The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-01-25
The Legislative Junket.

with 1t Is too true, but II 8, ems hard on the
poorly paid and Over-worked legislator WIN
Is now being tormented and tost about ON
the STA Of travel during these stormy days.
My sy mpaihy runs out after th-m-tOr no
money could induce me, after having had
an experience OF the sort. to make ore of
the party.
Twenty-Five years ago the legislature
junketed up to Saginaw. Bay City, Midland,
Fnnt, OwOssO, and so back to Lansing 1t
tO'k three days, or the principal part OF tho
time, and worse worn ut company never
struggled back to business; and now | don't
know whether that was the first excursion
OF the kind ever gotten up-and 1t did not
seem to Le matter of thought, but the idea
OF riding by special tram and being wined
and dlned at the public expense was seduc-
tive in its very nature. We found Ous
where the suffering came in. later on
Our first stopping place after leaving Lam
sing was at the ID. 81 NJ. r. r crossing,
and our next at Saginaw City, as 1t was
called then-in contradlstinctiOn to East
town, which felt altogether above their
the tread of martial music. to Irving Hall
which we found COVERED with tables and
the tables were loaded, which was what
some of the members didn't find out till
after the contents OF those champagne bot
ties THAT formed a row in the center OF the
board, which extended clear around the
halD had worked its way into their diges-
tive organs, and SO on around the circua-
ton. After this 'lunch," as 1t was called,
was over next came speeches and music,
and more speeches-generaly Of an inflated
character-we marched back and boarded
the train for Bay City, where we arrived in
time for dinner. We were expected to
look at the country, but the cities were too
fascinating when we were in them and when
We were on board the cars we were enter
tanned by Don Pedro and some Russian
Counts judged by their names. There
was Count Reyyisky, Bourbonvlsky, Sour
visky and Pourvisky, besides celebrated
German nobleman, Herr Lager.
We found the tables in Bay City an exact
of those at Saginaw In fact it |
seemed as tho they had moved them right
along ahead of us and had them loaded
again-Only this table was hottie vIctuals
l mean--and again we struggled to keep
quiet till the chaplain could say amen to
an invocation over us, before falling to and
letting off salyO of champagne bottles.
Dinner over we had speeches and music
and then few speeches and songs by local
talent, and then speeches. 1t seemed as
tho everybody was stopping over with a
speech, and some of them were trifle
thick. to be sure. but there were plenty Of
thin ones to even up with. This couldn't
last forever, and so we were bundled back
onto the cars and hurried up to East Sagi-
nav, where cannon doomed and music
cavorted and civic honors extended.
Again We were marched to a hall In the
Bancroft block, and it did seem as tho we
were treated to O hall the first thing all
around. After some more speeches and
glorfications we were given the liberty of
the city and invited over to McGraw's mill |
then the largest sawmiil in the world !
which was running at full blast, and il was |
a mercy in the Lord that none of the eX-
cursiOnists or their wives were not mutilated |
in that mill. Having escaped death once
more we went back TO supper at the Ban
croft, where we were served up suthin' hot |
add libitum, and after which came q few
speeches, interspersed with music, until the
hour grew late and we all went off to sleep
somewhere.
Next morning the ground was covered
with six inches of the softest kind of snow,
It was still showing. Our train was billed
for Midland that morning and we went.
That Is, few of the most energetic ones |
rode up there, got off of the tran in the |
snow, climbed up bank to look at the de-
serted streets and be stared at by a few |
natives who evidently sized us up for about |
what we were worth, and climbed onto the |
train and went back to East Saginaw. 1t |
seems there was hitch in the program |
omehow, as we were expecting to BIO fed |
again there, but it fell through and the !
took to the woods.
Back to Saginaw and where we took on
The balance of our load and started for |
Flint, where we were treated to another |
hall and a speech followed by m ,re speak
ing, until teams were provided to take us up |
10 the deaf, dumb and blind asylum where |
we dined and amused the children as well |
rs being amused by them. Later we got
back through the slush and snow to the city
where we were ultimately scattered around
among private houses and decent people to
DC quartered over night.
Next morning we arose, tired, and as we
gathered at the depot where our train was
standing we were a forlorn looking and
much bedraggled group. We were soon off
however, and hurried around by the way of
Holly to Owosso. where we found the same
characteristic table. 1t was loaded. BY
hat time our speech making capacity was
,bout exhausted and after quiet lunch we
we're allowed 20 depart to the place
rom whence we came-a WORKOUT and
alked. out body.