The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-17

the occasion. The other gift was big
bunch of bananas that came from Baker
IL Colley, the fruit men, unaccompanied
by any remarks. The fruit represented
the product of the San Domingo tract
that Rhode Island capitalists have in
vested in with a.prospect OF doing a ship
ping business with Providence as the
chief port. The big button was given
place OF honor in the car, and the dele
gates munched the bananas between
meals on the way out.
The side-tracking OF the special train at
Niagara Falls proved to be happy diver
SION TO the delegates. Some of them had
seen Niagara before and some OF them
hadn't. Those who rad seen the Falls
declared that they looked just the same
as they did when they were there before.
Those to whom the Falls were new, were
naturally impressed by the exceedingly
large amount of water there on exhibi-
ton. The hackmen who took the party
around know just where the places are
located where you pay money TO see the
wonders OF nature, and accordingly the
unsophlsticateo delegates came away with
the impression that most Of the wonuers
mad been fenced In before they got there.
Before you can get at wonder, you have
to buy a ticket of a man, and before you
can get away from the wonder you have
to buy a souvenir. Many OF the souvenirs
are manufactured in the Friendship street
jewelry shops at home.
The delegates who visited Niagara were
impressed with two things, besides the
considerable amount OF water that SEEM
ed to be lying about on every hand. One
was that Captain Matthew Webb was
drowned IL the whirlpool Rapids and the
other was that IL he hadn't drowned, the
Niagara guides wouldn't have had any
thing TO talk about. IL was q lucky thing
for Niagara that poor 6uptu1n Webb took
that fatal plunge. Apparently few peo-
pie had been attracted to the spot before
that, although the water. II Is said, has
been there some time. The water, how
ever, is now OF secondary interest to the
"last place where Captain Webb was last
seen aliven the ''rock that Captain Webb
passed as he went down." and the "spot
where he sank.' There Is a man who
runs the elevator that takes you down to
the whirlpool. He has been running il
for nine years, but he never got out TO
look at the whirlpool until Captain Webb
jumped in. The delegation was moved
TO tears on reviewing the respective me-
mortal spots and listening to the sad
story.
None OF the delegates cared to have
their photographs taken with the Horse
Shoe Falls as a background, although the
uuent speech. The delegates allowed
hat .hey didn't want to obscure the falls
by getting in front of them. One dele
gate had a curious experience. When he
rot back aboard the train he said he had
been to big stone building where they
had the Falls in barrels and bottles so
that you could view them n little at a
time, and take your time. 1t is sus-
pected that ii was the brewery he Wis
tied.
Several OF the delegates clothed them
selves in hired rubber suits and went
down under the stream OF water that
comes out OF a hole that somebody has
cut in the hillside alongside OF the Horse
Shoe Falls. Up in thati country they call
this "going under the falls" Ii really 10
wet underneath the stream, and the illu-
sion is quite effective.
Except for the throwing down Of several
of the party who thought they knew
little about playing whist, the trip was
without serious accident or important iu-
cident. The big special pulled into the
Union Station at st. Louis only about an
hour late, with all the decorations on the
600 feet of palace cars intact, and every
body feeling in a cheerful mood, consid-
ering that all the Massachusetts and
Rhode Island delegations are supposed 10
he here for Is TO ratify the nomination of
the candidate they are going 10 vote
against.
ST. Louis was found TO Re very quiet,
considering IL IL sunday, ana SO noIlusy
as the ST. Louisans regard u. colonel
Haac Nj. Potter, Rhode Islands national
committeeman, met bis feilow-citizens st
the depot, and on arrival at the Lindell
House headquarters, General Charles II.
Brayton, who is to be the next national
committeeman, showed the party whore
the barber shop the bath room, the
restaurant and other points OF interest
were IN the hostelry.
Following is the roster OF the party
aboard the "Castleford," who are now in
ST. LOUIS planning TO make an imprcs-
sion on what the cyclone left of the town:
Delegates-E. l.. Freeman, Central
Fells; +. l.. Olney, Providence; S. W. X.
Allen, East Greenwich; A. l.. Chester,
Westerly; John f. Sanborn, Newport;
George L4 Smith, Nayatt; Il. Charles