West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-03-11

seats in the grand stand at every
discharge. The mir was 81 rTocating
with smoke, and am satisfied that
we smelt more powder than half
the pensioners in Preston county
ever did.
The free silver service exercises
were held in front OF the Beach
Hotel, where 10000 people wit
messed the ceremony. The $50
well drilled sailors and one hundred
marines from the Battle-ship, with
their officers IN gold lace and with
gllttering arms, made a very at
tractiye appearance as they marched
IN and formed around the band
stand, where the Service was dis
played. The State troops came
next followed by one company of
cowboys, we'll mounted and armed
10 the teeth. Gov. Culberson was
the orator of the day, although
several good speeches were made
by prominent officials and the ship s
officers. Gov. Culberson is a fine
speaker and very handsome man.
His resemblance to VIM. j. Bryan
IS very striking.
The Texas was built at the Ports
mouth Navy Yards at Norfolk.
Va, and the Richmond Locomotive
and Machine Works had the con
tract for her machinery, 50 that she
is the product Of Southern energy,
enterprise and thrift, and is first
rate attle.ship. She is over 800
feet long and Ga feet wide, with a
mean draft of %! feet. She is of
steel construction, has twin screws
and a speed of Is knots an hour.
Work was begun on her August 8,
1886, but she was not finally &C
cepted by the Government till in
1898, and cost about 50, 800, 600.
She has six engines, equal to 5000
horse power. Her armament con-
sists of main battery Of two II
inch and six 6-inch breech loading
rifles, and a secondary battery of
twelve G-pounder and six 1.pounder
rapid fire guns, four 37-millimeter
uotchkiss revolving cannons and
two Gatlings. Her crew consists Of
thirty officers and 362 men. The
thickness of her armor is twelve
inches. The Commander of the
Texas is Lieutenant Colonel Henry
Glass. The Govern has spent
over 5000, 900 here on the ietties
and harbor improvement, and it
has made Galveston the main sea.
port of the State and one Of the
best in the South. There are sew
eral big East India ships here now
unloading jute by the thousands of
bales and loading up for The old
country with cotton bales.
Well, our Association finished It's
sessions to- day and we leave to
night for San Antonio, the most
historic town in Texas. Hon.
Louis Hoffman, editor of the Brazil
(lnd.) Daily Democrat. was elected
President. A. b. White and w. S.
Wiley start back tonight for the
West Virginia Hills, while the rest
Of us go on to the Tropics for
good sweat.
Mr.. j. E. Curtis, Of the Pan
Handle Ne1CS, of Wellsburg. was
one Of our delegates, and we were
wondering what bad become of
him, as no failed to show up any
where. However, its all explaiAe ed
now, as | have just received a let
ter from him from Midland, a town
IN west Texas, where he IS visiting
a son, who resides there and is
practicing physician. Mr.. Curtis
explains that his wife is with him.
and is "Speaker Of the House" and
hes vetoed bis plan for going to
Mexico with us, so he is going ont
on the plains for a three weeks
trip busting antelope.
~ 1892, when ] was on the Cali.
folnia trip and travelled for SIX
weeks with a newspaper party in q
special train of Pullman cars. our
conductor was Capt. Poole. Of St.
Louis, "mighty nice maa." We
got very well acquainted, and ]
never saw him since I'LL to- day
while walking down street with
Capt. Dukes, from Mississippi,
who WIS with us on The 02 trip.
we met Capt. Poole, and we're AIN
glad to see each other again OF
course we went into the nearest
"Life Saving Station" and drank
some old Tom Pepper Elixir Of
Life IN honor or Gus three meeting
again"
"OkIahoma Bill, whorunsa COW.
puucher paper up iu Oklahoma, Is
here, bigger and haujsomcr than
ever. Ho weighs $40 now and is
President Of the Press Association
or The coon to DO new star that will
be added TO Uncle Sans Grown OF
Jewels of Statehood. Bill IS not
married yet, but is stIIl 40 large.
However ] think some dark eyed
senorita Will corral him and make