The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-07-03

Yes, promised to write and describe
my trip, but ii you ever tried to write
an editorial and heard the pressman and
the Devil hammering at the old machine
I while the thermometer was climbing up
ward; and ii YOU multiply that noise
and the heat hundred fold You will be
vim 10 realize the obstacles in my way
| Have made several attempts to write
only to lean back weary, perspiring and
wishing myself back in Astoria,
OF course a trip like this has its ben
efts. One forgets the hundred little de-
tails of business while viewing the coun'
try through which he travels. think a
person is ike razor: gets dull and
needs sharpening. and 50 little rub
inc against sharper and brighter men
than oneself necessarily takes the dull
edge off man.
What did / see: Well, l was gone
only a little over three weeks and got
only a glimpse OF things but | saw and
heard enough to give my mind a years
Job 10 digest it all.
On my way East / stopped at Seattle
part of a day and found that Queen
City full of life and push as usual II
an Oregonian can't 90 further, he should
20 to Seattle once in while and there
breathe that spirit which makes men
/ hustle and towns grow and prosper;
they recently finished the Alaska block
beautiful white structure about SIN
teen stories high, and some large prop
erty owner has already started to &C
his neighbor one better and is working
on an eighteen story block.
There | met Fred Keene, formerly OF
Astoria. who has made his pile on the
Sound; also Mr.. +. c. Lewis, the man
who helped me get reputation as post
master, fine accountant and a loyaI
| friend. Next, | stopped at Spokane ioi
one dav. That is another typical Wash
! ington city, full of enterprise and being
in the heart of a fine country, the only
city of consequence for a large wealthy
territory, it is easy to predict Spokane 5
greatness and it is good enough now
There / met the smiling countenance oi
the best part OF Morse department store
the main guy himself. Hello Morse!
what yer doin' here: Why, hello
Wise. where in-this heat--do you come
from? And over the Ice cream soda
we talked of dear old Astoria, Morse and
me.
But if Morse was pleasant, the triF
from Spokane was worse. From Spo
kane to St. Paul / imagined myself TAX
inc the fifth degree of the order oi
Imps. Have you ever been in barre
rushed through the steaming room whlI'
a score of boilermakers played the anvl
chorus on the barrel! Then you can i'm
mapine what it meant to sit for severa
days and nights in a closed car, the ther
rometer near the 100 mark and th
wheels jolting against the rails and 90
inc around curves. Still, there ar
amusing things on the way. At Gran
, Forks. y. D., they were expecting
large delegation OF pioneers to atten
the convention Of old settlers OF the lie
river valley. As the train pulled in tn
crowd at the depot cheered, brass ban
blew itself red in the face, while II
per.piration .treamed down the wrinkle
on the neck Of the German leader an
the reception committee made ru'
for our observation car. But there wei
M settlers on this train. That SETTLE
| those disappointed Grand Forkers.
| Cashmere. a little station this side
| Wepatchee. Wash, while everybody al
| his friend were looking for a cool spC
| a lone Indian walked up and down I
/ platform, wearing a pair Of bucksk
pants. with heavy fur down both sid
| of the trouser legs. That Injun II ne'
| 90 TO Hades. 1t wouldn't be hot enou
| for him there.
After leaving st. Paul the trip "
more pleasant. Less heat, less dust a
= nice, green, level country. Minneso
Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and o
sened like one grand garden at t
time of the year. Just before reach
Cleveland, Ohio, our train skirted be-
!, | tiful Lake Erie and ! almost imagil
myself riding along the Columbia. Il
- Park. at Cleveland, was all abb
Great towers and buildings were ill
mated. 1t seems that a great mi
Eastern cities have adopted the II
or Trail features Of the expositi'