The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-05
The Unique Trip Which a Draft Of l60
Sailors viii Make From This Port.
FROM MAYNARD GATE TO GOLDEN GATE
without Chnnwe OF Cars-The Sea-
board Air Line Enaug,Irntcs II Now
Line of Transportation for tIic
Navy Dcpnrtment-Iu Connection
with the Southern Pacific.

Eastern seaboard OF the United States,
and for which Portsmouth and the
Seabuard Air Line will gain all the hon
or and gicry there may be resultant,
stands this morning; III the navy-yard
awaiting passenger list of 160 blue
jackcts-eX-membcrs OF the crew OF the
battleship Texas who are being. sent
on long journey across the continent
to San Francisco to form the crew Of
the new coast defense vessel, Monad-
mock
Before Virginian readers got out of
bed this morning all was hustle and
Stir on board the old receiving ship
FRANKLIN at the navy-yard Steam
launches and cutters without number
were busy transporting baggage and
impedimenta to the yard, where, III the
dim light stood Il handsome train OF
tive Pullman tourist cars, Il Pullman
sleeper, and two baggage cars. hand
somely decorated and festooned with
bunting, flags. and strcamcrs. S. y. l..
was doing herself proud. Good cause
she had fer the display. For had she
not through the earnest efforts of her
nuStlinE general passenger agent, Mr..
i. j. Anderson, Snatched from rival
the business of transporting across the
continent Uncle Slnl's blue jackets af-
Ter monopoly of many years? And
transporting them rs cheaply and in
better style than their water line and
'.ithiii't jump competitors.
This train. which will undoubtedly
create sensation on its transcontinen-
tai trip. was made up last night aud
quietly backed into the depot yard in
Portsmouth. The two baggage cars
were run into the navy-yard last night
ready to receive the bags and ham
mocks of the big draft OF men.
This morning early the coaches will be
run into the navy yard also, and here
the men will embark
The train, leaving the navy-yard
promptly at nine o'clock. will
go lying across the continent
continuously for five and a half DAYS
HnpfoKen Accompanying II will be
Nir. Is y. Newland. general agent OF the
passenger department CT the Seaboard
AR Line. and MIR. Clarence Murphy.
transportation and passenger agent of
the Southern Pacific railroad
Ihe first stop will be al Henderson. n
u. where dinner will be taken. Supper
VIII be had ut Hamlet, ~ c., Isy next
morning the state OF Georgia will be in
Nadcd. ana breakfast will he eaten AT
fabian IN that State: dinner at Mont
Eomery, Ala, ana supper AT Mobile.
Inc jolly tars will eat their second
breakfast at Houston. Tex. in the State
whose battleship namcsake they helped
to commission, and whose name they
sun Haunt on their caps
FROM Portsmouth to Atlanta the train
VIII travel over the tracks of the Sea
board Air Line; thence over the Atlanta
West Point and Western Alabama to
M"htgomery over the Louisville and
Northern to New Orleans. and then
over the Southern Pacific 10 san Fran
cisco. The train will cross the States of
Virginia, North ana South Carolina
Georgia. Alabama. louisiana Texas
New Mexico. Arizona and California.
ana II IS safe to say that never before in
the history of those States has a train
or Il like character and with a similar
load passed through their domains
That they will create an intense interest
need not be predicted and the jolly bows
IN blue VIII undoubtedly receive oya-
lions along the line of the route from
DcSlnhiMg to end. Particularly may
inns be expected in the State of Texas
lhtii arrival at New Orleans the men
VIII take meals at the stations. but after
Their departure from New Orleans n
dining car will be attached to the train
and will be carried through TO San
Francisco
Stops will be made on the Southern
Pacific ut san Antonio. lei Paso. Yuma
Los Angeles and Vallejo.
The cars in which they will live on the
passage are plainly. but substantialiv
fitted UP with berths similar to the
rcEular Pullman. with mattresses.
blankets he'd linen, and contain
All tne accessories, such as laboratories
stoves, ice water and everything, in
fact. tie men may need to he comforta-
Bile Pullman porter will also be in at :
tendance on each car, to attend to their
wants.
For the officers a handsome Pullman &c
furnished. with all the comforts these
rolling palaces afford. Among the Of
fcers who accompany the draft are
Lieutenant Jesse Roper, in charge: Lieu
tenant Miller. Ensign Douglass and
Surgeon Steele.
The real significance and Importance
or this departure in the mode of con-
veying men to the Pacific. adopted for
the first time by the Navy Department
cannot be underestimated That the
plan has not been tried before has been
wholly due to the mistaken idea thar
IL could not be advantnscously and
economically done. and with comfort
10 the men.
1t was originally intended that these
men should go by the old route used
for years previously, but Mr.. II. ]. An
derson, the general passenger agent OF
the Scahoard Air Line. heard of the
proposed transfer Of the men TO New
YORK; thence to be sent to Aspinwan
across the Isthmus. and again by water
|" san f'rancSco.and with his ready and
ever active mind decided to bid for the
business
me old objection Of excessive expense
was thrown at him by the officials, but
nothinS daunted he kept the wires hot,
and at last succeeded I'm CONVINCING tho