The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1907-11-01
jamestown Exposition

jamestown Exposition Il
The following personal letter from
John Shaw to T. r. Shaw is published
at our request, believing that it would
prove of interest to many of our read.
erS.
Charlottesville, Va,
Oct. 18th, 1907.
Dear Tom:-We arrived home from
Jimtown- on the War-Path at 2:3O this
morning, tired bunch. You will never
again hear me say word about climb
ing hill being strenuous exercise, it is
restful slumbers compared with doing
an Exposition. We left here last Thurs
day at :45 a. IN. and arrived at New
port News about O'Clock, where we took
the boat and sailed DER the briny deep
as far as the Exposition grounds. We
succeeded in getting rooms at the Inn
side Inn and had breakfast at II, after
which we took little jaunt around the
grounds-finally stopping at the North
Dakota building. That seemed like
home and we hung around quite while
reading the Fargo and Grand Forks
papers, although we failed to meet any
one we knew, from our old home state.
A part of the afternoon we spent enjoy
ing an automobile ride around the
grou to get in the run of things gen.
orally, and locate the points of interest.
We took in the "War Path" during the
evening and discovered the same to be
constituted of many interesting and
amusing features-too numerous to
chronicle outside of book. The next
day we chased around the various build
ings and "rubbered" until we were pop
eyed. Our necks measured II chains, IL
links, in length, when we finally reposed
on our excelsior pillows at 1890 p. m.
l haven't time to write a catalogue
about what we saw. but we did see
enough of interest to make the trip
worth while. The newspapers will give
you much better description-.in gen.
eral way-than can compile it.
imposing spectacle in the world,
but the location is beautiful and
affords splendid opportunity for the
electrical display, which is exceptionally
fine. Then there are SO many interest
ing side trips one may take, it redeems
the whole show. The first $50 years of
American history was nearly all made
within very short radius of Jamestown.
Yorktown, where Cornwallace and the
blawsted British surrendered is almost
within sight. The battle between the
Monitor and the Merrimac could have
been seen from the Exposition ground
l am not surprised now that Virginians
are Sentimental and have such peculiar
loyalty to everything Virginian. It
should make any native-born American
feel solemn in contemplation. Every inch
of the ground is associated with the
memory of their greatest men and their
deeds.
On Saturday we took the boat for a
As mile ride up the historic James to
jamestown Island, and took in the
Memorial exercises held that day by the
Bishops of the Episcopal church, who
are holding some kind of convention in
Richmond. We heard some very fine
speaking. We landed at the spot where
Captain John Smith jumped out of his
boat, and could almost see his footprints
in the sand. Pocahontas wasn't there
to meet us, having an engagement else
where. Old man Powhatan also was out
on hunting trip and we did not have
the pleasure of meeting him. We did
see however,, that old church tower built
1919, with the holes in the side through
which Capt. Smith and his patriotic
companions used to shoot down the
noble red men. We struck there at a
luckier time than Capt. Smith did
however, for their wasn't an Indian in
sight. Itwasn't good day for scalping
for most of the Bishops were bald head
ed-and also some bald-headed who
were not Bishops. Old Powhatan would
surely have looked" at such bunch
of hairless warriors.
We remained on the island for several
honrs and then returned to the Exposi.
ton grounds; the beauties and fascina-
tions Of the "War Path" taking up our
time and money until bedtime. Sunday
morning we set sail for Norfolk, and
Tuesday a. m. arrived home. It was q
pleasant trip from start to finish and we
certainly enjoyed it.
Your brother,
JACK.