The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-07-30
GRAND ARMY EXCURSION

Interest in the Grand Army excur-
sion grows apace, and as the interest
wakes warm the excursion train
stretches in length The first PROPOSE.
ton was for two tourist sleepers at
tached to regular across continent
trains. The two were speedily taken,
a third and fourth were added and
more applications for passage have
now accumulated than the doubled
capacity would accommodates Cap
tain Bowman, the pushing agent of
the Vermont department, then APP
pealed to j. II. Bentley, G.. p. A. of
the Central Vermont, for increased
transportation. Mr.. Bentley, keenly
alive to the interests of the railway as
we'll as soilcitous for the accommodate
ton of the comrades, their friends and
fellow excursionists, forthwith re-
sponded. A fifth sleeper was provid-
ed. Not only this; instead of trailing
behind regular trains, special train
was made up to start as special and
run as a special to the Pacifcc oast
Tie five sleepers, "A baggage car and
a spacious coach for a smoker, consti-
tute the train. Two sleepers, the bag
gage and the smoker will start from
White River Junction the third sleep.
err will be added at Montpelier, and at
Swanton the two sleepers from Nor
risville, department headquarters
The energy and efficiency of Capt.
Bowman appear in this result His
experience highly qualified him for
the work the Department of Vermont
had to do-to organize the excursion
and prepare for its transportation.
How well this has been done, with the
cooperation of the Central, is shown
in the remark of the Union Pacific
agent, that the Vermont party will
have the best and the slickest railway
outfit that will leave for San Fran
cisco.
At all the stopping places the special
will be set on a siding, the travelling
home of the eXcursionists. Before en-
tering Canada the baggage will be ex-
amined and the car sealed by the GUS
toms officers, and baggage will go
through i'll bond to Port Huron. On
entering the United States again the
seals will be cut and excursionists
will have free access to their baggage
thereafter. In respect of baggage, it
should be checked at starting,
through to destination. 1t will hardly
be necessary to suggest that hand bag
age containing articles needed en- route
be taken along. West of Chicago a
boufet car will be attached
The train will carry some 200 peo-
pie. A notable feature of the passen-
ger list is the circumstance that it is
made up chiefly of man and wife.
The sprinkling of young people who
will go along and the general char
acter of the eXcursionists will make
this trip to the regions of California
and the extreme west a most notable
one. 1t is not likely to be repeated in
a generation.
To the Central Vermont and its i'm
mediate representative, j. H. Bentley,
the general passenger agent, and to
Capt. Bowman, a veteran in the or
ganizing and exploiting similar en-
terprises, and the management of the
connecting roads, the old soldiers, their
families and friends and the other
participating excursionists are iudebt-
ed for this opportunity to see much of
this great country the boys in blue
fought in the early sixties to preserve
and make a nation.