Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-05-17
TO SAN FRANCISCO
81 YEARS AGO
WISCONSIN MEMS EXCURSION
OVER NEW UNION PACIFIC.
MADIS0NIANS IN PARTY
Arrival in Sacramento July 90, 1869
-RoyaIIy Entertained-D. X. Ten
ney Goes Fishing, Of Course-L. S.
Hanks, N. 3. Van SIyke and ]. (.
Moseley Also There.

Moseey Also There.
A copy Of the San Francisco Even
ing Bulletin, under date of July 80,
1869 contains an interesting news
item, still good reading for all it's 81
years. Reproduced, with its peculiar
capitalization 1t is as follows:
"A Wisconsin Party.
The following gentlemen compose
the Milwaukee party, which arrived
at Sacramento yesterday Hon. b. f.
Hopkins, Member Of Congress, Second
Wisconsin District; Gen. Philetus
Sawyer, Member Of Congress, Fifth
District; Hon. Thomas S. Allen. Sec.
rotary Of State; Hon. William e.
Smith, State Treasurer; Col. Charles
II. GIL, Acknowledgement; Gen. j. NJ.
Rusk, Bank Controller; Hon. William
M. Grlswold, ex-senator; Hon. Samuel
Hay, President First National Bank
Of Wisconsin; Hon N. S. Greene Of
Milford, ex-senator; DR.. II. b. Treat,
of GAINESVILLE; Hon. George b. Smith,
ex-AttorneyGeneral; William H..
Wyman of Milwaukee; Judge George
Gary, Judge Supreme Court; Col.
Thomas Reynolds, U. S. Pensiyl
Agent; N. Il. Van Slyke, President
National Bank OF Madison; James
Ross, editor Madison State Jourra'.
and ID. X. Tenney Philo Dunning,
Samuel Klauber, j. e. Moseley, G. W..
Bly,, w. j. Ellsworth, Dr. }. b Bowen,
E. b. Burdick, l.. S. Hanks and p. b.
Parsons. The other members of the
party are bankers, lawyers, merchants
and gentlemen interested in manu-
features and internal improvements
OF every kind and everywhere"
When seen about this old-tlme ex-
cursion d. X. Tenney recalled it per-
fectly and became Interestingly rem
iniscent
There were Just 2S of us In that
party, and a jolly company it was.
The trip was arranged by Congress
men Hopkins Of Madison and Sawyer
OF Oshkosh, and except for the Pull
man sleeper and the meals was en-.
tirely complimentary. We chartered
a sleeping car in Chicago and lived
in It month, or Whereabouts. We
carried a state flag, and whenever the
train stopped long enough we got out
and waved the emblem of Badgerdom
That flag took the breeze from every
montain over which we passed. Our
car was attached to a regular train
and was put on siding whenever
we felt inclined to make stop or
a side trip.
Either George Gary or our towns
man, Mr., Van Slyke, wrote car-song
which We carpentCred until it uIted in
to the good old tune, Robin des Bots.
In those days | was something of
singer there were several others in
the company who had music in their
souls, and the whole crowd could.
under the press of inspiration, Join in,
so we had a lot of fun singing the
praises of Wisconsin, IF a delegation
came out to meet us and extend II
welcome, we accepted the courtesy
and then sang them our song.
We stopped at several places go
ing out--a day at Laramie, then a
pretty wild and woody frontier VII,
lage. Not large, but exceedingly busy
after the fashion OF the west as it
was 40 years ago. At Ogden the car
was put ON sidetrack and we took
a stage to Salt Lake City. 1t was a
glorious ride down the valley and
over the ridges. At the seat of the
Norman church we spent some time
and then drove back to Ogden. At
Reno we made another stop and took
stages over uhe mountains to Virginia
CITY; then on to Sacramento, where
we were royalty entertained While
at San Francisco, David Ralston. thea
cashier of the Bank of California,
carried us all out to his country home
near San Jose and gave us a banquet
That certainly was one of the finest
in which | ever par
ticipated. There were Is courses. one
in honor of each of our party, and
the function lasted until two O'Clock
in the morning. An orchestra played
the sweetest music throughout che
evening, and there were toasts deliv.
cred worth ones while to hear. 1t
was most enjoyable trip. We saw
several phases of life,-that is, some
of us did
Mr., Hanks read the item from the
Bulletin with an expanding smile.
ut was Il happy party, congenial and
harmonious for "A whole month.
Messrs. Wyman and Tenney handled
the commissary, and YOU ought to
have seen the stun they provided.
We were not hungry, and there was
n plenty OF ice water When we
came back to Ogden from Salt lake
City we were told it would be about