Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-11-15
Volume xxx.
GRANGE BUILDING IN IOWA


weeks ago Published by Request.
Since being associated with the National
Grange, have always felt that the great
Agricultural State of Iowa should be found
in the Grange ranks. Upon being chosen
Lecturer of the National Grange, after a
consultation with the National Master,
N. J. Batchelder, it was decided that
should spend a few weeks this fail working
up the Order in that State. | was given
but little encouragement by the National or
State officers familiar with the field, bat
after taking the work up / determined 30
give it my entire attention and do nay very
best to bring the great State back into the
fold of the Patrons
With this end in view 1 left Breat Street
Station Monday, September Srd, at 1-a0 p.
M, on the Pennsylvania Limited, which as
you know is one Of the best equipped trains
on this great transportation system. The
traveller starting cut on mission like mine
could not fail to be impressed wish the
greatness of agriculture in this country. L
could but admire the we'll kept farms of
Lancaster County. The time of she year
for gathering the tobacco crop was at hand
and on almost every farm we passed they
were cutting the plants and tying them
together in such manner as to keep the
leaves Strengthened out. They were placed
on poles made for the purpose, in order that
the crop naight be transported to the inn
mense barns and there hung up TO dry. l
presume the users of the weed would be
more interested in the handling OF she crop
than your humble servant.
/ was yery much impressed with the
beautiful scenery as we sped away over the
hills and through thexalleysof she keystone
State. AT about sundown, we.eame to the
Horseshoe Curve. 20 attempt to describe
this picturesque spot is beyond my ability.
In looking across the raYipe to the west we
saw, like pure gems held in magnificent
settings provided tby nasure, the water in
the reservoirs which supply Altoona's
thousands Of happy people. Upon reach
ing the part of the curve representing the
toe of the shoe, we saw that in its centre,
the Railroad Company as is its custom has
aided nature in beautifying the world famed
spot with plot of green grass, surrounding
a horseshoe of beautiful flowers. The
traveller is reminded that this np-to-date
railroad system is alive to the opportunities
Of making their property attractive to
strangers, an example we farmers might
emulate with profit TO ourselves, and at the
same time aid in thedignifying the calling
ofagriculture.
Soon after this darkness, which .descends
as gently upon unsightly objects as upon
beautiful scenery, settled down ever the
outside world, and I turned my thoughts
and attention from the passing landscape
without, to the interior OF the brightly
lighted car, and spent the remainder of the
evening, listening, perfegce, to the elegant
stories Of the professional travelling men;
stories which are better heard than told
better listened 20 in a railroad car, than re-
lated to Bible class Af5er listening for a
while to the stories of their adventures,
probable and improbable, norally strength
ening and otherwise, the lone traveller from
New Jersey retired for the night, and lulled
to sleep by the rhyme of the car wheels,
rode through the Buckeye State without q
glimpse of the farm homes, villages and
cities which border she railmay. 1t has
been nv misfortune to cross Ohio, always
under shese conditions
Hoosierdom which will always claim a
warm corner in my heart for it's own, be-
cause Of the royal treatment accorded Inc a
few weeks earlier, was just disappearing
from view to the rear when dawn overlook
our speeding train and awakened nae. The
same sun which had risen in my New Jer-
sey home some time earlier, sent it's cheer
ful beams down on me as we rolled into
the Prairie State, the home Of the Suckers,
not of she whole family, however, for we
find their relatives scattered over vide
territory.
We pulled into Chicago at 8.45 that
morning and found that but thirty minutes
would eIapse before the departure of the
train over the Burlington route which would
bear me west to my destination.
Thirty minutes is not great allowance
Of time for viewing the sights Of the wonder
ful young Windy City whose population
already exceeds shat Of our Philadelphia.
The train which carried me out Of Chicago
was local, and / could not help but OBJ
serve the inferiority Of its service compared
with that Of the train over the Pennsyl-
yania in which rode to Chicago.
The train was loaded ,and seats were well
taken. At the first stop out Of she City. an
old lady, one Of the nervous kind, whose
travelling experience had been limited,
boarded she train and took a seat by my