The Springfield herald., 1909-09-17
Gant's Party
HOmeWard Bound

bth lnSt., was QeVOCeu 10 aCLenOlnR ser
mons and lectures by many eminent ex-
Founders of religious doctrines, both
men and women, and included noted
elders from many different states. On
the Sd we visited Royal Arch and ar
rived there after wandering thro beau-
tiful spruce and fern groves for two
miles. The arch is so feet in height
and very picturesque. We were some
what delayed in persuing our homeward
journey on account of the heavy rains
which fell incessantly on the 9th and
Laura was also slightly ihdisposed.
Tuesday the 7th finds Laura some
what better and the threatening clouds
materially dissipated, and after devot-
ing the morning to final preparation,
we boarded our schooner at 2 O'Clock
and began our journey homeward., The
roads were the worst we had evet seen
and progress was very slow. We pas
sed several small mining towns which
consisted mainly of or 4 saloons and
a general store. We stopped over
night at Louisville.
On Wednesday morning we continued
our drag through the mud and crossed a
small stream where freshet had
washed the bridge out two days before
causing a man with his horse and bug
gy to be swept into the surgihg stream
Our course now passed some Beautiful
farms; the clover and timothy fields
reminded US older people of the far east
We continued on through sea of mud
until we arrived at the capital city,
when automobiles and street cars took
up our attention and compelled US to go
more slowly as our horses were not ac-
customed to the change. We went
south to Welton street then turned east
into broadway and continued out to the
north side of City Park, where we
camped for the night having arrived
quite late. We had been one and half
days driving 81 miles. Wehad splen-
did place to camp and after turning
our horses out on the range on fine
grass, we spent an hour in the park
before retiring.
Thursday we were all up bright and
early to see the sights. We had quite
an advantage in having made the ac-
quaintance of Mr., Hill at the Chautau-
qua who has charge Of the animals at
the park, and he directed US to lovely
place to camp and seemed to take a
great interest in our seeing the sights.
In the park we saw many buffalo, elk,
deer, antelope, bear, mountain lions,
wolves and other animals too numer-
Gus to mention: We returned to the
schooner at noon quite fatigued and
after partaking of a light lunch took
brief rest. In the afternoon Mr..
Hill introduced us to his grandson,
pleasant young man Of 16, who yolun-
teered to act as guide for US while TAX
ing in the city. We went to the south
west corner of the park where we
boarded 18th street EAR and soon ar
rived on Broadway, where we saw the
two leading hotels, the Browns Palace
and the Savoy. We then started for
Lake Side or White City and en- route
passed Daniel & Fishers big store, and
also some skyscrapers. We went into
the Golden Eagle, and some of the
folks boarded an elevator for the first
time in their life, and were soon landed
on the third floor feeling no inconyen-
ience, but in descending some felt of
the soles of their shoes to see if they
were still on. We then went to the
Union Depot, then to Oakes home,
beautiful home for aged women, then
to Elitches Gardens, and then on to the
White City, but as the same was closed
we proceeded on 10 nile ride thro the
city, from east to west, We passed
the Sugar building, the Loop, the Tele-
phone building, the Plaza block and
passed many other interesting places
until we landed at Fairmount cemetery.
city of the dead, covering 300 acres.
The keeper showed us through the
grounds and the greenhouse and then
decorated US with flowers. We then
returned home, taking the street cars
part of the way, then walking but re-
turned to the street car, The electric
1 eUeCCS Ill DtIlNel dItSI VAIN utG NSls
beautiful and fascinating.
On Friday morning we made prepar-
ations to continue our journey home
ward. During breakfast we were
called upon by an elderly couple and in
vited to partake of breakfast with
them on the following morning, but de-
clined, as we were bent on returning
home. On leaving the park, Mr.. Hill
bade us fond farewell aud made us
feel as though we We're leaving home
again. We continued on to 18th ave-,
and then west to Broadway and then
south to the capitol grounds. Here we
left Ella and Laura in charge of the
outfit, while the rest of us went into
the capitol building. We first went in
to the museum where we saw many
historical relics, but became greatly in
terested in an old rifle, once belonging
to Kit karson, and into the stock of