St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-06-25
On to California !

AS our readers are aware, we lef
Opelousas on the 10th ult. to attend tn,
eighth annual meeting of the NatioDa
Editorial Association, which was held a
San Francisco on May "a 26. In cou
pie of letters published in the DEMO
Graf we have hastily given some of the
incidents and impressions of our trir
through the southern portion of the
Golden State; and thinking that an ac.
count of some of the things we saw in
our travels through other portions OF
that extensive wonderland and in sub
sequent trip across the continent (to
Washington City,, might be of some in
terest to our readers, we propose to say
few words to-day and in future issues
to advert from time to time to the sub
ject
Our COmpagR0nS de rOydge, in whose
pleasant company we travelled nearly
5000 miles of our long journey, were
DIR. .Thos. S. Jones, most genial and
companionable gentleman, who repre-
sented the Baton Rouge Advocate and
who was accompanied by his estimable
wife aud daughter, Mrs. d. NJ. Rush :;
Col. I. Sambola Jones, the brilliant ed
itOr of the Louisiana Educator, and his
interesting little daughter, Perry; Miss
Matte McGrath, of the Baton Rouge
Truth, one of the brightest of Gen. Nc
Grath's family Of bright and cultured
daughters; Mr.. A. r. Burkdoll, the able
editor of the New Orleans Republican,
at present Coiner of the Mint, and his
aimable and vivacious wife and equally
vivacious little son, Guy Miss Bessie
Warmoth, sister Of the Ex-Governor,
who soon made friends of every mem
Der of the party; and our little SOD,
Gordon.
We jUined the party at Lafayette on
the night of the 10th aud sped on
through the darkness in an almost due
westerly course over the safe and swift
lines of the Southern Pacific, which ex-
tend clear to San Francisco, and have
extensive ramifications throughout Cal
lfornia. Houston was passed early in
the morning; and the fine crops in the
famed Brazos bottoms were admired
soon after; and beautiful San Antonio,
With its ancient and interesting Span
sh missions, its charming plazas,
is historic Alamo, where Bowie
and Crockett fell, and around |
which cluster SO many heroic
of the early days of the
Lone Star State, appeared before the
gaze of the travellers like moving pic
ure in panorama, for only brief stop
vas made there. On rushed the train
'ver plains covered with the mesquite,
he ehapparal and the omnipresent cac-
us, until, long after the shades of night |.
lad gathered around us, we reached the
lew Drldge across the Pecos river near
where it empties into the Rio Grande.
slowly, as IT feeling our way, we crept
'yer this frightful chasm, spanned by
' hat is said to be the hi CHEST bridge in
he world, and which rises above the
urface OF the water to an altitude of
~ feet. Our train, We believe, was the
tth that had passed over it, and we
NV ACtiAhCo thdl, AUI sOIUc reason, lLS
sc has been Temporarily abandoned and that |
II the Southern Pac fic t.ans are now making
ne same long c"cr't that they made before its
)mpletion. |
The growing town OF Ell Paso, Tex, opposita |
aso del Nol te: MeA., was reached OH the even
lS OF the 18th, and soon crossing the Rio |
rande we were in New Mex rco. Indians and | .
eIlcans, HI their picturesque and somet;m |
amy coStumes, aud Cacti of every va. Iety,
bcH mad been fam lar objects for mics now | ,
.emed to 'ncrease--the ones IN numbers and |
cluresquenesS tand sCant'ness of costumel | ,
no the others n SIZE end ".ugged beaut " a.
or we were now well in the desert the t.ee-
IS and ralnless region, where the heat is some | ,
mes lntense-the thermometer occasionally
anding at 112 at midnight-and for many
lies OF the journey across New Mexico Ari. | ,
ma and even California, the eye rests upon | I
arren, sandy plain, long stretches of which Z
e rnrelieyed even by the stunted grass and
rubbery which dot here aud there the larg- {
t portion
Demng, N. NJ, Tucson pronounced Tooson). I
ID Yuma. Arlz, Indio, Cal. and other towns I
ID stations which by the aid of artificial irri r
1hon were tiansfOl med into yefitable oases I
the DESERT" were rapidly left behind n
the 'ndefatigable iron horse-only very
lei stops beng made anywhere-and on |
g night of the 18th we arrived in beautiful |
rs Angeles, sketch Of which we have al n
aty gwen. In this fairy City of the Angels
Q paity remained until the 18th, drinking in u
beauties and the glOries of its climate, |
hen we ran down to San Diego, to await the t
'ng OF the main BODY of delegates on their h
rival " the picnic" began. OF this picnic.
'tiug nearly two weeks, more anon. |