The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-23

Hank Monk, the stage driver of the pioneer days in the far west was immor- talized by Mark Twain in his Rough ing It." The stage coach in which Hank Monk got Horace Greeley to Placerville ''ontime" and the gold watch that was presented to the intrepid Jehu because of his record breaking trip will be among the interesting curios at the worlds fair, St. Louis in 1904.
 Mr. J. A. Yerington, of Carson City, Nevadas executive commissioner to the worlds fair, was in St. Louis a few days ago and told Charlie M. Reeves, seere- tary of the states and territorial exhib- it's. committee, that Nevada would ex- hbit among other interesting things, these famous IIandk Monk relics.
 Hank Monk, as will be remembered by everyone who has read Mark Twain's first famous book. "Roughlng It" was the driver who was in charge of the stage that carried Horace Greeley into Plaeerville one evening in the latter six ties. MT. Greeley was booked to deliver an address in that mining village at T o'clock The trip was tedious and the great editor began to fear that he would not reach Placerville in time to keep his engagement. He leaned out of the stage window and asked the driver, Hank Monk, If he could not entice a little more speed from the horses.
 The imperturbable driver leaned down and replied:
 Keep your seat, Horace, I'll get you ther on time"
 How Hank kept his word is graphic ally recorded by MT. Clemens. Probably no trip was ever made over the noun tains at such break neck speed. The distinguished passenger was tossed around in the bounding stage coach like corn in a poper and there were those who declared that Mir. Greeley's head was forced through the roof.
 The trip was the topic of the entire coast country and some admirers of the celebrated driver bought him hand some gold watch. Inside the case ap- pears this inscription:
 Presented to Hank Monk in commem- oration of his celebrated drive in land- ing Horace Greeley on time. Keep your seat, MT. Greeley, I'll get you there on time.' "
 At the time of Greeley's ride Hank Monk was In the employ of Dr. J. M. Benton, of Carson City. Monk and Ben- ton were close friends and when this old stage driver died the famous watch passed into the possession of pr. Benton Hank Monk was buried in the cemetery at Carson City, A plain sandstone slab marks the grave and in a niche cut in the stone may be seen a tintype portrait of the man who got Horace Greeley in Ion time"
 MT Warrington has secured the watch from Mir. Benon and will have 1t on exhi- bition in the Nevada building.
 The other Hank Monk relic which will attract even more attention is the same old stage coach in which Horace Greeley took the famous ride. MT. Yerington was able to secure this and 1t vii be talk en to the worlds fair and will be used as the coach of state by the Nevada offi- | cials. When distinguished guests reach St. Louis the old coach with a driver of the pioneer day in typical costume. will
 be at Union station and convey them to | the official Nevada home at the world g | fair grounds. Then every day the old l coach may be seen dashing down the
 steep hills from the plateau of states to l the mining gulch, where will be con structed a typical California mining camp of the Forty-nne days This trip | will be made just as it was many years | ago when the gold dust was daily taken | from the mines to a place of safety. Mir. Yerington says that Mark Twain Is almost worshpped out in Carson City. While he was known only by the name of Sam Clemens the author was resi- dent of Carson City and was employed in reportorial capacity on a paper In Carson City owned by MT. Yerring- | tons father. Much of the material for | 'Roughing It. was gathered in Nevada | before fortune smiled on the great hu- morist.
 | Electric launches large electric barges, Venetian gondolas and a large number | of other small craft will ply the mile of | waterways at the worlds fair next year. | The large boats will run over regular | courses carrying passengers between | landings which will be supplied in vari- | ous parts of the grounds. The agoons
 reach every section of the main picture
 Of the exposition passing by the facades
 of many of the big exhibit palaces and | offering an unexampled view of the cas- | cades and fountains. The intra-mural | railroad and the miniature railway do
 not reach this district so that the water | transportation will be an attractive
 means of travel In the ''main picture.'s a1z