The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-07-01

The idea OF spending Fourth Of July
in a palace car seemed unique TO those
OF us who were yoLng. though tho
many experienced travellers in the party
seemed 10 take delight in 81 ppressin,
their feelings on this patriotic day. We
left Chicago late at night In the midst
OF a severe storm. but the next morn
ing opened fresh and fair and found IA
speeding over the green and lertila
fields of 5-i-.crri.
At breakfast the cook played a little
joke on US. He must have had a large
supply OF eggs in danger OF spelling. Tor
on the menu appeared an enticing dish
styled "Omelet a Ia Fourth OF July"
Everybody ordered IL. OF course when
served. however. we were disappointed.
as ''omelet la Fourth OF July" proved
TO be nothing unusual When appealed
to. the waiter only grtnned.
AS we passed through town after
town we could see little groups OF bows.
girls and older folks lighting firecrack-
ers and exploding torpedoes. soon
Kansas City appeared IN view. and
when the station was reached we start
ed out 10 inspect the sights A wealth q
flags and bunting was visible and No
made purchases and later-decorated our
car.
"All aboard" was shouted. and tn
long journey across the continent vas
continued.
Most of the day was spent in tho
smoker swapping stories. Il remsp-
ber," said one Of the younger men.
that / was returning to my home IN
California some years ago. We were on
this very railroad. Al Holbrook. 4 ?.
when a freight train broke down ahead
Of US A delay Of at least II hours was
announced. and as II was . o'clock In
the morning we had 60 make the bsst
OF II. The town OF Holbrook has sta
ton. a store. a saloon and a few
houses All about appears 20 be desert.
In order to Kill time we hunted forsome
amusement. and observing crowd q
moving figures about a mile away. We
started out 10 see what they were DO
ing. As we approached we found
about a hundred cowboys. all on horae-
back, having a grand Fourth Of July
a boy selling some pop
corn and 2 yellow liquid which he cali
ed lemonade. two Chinese cooks and 4
saloon keeper were looking on.
The first thing was n race on
level stretch OF country about mile
long. Six or seven men rode In each
heat. Sometimes. whore two prominent
rivals were In the same event. they
were allowed 20 FACE together. and this
would elicit great applause from their
companions Ia the first race saddles
and brides were used. then saddlea
were dispensed with. and finally the
men rode without anything on tho
horses at all
Next ne roping contests were start
"a. The object was n lasgo steer Ia
the quickest time One man threw his
rope and caught the animal IN exactly
% seconds. and the next best time VAS
)ne minute and a hair. The legs ~ ths
animals had % be tied. and abe WHO'S
was quite dincult ia
the evening there was a ban whers
he dancers moved 20 she music - an
accordion. and prizes ~ hats, money
md clothes were ast-eed % the iurky
rictors AZ the days srortE.'
Speaking n unique ceiebfationa
aid another man. 4 remember onS
which stands out quite prominently
ma shlch occurred when ! wss IA
Mexico happened % b. thera
when che news arrived ~ The aurren-
'sr az Santiago. and we boys concluded
ye would h0nof tbe OCCASION IN SONS
unusual way 20 we ordered our men
. take hundred sticks u dynarsslts
NJ break each stick into four pieces,
nakinF a total or 500 Then ~ got a
81 az caps and gent - the top - .
near a. hard AMI ST 1herI
=. ma king q terrible racket aaa con-
ineinz the Nsxicana that the FourtA
Z July was about the biggest ihi0s
asY had ever heard n
-Bus we rad afrealv surpassed fhis
ccasiOn. think when we hear1 AZ
'esey's entrance into Manila harior.
y then ve act or four fgns u 8yra-
.i.e ~ q similar manner Tha IFHa-
.lfs had been cnaAeruned. trff = weas
p feEf the Same. vrifh surk e terri1s
ois~ that ne were ~ ff1xhsanesI "a
se HeItcaas. when ossT sara were
AIRY spit ~ ffie cgncuszfon. ard great
5sieers. many ~ @bich would weigh
ssersi tsss. came rolling fouu fross
e sanaEnif % The naoantsfn
" r BTTTToS