The record-union., 1895-05-21
TEE RAILWAY CONDUCTORS.
Their Pleasant Journey Across ths
Continent.
Lively Spins Over Numerous Railroads
and the Arrival of the Party
at Atlanta, Ga.
Especial Correspondence RECORD Us1os.l

80. r. c." train that sped out of the Sac
ramento depot Tuesday morning q week
ago arrived here in good order, with
everybody as happy as If spinning across
continent were an everyday accom-
plishment. 20. K. C."-perhaps every
one don't know-stands for Order Of
Railway Conductors, and that special
train bore a party of forty-four Pacific
Coast conductors, with about as many
ladies', TO the annual convention of the
order, which opened here to-day.
1t was quite an undertaking to come SO
far-just :, 3,6l2 miles by the route followed
but all the .Californians are glad they
came, and everybody else seems glad.
too.
The railroad man from California, as
well as every visitor from that far-away
State, seems regarded as a sort Of precious
exotic, too good to keep long, and to be
treasured while he lasts. Beside ovations
all along the road, over mountains and
rivers OF the wide, wide West, there came
showers of roses and badges and Recep-
ton Committees when the party ap-
preached Atlanta. Ever since then the
Californians have been in a whirl of
sightseeing and Misunderstanding and
treated generally ike Kings.
This whole picturesque, bustling. busi-
ness city of the new South has put out
open arms to the railway conductors.
There are signs of "WELCoME, o. r. C."
on all the streets, in all hotels, and last
night Governor Atkinson and Mayor
King extended formal words of welcome.
Though the Californians were a little
taken aback by this California style of
hospitality they rallied promptly, and
have been returning the compliments
extended by entertaining friends in
their railway hotel. Our wines, our raj
sins, our fruits have been sampled and
heir merits extolled in q surprising sort
of way, for it seems odd to Californian
that every body every where should not
know all about the wonderfully good
things our great State produces. As
missionary advertising tour this cross
continent run of the Pacific Coast dele
gates promises to prove California on
Wheels" in small way, for ever since
leaving the State visitors have been enter
tanned and told OF the glorles OF the land
where the sun sets in the sea.
After taking on Mr.. and Mrs. Chase,
Mr.. and Mrs. Woods and Mrs. and Miss
Bernard at Sacramento the next stop was
at Reno, where Messrs. McConnelly and
Epstein, OF the Virginia and Truckes
road, boarded the train for the tour. At
Winnemucca Mr.. Derbyshire joined the
party, and the train sped along.
Salt Lake City was reached on time
about p. NJ, May Sth-and after drive
of several hours about The city the train
was taken in charge by Assistant Super
intendent Snyder OF the Rio Grande
Western road. The General Superin-
tendent telegraphed his regrets, but pre-
ssnted the freedom OF the road" and
facetiously urged the party to be cautious
about running by any red signals. This
brought q facetious reply concOcted by
Major Lauck, Jack" Marr and other
wits Of the party.
The run to Denver was succession of
grand surprises, and If there was any hing
in the wonderful mountain scenery that
the party didn't see, it was because Mr..
Snyder and his successor in charge of the
train, Division Superintendent ]. J..
Burns of the Denver and Rio Grande,
knew not where to point them out-a
supposition as likely as to suggest that a
San Franciscan don't know Goat Island.
Those baths at Glenwood Springs and
the brief visit at Raymond's palatial hotel
are never-to- be forgotten things, and the
half day In Denver was pleasant If it was
cold. There was sharp frost in the air
that day-May l0th-and the snow on the
roofs of trains from mountain districts
suggested more cold near at hand.
Division Superintendent NJ. L. Egan
and +. c. Webb of the Union Pacific,
Denver and Gulf road took the party in
charge from Denver to Texline, and there
was SO much reciprocity in the line of
courtesies that mutual regrets and broken
hearts followed their departure. The
special train fairly hummed through this
region, and the mile-a-minute gait made
Dining Car superintendent Smith nerv-
GUS for the safety Of his crockery.
f. e. Harrington of the Fort Worth and
Denver City ran the train over his road to
Fort Worth, and then l.. Trice of the
Texas Pacific came aboard for the run TO
New Orleans. Here there came the first
delay of any Importance. A freight train
wrecked between Fort Worth and Dallas
special into quaint old New Orleans thir-
| Sunday afternoon about 4:30 There was
brief rest here, and then the party ran
north over the Queen and Crescent route
| to Chattanooga. j. j. Puerdon and W. II.
Herman were the railroaders in charge.
Chattanooga was reached about 1880
Monday morning, and then a side trip to
Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge
| was taken. That wonderful view and
the historic recollections, stirred by the
scenes on those backgrounds Of '63.
| formed impressions that none of the
party can ever expect to pass from mem-
ory. From Chattanooga the run to At
lanta was over the Southern Railway,
with w. Ii. Taylor of that company in
charge of the train.
In another letter 1 will give some de-