Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-03-15
TELLS OF JOURNEY TO
NATIONAL CAPITOL
COL. SWIFT WRITES OF TRIP
TO WASHINGTON. D. G.
Reports for Duty in the Department
of the InteriOr-MeetS Many
of the Wisconsin Colony
Expects Soon to Be Ordered
to Some Point West.

Col. P. H. Swift, who recently
| left for Washington, D. c., to report
| for duty as a special agent in the de-
partment OF the interior, writes of his
trip and sights seen at the national
capital. He writes in part as follows:
Washington, D. C. Mch. 5, 'O7.
Dear Ones at Home AS you are
aware, reached here Saturday at 2 :4O
after an uneventful journey, there
being but few in the Pullman in which
| rode and | made no acquaintance
except the conductor and porter.
Soon after leaving Milwaukee it be-
gan to rain and when | arrived at Chi
cago at 3 40 it was so dark that the
street lamps were burning and ALPHA
ces of business lighted up. Was trans
ferred from the Union depot to the b.
& O. depot by the transfer company,
my ticket providing for the same with
out extra pay which otherwise would
have been fifty cents. Left Chicago
at 100 a. m, over the b. q y. road,
which gives an excellent service.
1t took US fifty minutes steady run
ming to get out of Chicago into the
country and then it was water ON
all sides until we were well into lndi-
ana and owing to rain and fog saw
but little of the country. Went to
my berth early and arose at ali early
hour the next morning feeling good, so
| could enjoy the scenery of the Cum
berland mountains, which we crossed.
During the previous day and part of
the night we traversed Ohio, goodly
land and part of West Virginia and
about O'Clock struck the Potomac
river and places of historic interest,
Maryland Heights, old forts of the
days of the Civil war and about 8
O'Clock crossed the river at Harper
Ferry from West Virginia into Mary
land. At Harpers Ferry saw the
monument erected to the memory of
John Brown by the negroes OF this
country. 1t stands near the depot
and in plain view of each passing
train. Soon after leaving Harpers's
Ferry we reached Cumberland, the
second largest city IN Marylnad
where we had breakfast, the diner
having been detached at GAINESVILLE.
Ohio, and by the way my appetite
has been excellent since leaving
home.
Approaching Washington | was dis
appointed with the stiffness evident
on all sides, but it all disappeared
upon my arrival in the city, which
is certainly one of the most magnificent
IN The world simply grand and we'll
worth visit, yet, 1t is d city of
transients and never will be home to
those who love home. There are wide,
we'll shaded streets, many parks and
drives, monuments without number
statuary fountains, mammouth build
ings in fact everything that money can
buy to make 1T beautiful and pleas
ing to the eye-but not to the soul.
The library building is the finest in
the world and cost millions of dollars
all white and varigated marble
with mosaic floors and mural decorated
walls and ceilings. Shall visit the
Zoo, Botanical Garden and Smithsonian
Institute as l have time
Since coming here have met Senator
Spooner, Representatives jenkins and
Nelson, Col. Cason, col. WEIGH, Nord
Field, Thomas Brakany, Hector McRae,
Byron Price, Frank Flower, Will
Ginty, Judge Reed, John Door, James
Sacket, all Wisconsin people whom |
know. Have not seen either Knute
Nelson or LaFollette. as both are
sick and confined to their rooms.
Went this morning to the General
Land office and had conference with
the Commissioner and am to report
tomorrow noon. Hope he will send
me out west so | can be out in the
open air and out of the city where
there is more freedom. Am still
stopping at the Hotel Burton and
all letters and papers will reach me
| if sent in care of that hotel.
Yours affecsionately
P. H. Swift.