Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-07-31
ACROSS THE CONTINENT.

ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
An Interesting Letter From Adjutant
CIV King Descriptive OF His JourseyS
"A Great Railroad Oities, Towns and
Villages Enormous Iron Bridges--I
Wilmingtonians In the Far West.
Correspondence Of the REPUBLICAN,.
WOOD RIVER. NRB., al
July 18th, 1886.
prom ised to try aud write from i
Chicago, but this Is the first chance I |
have had since leaving home to send |
you o line. left Wilmington, July
2lst, at 4 o'clock In the afternoon, on |
the Steamer Wilmington, and after 3
r cached Philadelphia shortly after 8
party of about dozen ladies and gonts |
on the boat, who gave me q good sand
off to Frisco. One of them played
"Msrching Through Georgia" on an ac-
oordeon while the others jc ined In sing
ing that good old song. did not know
any of the party but took 1t for granted
that as they saw i was Grand Army
man, and judged where I was bound,
they intended the compliment for me,
as was going to the sxtreiue end OF
this continent, but just the opposite d.
rection from Georgia. remained In
Philadelphis over night, as I had some
business to attend to, and started on
my long journey the next evening. T
rode all pight and all the next day, and
arrived in Chicago the evening of the
23d.
There WAS not much OF interest on the
road, except that after leaving Pitts
burg saw an oil well on fire, and
while passing through Ohio we saw q
large IRE In the woods. The people In
that section say that there have been o
great many OF the woods on 1re this
season, and that the dry weather which
they have had has caused them to bo
disastrous In the destruction OF vas,
quantities of valuable lumber. also
learned that quite number of houses
have been burned down, and families
rendered homeless and there has been
some loss Of life caused by these ares.
! almost forgot to say that Comrade w.
3. McNair left Philadelphia with me,
and we travelled together as far as Chi.
cago, he having telegraphed to his
. father, who resides there to meet him
at the station. At their earnest invita-
;ion l went home with them and re-
, manned over night and WAS very much
.. pleased with little Macs pal ents, and
the cordial reception which they gave
Ice.
The next morn ing babe them good
,, bye, and started for the station 10 as
certain the time the next train started
: westward, Some OF the Chicago g. A
K. boys got hold of comrsde McNail
and persuaded him to spend another
night in the city, and then 40 with
:, their delegation, which was to star
the next day. They wanted me to dt
the same, but decided TO start as, soor
3 as possible, and after bidding him fare
well left on the IL 05 noon train, In
, tending to meet him in San Francisco
but / think now 1 will meet the tra.r
: here this afternoon on which he is com
: ing. AT Chicago l took the Chicago
: Milwaukee u St. Paul Railroad TO
Council Bluffs, and right here will 30.
that this road is first class In every re
, spect, and would advise any OF IN.
= friends who may be travelling westward
|. |. to take this line. 1t passes through
- splendid country, has an excs lien
a road bed, steel rails, large aud powerful
engines. while the cars are Furnished
with all the latest Improvements ant
! handsomely finished. pesAtss y,Aol
this road are not troubled with dust
rs there Ia a heavy sod on both sides al
:, the way through. This of itself is |
- great convenience, and one that will b.
, appreciated by travellers.
1t is the finest road running out o
. Chicago, and, as far az competition
:. goes, 1t Ia the leader In furnishing al
Il the comforts possible for long jour
. rey. l net severs of the officials 0
"a the road and found them perfect gen
y y tlemen, and some of them are always a
u the station to assist their patrons II
= any way they can They have th
y y best set of agents that 1t has ever beer
70 my lot to fall In with, as they ar
= obliging In every way and strive. no
v y only to please but to make their pa
!, irons comfortable while on the road
The conductors and train hands ar
men Of experience, and assist traveller
in every possible manner, In FAC
eVerything connected with this i'm
mense system of 4 $40 miles of road
t? owned and operated by this great cor
OF poration, is superb and cannot be o.
at celled by any In this country.
It. After leaving Chicago we passe
" through many handsome and thrivin
N cities, towns and villages, among theI
~ being the city of Elgin. Il Is locate
Is on the north side of Fox river and is
nal very handsome place. | did not sto
We there, but would have liked to hay
done SO. We followed this river &c
some distance, and from tha nun Der /
m immense Ice houses distributed alon
b. it's banks, do not think the people !
es that vicinity iii suffer during this dr.
and hot weather for the want of ths
article, and thiuk that If sone OF th
people that / know Ia Wilmineto
re lived near this river, there would 500
40 be decrease in the number of snaT
pers that are now In 1t.
We crossed the Mississippi river s
as Sabula on long wooden bridge, whic
70. Is now being converted into an iro
structure, and when finished 1t will /
o grand piecs of engineering work; me
~, are nj work on ii all the time, eve
a. while trains are passing over 1t, and
- is now about two thirds flushed. Att.
crossing the Father OF Waters "
started with fresh vim on our wa
70 through the great State of Iowa. Or
'e train WAS large, and contained gre;
ne number of G. A. Il, men, who, Il
d. same as all soldiers, seemed to epje
et. themselves very much, and In fact the
Mt could not do otherwise al everythir
til that could by any means add to the
oomfort or convenience was done by u
oh railroRd officials. The train was
~" time all the way through to Counc
Bluffs, which place we reached Suncs
es morning, July 20, at 9.45 O'Clock.
After having our bag gage re-checke
lbs and filling up the inner man with Il
necessary fuel to keep soul and boo
at together, and in good condition for Il
- tnr@f n m n N N a q