Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-08-09
Go-as-you-Please Excursion to Fishers

Mr.. ED1TR-Capt. J. B. yanMeter
and daughter, John w. Merchant. w.
ri. Merchant, Henry Cushwa, OF Berke-.
lev county. and the writer started to
take part in the reunion OF the old vet
Grams at Fishers Hill Saturday, August
18th.
We boarded the train at Shepherds
town at OILS a. m, an hour late-a bad
commencement. We slipped along nice
" until we reached Charles Town,
when something got wrong with the
engine and it had to be taken to the
blacksmith for repairs. We were de-
layed some time We expected to take
the train at Riverton, on the Southern
road. for Fishers Hill. which was due
at Riverton at ii o'clock. 1t looked as
if we would not make the connection,
but the conductor said we would. At
ter leaving Charles Town and maklLg
a run of ten miles we had hot box
and had to stop and let her cool. This
caused another delay Of half an hour.
1t looked now to be impossible to make
the connection at Riverton, though the
conductor said we could, but we had to
stop so often it was twelve o'clock be-
fore we arrived at Riverton. The ex-
cursion had passed and then our trou-
bles began. The ticket agent told US
we would have to walk to the next sta
ton, about mile up the road, but we
would be charged nothing for the walk.
We thanked him kindly and struck out
for the next station. The crowd SEEM
ed in the best of humor, but before half
the distance was covered mutterings
could be heard.
We were reminded that this was
go-as-you-please excursion, so we hoof-
ed it along. pitied Mrs. NJ, but she
stuck to it bravely, but said it was a
d-cf trip. However, we arrived at
the station all right.
| will here state that one Of the
crowd, thinking that something might
happen, took half pint Of whiskey
with him. We'll, something did happen,
and but for a smile at that bottle the
crowd never could have made the trip.
When we arrived at the station the
agent told us we would have to wait
about an hour This was not very
comforting, but it gave us plenty of
time to rest In due season the train
arrived, and it was crowded from end
to end. We pushed through the crowd
and found some vacant seats. We
thought we had struck it rich, but,
Oh we found ourselves in the "Jim
Crow" coach with one Jim Grow the
only occupant. What next? We had
been delayed hour after hour, hoofed
it for more than a mile through the
hot sun, waited for more than an hour
for the train, and when 1t did arrive
were pushed in the Jim Crow coach.
This was too much but we kept up our
spirits-not by pouring the spirits down
for that was all gone. By this time we
were ready for anything that might
turn up. We travelled along slowly un-
til we reached Fishers Hill, which
was about o'clock.
We had been just hours travelling
70 miles, less than II miles an hour,
but this was not so bad when you re-
member that part of the distance was
travelled on foot. Arriving at Fishers |
Hill, our troubles were soon forgotten. |
The whole county for more than a mile |
was crowded with people, the number |
being estimated at more than $4,000, |
the greater portion being young people. |
We were introduced TO Gen. Funk |
houser and his three charming daugh |
ters, and were invited to take dinner |
with the General. 1t would have done |
you good to have seen us get away with |
the good things spread before us. At |
ter dinner we took stroll through the |
crowd in search of old comrades and |
friends. OF course we were too late to |
hear Senator Daniels speech, which was
great disappointment to US, but | |
had pleasant talk with hin. on the |
last days of the Confederacy, which he
is writing up.
The bad management of the railroad |
people in getting us on the grounds so
late gave US little time to see friends. |
The time soon arrived for us to leave.
We are sorry to say that in the rush
to get to the railroad. we failed to say
goodbye to the General and the ladies
and thank them for their kindness and
the many courtesies shown us while
with them.
At o'clock the crowd made for the |
railroad to wait for the arrival of their
trains. There could not have been
less than five thousand people standing
or lying along the track waiting to |
make a rush for their train as soon as
it arrived. On the west side of the
track there was deep gully, making it
difficult to get on, and on the east side
it was not much better. There was no
platform or anything that would help |
the passengers in getting on. About
$50 blast from the whistle was heard,
and every man and woman was on their
feet ready for rush. The train came
in slowly few leaped on while it was
in motion, but the greater part stood |
still until the train stopped. Then
began mad rush such as never wit
messed before. | will give my own ex-
perience. Twas on the west side of the
track, this being the most difficult side
to get on. When the train stopped | |
made rush for the steps and grabbed |
the railing. bumped against several |
ladies, but no apology. | made leap
for the platform but got tangled up in
something white and some other things
that l don't know the name Of, but |
succeeded in skinning myself from
these things, landed safe on the plat
form, walked in and chose seat that
suited me. OF course this was not
proper thing for gentleman to do,
but you must remember that you were
most fortunate TO be able TO take care |
of yourself. Then came the rush ev-
cry body seemed to be in good humor
and all enjoyed the fun, young and
old alike. The fun was kept up until
we made the run to Riverton one hour
behind time, but this made no differ
ence, as the N. & w. train was an hour
and a-half late, which was not very |
comforting. We sat around and talked |
of the pleasures and the troubles we |
had experienced during the day until |
the train arrived. We boarded the |
train at 0 o'clock, made quick run to |
Shepherdstown, where we arrived |
about IL O'clock. This ended trip |
never to be forgotten by Captain Van
Meter and his escort.
must not forget to say that Mrs.
Myers was the life of the party. She