The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1899-06-09
EDITORSON EXCURSION
Eight.Day Trip Of Badger GuilI'
Pushers to Black Hills.
BRIDAL COUPLE WERE WITH THEN

Fun in the Sleeping Cars-The Citizens of
Omaha Welcome Them, Treat Them
Right and Show the Seventy-Ona Mem
beers Composing the Party the EXPOSE
ton Grounds-Wind Cave, Hot Springs
and Gold Mines of Deadwood Country.
Madison, Wis, June 6.-There are a
few redeeming aspects to an editors
life, and one Of them is the annual ex-
cursion. There are some 600 publica-
tons of all kinds in Wisconsin--dailies
weeklies, trade publications, religious
organs, etc.-and the State Press asso-
citation is made up Of as many of these
editors as care to join. 1t was organ
lied in the SOS and is recognized by the
national association as the earliest OF
state associations.
The annual trip is carefully mapped
out. It is the big outing Of the year for
many of the craft. Transportation is
furnished free by the railroads. For
this reason some style these excursions
"junkets." The Milwaukee News usual
ly devotes an editorial to the affair,
denouncing it. The national associa
.
text for the whimsical New York Sun.
And these are great excursions. There
have Travelled as many as 500 people
men, women and children-all the way
across the country, sometimes in spe
cial trains.
But the state association is more mod
est. This year less than seventy-fiVe
went, mainly editors of prosperous
Weeklies. Last year the trip was via
the Canadian Pacific to the coast. 1t
lasted six weeks and cost not more than
$500 per capita. This year We were
gone eight days. The cost was about
$40 plus incidentals. 1t is an error to
think the party is dead-head. The
transportation is free-that's all. Ho-
tells and eating houses name the lower
rate they give to all parties Of travel
ers. The sleeping car companies hold
their prices stiff. And when the edi-
tors return they tell of what they have
seen in their papers. Thus they per-
suade others to visit the same places.
Mexico, Florida, California, Detroit,
Boston-our Wisconsin association has
visited many places and the benefits Of
this education are not incOrSiderable.
Jolly Party Aboard Sleepers.
There were two Wagner sleepers
loaded when the train pulled out from
the Northwestern station, Chicago, just
after supper Thursday, May 25 We
were bound first for Omaha. We
reached there the next morning for
breakfast. 1t was a pleasant feeling
as we settled down in the richly cush-
toned coaches, while great engines
oil y "a
prairies-first, west through Illinois,
then across Iowa, to Omaha, on the
muddy Missouri-the gateway to the
empire of the west. Beyond Omaha is
a world of prairie and zenith-stretches
and destiny and desolation, romance,
mountains and history-all as incOmpre-
hensible to the uniformed, provincial
down-easter as the Torrens land title
system to a babies hospital.
All night we rode in our berths. It
requires an even disposition and ten
dency to look on the bright side Of
things to be supremely happy on these
trips. Nervous, irritable people should
stay at home. Fastidious people, ditto.
Though we had no inharmony to mar
the occasion, unless a failure to con-
meet with one breakfast could SO be
called, there might easily be opportuni-
ties for unhappiness. But the party
greeted each new situation with song:
Blow the man down, boys!
Blow the man down.
1t takes a long time
To blow the man down.
This refrain doesn't mean much as it
stands, but if the coffee is cold, or the
porter is slow In making up the berths,
just to sing it over cheers the soul
They Make 1t Bridal Tour.
The married people doubled up in the
lower berths, and unattached people,
including widows, and a few single gen.
tlemen were obliged to use the step
ladder to the upper berths. But the
weather was favorable all along the
line. A sleeping car in a hot night is
stuffy dungeon. We had few chill
dren with us, and they enjoyed every
thing An editor who had taken to
himself wife the day before we started
was also of the party. They were lone
some and silent for few days, and We
were sorry for them. But with the
flight of time and the new experiences
of the party of tourists, smiles bright
ened their faces, and before the jour-
ney was over, the new lady from In
diana, who had her fears that Wiscon-
sin was unsurveyed, began to enjoy
herself evidently. and we all thought
her very pleasant. AS for the groom,
he said they had known each other
for a lifetime, and everybody knows
those are the best kind of matches, with
no room for mistakes or disapopint-
ments.
Then he bought box Of Jack Rab-
| bit" cigars, which the smokers said
| were far better than that popular mic
otine preparation known as 1.-THE
| Brakeman's Pride
Gen. Miles Said Burial Imperative.
There were many interesting people
| in our party. Among them were Sena-
| tor and Mrs. Munson Of Viroqua; H.
L. Hoard, the eX-governor's oldest son,
and wife; 3. J. Price of Hudson; M. P.
| Rindlaub and wife of Platteville. This
| gentleman is president of the associa-
ton. We always carry a physician on
| these trips, and it fell to DR.. F. w.
| Bishop and wife Of Platteville to join