian gwyin' to be
sellin' for $50 er acre TO long"
We afterwards ascertained that he
meant to say $3.50 foot front but was
not sufficiently sup" in city parlance
to express himself i'll that way.
The people in that country mostly
look well to do, live i'll good houses,
and ride fine horses, but there are some
of the natives who evidently are not
much accustomed to railroad trains.
Two young men, nearly grown, run
with break neck speed hundred
yards or more. to get to the roadside
before the train passed. At the termi-
nus and at the pike, where We stopped
a while, number of the curious walked
around the engine and the passenger
coach inspecting them closely. A
citizen of this sort who was aboard the
train wanted to see the wheels go
around. He laid on his stomach on a
flat car and watched the operation.
While in this attitutude the train APP
preached COW gap and Col Gordon
seeing that his head would be knocked
off, rushed to his rescue. As the colo
mel seized him he drew back a little
and the post at the gap grazed his hair.
From the alarmed expression he wore
when he sprang to his feet, we make
no doubt that he thought he had been
scalped by Sioux Indian.
Another citizen of this Xix, long
legged and long haired, came rushing
bearheaded through the passenger
coach while the train was in motion.
The ladies screamed and cried rob
bers! robbers" and the reporter got
ready to hand out the $1,000 winch
he carries for pocket change, but just
then the train stopped and the con
duetOF coming in explained: This
gentleman has lost his hat"
The ladies, and other excursiOnists
who excepted the invitation, were
treated to hot coffee and biscuit at the
Pike by the men at work on the road.
THE RETURN.
The tram left the Pike on the return
tri,, about SunIpyu and II WIS soon