West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-05-14
IN BAD SHAPE.
The Catastrophies Caused by a
Queer Looking Package.


want to tell story, not about Jack
Manory, but another Jack. and would
ask that YOU put the truthful parts in
italics, only, il would exhaust your
stock of that type, for it is all 'petri-
fled truth. I'm 1868 | left Little Rock
60 take command of a United States
vessel then at work in the Upper Mis-
souri, Before leaving I requested
John Mcclure my room mate to ship
me by express my fowling-piece, which
i left in his charge, when | should so
notify him. After reaching Omaha
wrote him to send il on; said fowling-
piece was a No. and fully six feet
long. He, knowing little about such
ware, ordered a carpenter to make "a
box in which to ship it. The carpenter.
knowing less, made a box the whole
length Of the gun, without uustock ing
it. This made box six feet long.
eighteen inches by eight inches at the
large end, and tapering down TO eight
by eight at the other When Me saw
the amount of vacant space i'm the
box "A bright idea must have struck
him, for he gathered up all the am
munition on hand. consisting of ten
sacks of shot, Of various sizes. and put
them i'm to ill mp space. and tor what
reason know not he placed therein
four quarts of whisky. This brought
the weight of the box up TO some three
hundred pounds. and So expressed IT,
When ! was ready to leave Omaha the
package had not arrived and | in
structed the agent there to forward il
To st. joe On arriving at the latter
point it had not reached there, and
the same process was repeated at four
other points below, the last point be-
ing Lexington Before reaching there
our machinery became disabled, and
we had to lay up at Missouri City for
repairs. While there J. received word
that several thousand dollars of Gov
ernment money had been sent us to
Lexington. left the vessel, and pro-
ceeded to that point by rail and there
found my gun. and there my troubles
began. The original express charges
were heavy enough, but each reship-
ment had augmented them until they
amounted to a grand total of thirty-six
dollars.
paid them, and had the package
sent over to the passenger Office. IL
was then nearly dark, and the bus was
about ready TO start across the river, by
ferry boat requested the conductor
TO take my box along. After looking
at il and "hefting' IL, he remarked
sit is too heavy; besides. do not like
that kind of freight When asked
him what objection he had TO It's char
acter, he replied that "it might cause
disturbance But on seeing him
TO the extent of two dollars. he agreed
to take it along just then the bus
drove up, and, assisting the driver, we
got it safely on top. During this pro-
cess several ladies inside began crawl
ing out, remarking that they "didn'
want to ride in a stage carrying a
corpse on top. This was my first inn
preston that my box very much rcscm-
bled a coffin, and il took the strongest
Kind Of assurance to convince them
that IL was nothing moro than a harm
less package OF hunting gear. On cross
ing the river we found q small station
house at the terminus of short branch
road that led up TO 2 station on the
North Missouri railroad. Here we
found the train awaiting Us, and when
NAi Ntlb dUDhihf tNNtHN iNN0 0flA hnu
package. I asked the baggage
why nc did not put my baggage aboard.
He replied that he did not carry
corpscs rs baggage 80 ! protested, tried
10 explain that nv box was all the bag
gage had. and described its contents.
But ne only held his nose. and said that
"that game was played out and the
train moved of There ] was. II was
then dark / requested the station
agent 10 allow me to store my goods ih-
side, but he remarked that "they would
keep better out i'm the cool. . so he shut
and locked the door, and went back
across the river on the bus might
remark that there I wa. again +
could not cross the river and leave my
goods. 80 ! suspended the box against
the building. aud rs 1t had begun to
rain / crowded up alongside Of 10 o.
give as both what scanty protection the
projecting caves would afford. ! re-
NAMED there several hours. when there
came the sound Of human voices and
barking dogs They proved 10 proceed
from a party Of hog drOvers. who were
coming 10 the station 20 make a ship
mcnt. Now. do not say that this
class Of people are not fully rs trust
worthy as any other class but right
then I did MOI want company ! had.
beside my goods. fine chrouometcr
and several thousand dollars. TO guard
and / reasoned that if I had mo- one To-
guard against my task would bo easy
They drove their stock into the pens.
and then began looking out for shelter
for themselves. The first one that ram
across me stopped a- IL hc had seen
ghost thinking be- had taken in the
situation sang out. "Ilollua. old boy
you hayo she old gentleman standing