St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-03-25
TRIP TO OLD MEXICO.
How We Went--Where We WENT
Glimpses by the Way.

IL, with two Raymond excursion par
ties. one ticketed for trip of "A days
into Mexico aud the other bound for
California. These parties were added
to at various stations until they reach
ed Suspension Bridge where an addi-
tional carload of people mainly from
Philadelphia and vicinity was received.
While these were waiting at the Bridge
for the arrival of the excursion train
from Boston, they were inveigled up
New York drummer named bennett,
who few days previously, while in
speeding one of the ice-mounds below
the cataract, had slipped and fallen in
to IA crevice where he had died of ex-
posure. 1t took the most powerful
field glasses to see (P) the unfortunate
man, so several trades did quite bust
ness on the capital of an unfortunate
drummer. The two excursions go to-
gether as far as Santa Fe, New Mexico,
when the Mexicans will be left for Il
couple of days while the CalifOrnians
keep on via the Southern Pacific rail
road, through Arizona, to Los Angeles.
The California party numbers 40 and
the Mexicans so; more than half of
each being women, and there are sew
eral of beth sexes who will never see
their 10Th birthday again, although
the majority of the travellers are in
"middle life" The party is in charge
of Luther l.. Holden and George IL.
Ellis-both BostOnians and both we'll
known in newspaper circles. MIR. Hol-
den goes only to Santa Fee, where he
will meet the first Mexican excursion
now travelling in that country under
charge of G.. II. Wilson of Lyndon vile.
Here they Will exchange parties, MI.
Wilson returning with the present one
to Mexico and Mr.. Holden coming back
to Boston with the party which went
out Feb. II. Mr.. Ellis will take the
CalifOrnians through to Los Angeles.
Right here Il word about the mode
of travel 1t gives promise thus early
not only of comfort and luxury, but
ton. The excursion list has not a care
for any thing that mostly concerns the
traveller in the ordinary way. His
ticket covers everything. He is trans
ported, lodged, fed, and cared for in
person and baggage much better than
he could do it for himself even if he
gave his whole mind to this work alone.
Before the party reached Chicago each
one received card assigning quarters
at the Sherman House. When the
train came to halt at the station
the party to the hotel, which on reach
ing one had only to present his card
and he was shown his room in less
time than it takes to write about it.
Speaking of Chicago word is here
in order. This giant city of the West
impresses one not only by what it is
but by what it is to be when age
brings maturity and solidity. The
rush and wIIirl of business is immense
already, and it is yet but child. Let
the hope be that when fully grown the
offspring will not bring discredit upon
its New England mother, for doubtless
the best here although not the most is
of Pilgrim descent. The city has its
dark as we'll as bright side. 1t has IL
church to every 5000 Inhabitants, and
a saloon to every 179; or 1000 in all.
1t has in its various wards IL foreign
cities with a population varying from
$4,000 to $4,000 each. Over 90 per
cent. of the people in Chicago are of
foreign birth. These are not the fig
ures of your correspondent but they
were given from the pulpit of one of
its prominent churches last Sabbath.
The socialists of this great city hang
out the red flag of blood and the black
flag of hunger. They believe in no
GOd-they want no church and no So
ciety. They parade the streets with
banners inscribed "our children starve
for bread" and then go into a beer
garden and spend money for drink
which would keep their families in
bread for a week. Is it any wonder
that some of its inhabitants feel as
though they were over a slumbering
volcano
From Chicago the party goes by the
Rock Island and Pacific route to Kan
sas City, cutting across Illinois, south
ern Iowa and northern Missouri to this
growing and lively city on it's western
border. The season of the year makes
this ride embarrassing compared with
what it would be couple of months
later. The passengers read and eat
and sleep, and visit both with old and
new acquaintances, apparently with
out an anxiety or a care. That good
time so long coming has seemingly ar
rived when the hackman doth not
brighten nor the hotel clerk annoy.
This much by way of preface. AnOth-
er week of travel will bring your cor
respondent into new and strange
scenes to him, and he hopes to be able
to present some impressions of these
scenes in another letter.
C. NJ. STONE.
Kansas City, Mar. Is.
WORK FOR THE HUMANE.