The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-06-03
HAVANA EXCURSION.
Triun phaI Entry Of the Louisiana Press
Association into The Historic
Cuban Capital.


Cuban Capital.
For many years it has been the
| custom OF the Louisiana Press Assoc
citation to make a trip to- some city or
point OF interest after the conclusion
of the annual session of the associa-
ton. and these excursions have come
/ TO be regarded as an Indispensable
and particularly enjoyable pastime Of
the yearly reunion of the states pen
1 Gil pushers. AS a for Wordit might be
said that the trip was delightful beyond
description, and everyone OF the fifty
three persons comprised in the APP
pended list of the e3cursionists will
cheerfully subscribe TO this statement:
Chaperones-J. M. Lee, Jr., general
agent Southern Pacific Company; Mrs.
j. NJ. Lee, Jr.; Gen. Gabe F'illeul,
travelling passenger agent Southern
Pacific Company.
Newspaper Representatives - Chas,
E. Sehwing, Plaquemine; Miss Alice
Bickham, Franklinton; Z. 3. Bentley
and wife, New Orleans: J. 6. Trimble
and wife, Farmerville; John Marks
and wife, E. D. Gfanelloni and wife,
Napoleonyille; Leonce Sandoz and
wife. Misses Estelle and Gertrude Sam
| doz, Miss Effie Diminich, L. A. Sandoz,
Opelousas; James Holt and Thos. f..
Noonan, Memphis, Tenn. j. Il. Kelley,
| Vicksburg, Miss; N. z. and o. N.
Bouney, Summit, Miss; VIM. 7. and
SefYastien Roy, st. Bernard; W. HI.
/ SeaaIand, Benton: E. Wayles Browne,
j. B. Beard and Phil Mcguire, Lake
Providence; James A. Gremillion,
/ Marksville; NJ. W. Fisher, New Iberia;
| Miss Elizabeth Lowden, Fl. G. Smith
and wife, A. B. Gilmore, New Orleans;
| Leo DeCoux, wife and daughter, Kent
wood: Albert Bienvenu, wife and
daughter, st. Martinyille; Miss Ella
Bentley and G. D. Bentley, Donald
sonvilie; Miss Virgie Wheaton, Alex
andria; Cal D. Hicks and wife, A. J.
Frantz, Shreveport; W. z. and w.
S. Holland, Greensburg; II. A. Mang-
| ham, Rayville; Maurice Patin, Breaux
Bridge; S. j. Dicharry, Convent.
AS stated on the last page Of this
paper, the editors who made the Ha-
vana trip left Thibodaux Friday after
noon, May 26, and proceeded to New
Orleans over the Southern Pacific
Railroad. occupying a special chair
car provided though the courtesy Of
the railroad officials. The following
day at noon the party boarded the
splendid steamship Excelsior, of the
Southern Pacifc's New Orleans-Ha-
vana line, and promptly at ? O'Clock in
the afternoon, to the accompaniment Of
the footing of whistles and the fond
good-byes of those afoat and ashore,
the vessel cast off her lines and turned
her prov down stream, heading for the
broad, tossing waters OF the Gulf of
Mexico and the land Of sunshine and
enchantment which lay beyond. Leav-
ing the lower horn Of the Crescent
City dwindling il the distance, the
good ship glided swiftly down the
murky Mississippi, past the low
lying sugar cane, rice and orange
plantations, with their white pillared
mansions, beautiful oak groves and
towering sugar factories. just before
nightfall the Excelsior passed through
the jetties of South Pass and shortly
was tossing from her bows the foam.
of the blue green waters of the gulf,
gently rising and falling to the rhythm
OF the restless waves. AS the vessel
ploWed her way farther anG farther
into the vast and seemingly limitless
ex pense of sea, the waters assumed a
hue Of deepest indigo and the wake
stretched long in the rear like bril-
liant, sparkling streak Of liquid flame.
Across the Carib Sea on the Sabbath
day and night she steamed, porpoises
and flying fish leaping nevery side and
the solitude unbroken by CLINT of sail
or sight of land. In the early morning
of Monday the coast line of the Isle of
Cuba streaked along the horizon ahead
and the tall lighthouse of grim old
Moro Castle doomed in the distance,
standing high on the peak of that
rocky and historic fortress, once a
warlike and challenging sentinel, but
now a peaceful guardian.
Passing through the Narrows and
into the broad, land-loeked bay, the
steamer g1ided to her moorings il Ha-
vana harbor and making fast to her
buoy, rested calmly on the water be-
fore the historic city of Columbus.
Within a few hundred feet from the
shore the dark blue Of the sea changed
to hue of pale green, making an eff
fective foreground for the quaint old
city, with it's houses gayly painted in
tints of pinks and yelloWs and browns,
and blues and greens and white, and
topped with the deep red of the Spanish
tiled roofs. Beyond rise the green
hills, crowned with stately palms, and
above was a sky intensely blue. 1t
was all very bright and highly colored
and charming, whether seen in the
tinted air Of the early morning or ID
the full blaze Of the MONDAY sun. The
harbor expands into a magnificent
bay, two and one-half miles wide, with