The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-27
BESSEMER MAN ON
 TRIP ID PACIFIC Tells How Los Angeles Enter
 tained the EIks HORSES BURN IN STABLE Four-Year-old Daughter of MT. and Mrs. Eugene Rocket Dies-Per- sonal and General News of
 the Marvel City.
HORSES BURN IN STABLE

Mead, T. J. Lamar of Bessemer and c. w. Johns of Birmingham returned last night from Los Angeles, where they have been attending the convention of the Elks. MT. Mead gives an interesting account of his trip through the west and tells many things of interest.
 "The Elks on the Pan-American Ex- 1 press, which took the party from here and from Birmingham, were entertained [ wherever the length of the stay permit ! ted. At Meridian, at Dallas and in fact 1 all along the route we were met by the ' local Elks and royalty entertained during our stay Although the train carried seven Pullmans and diner many were turned away on account of the lack Of accommodations. This happened especially at Meridian, where 110 were turned back. | Our train went through Cripple Creek, where the great gold mines are located, and number of our party, among them myself, visited the mines. The appear ance of the gold ore struck me as pecu- 1 liar, it being not at all what I imagined 1t to be. The appearance of the ore when first taken from the mine is very dull and l thread. When the ore is heated until 1t is white the dark thread becomes bright | gold and glitters like the real article. Cripple Creek is a very progressive town, having a large residence section The peculiar fact about the town is that0bout , every other store Is an assay shop, where one can get the gold weighed and ex- changed for coin if desired.
 From Cripple Creek we proceeded in- directly to Colorado Springs, where we were rendered a magnificent entertain ment by the local lodge. Some of the party ascended Pike's Peak. From here we went through the Grand Canon, where the most remarkable thing is the sight of the immense wooden. pipes which run alongside the railroad for hundreds of miles, carrying water to the numerous I cities and towns along the route. At Salt Lake City we were met by delegation and the town was ours during our stay. Many went bathing In the salt lake, where 1t Is impossible to sink. The water buoys you up, being 24 per cent salt. We traversed the immense trestle across the lake and were astonshed at Its length, being something over 70 miles. The train does not slow up in crossing, running 1 along at the rate of 35 miles an hour. Our train was not delayed by the wash outs and arrived in Los Angeles Just eight days after our departure from Brming- ham.
 "The scene at Los Angeles is impos- sible to describe. The city was simply crowded with Elks. The badges cost s2 apiece and were handsome souvenirs The electrical displays and decorations were wonderful. The Los Angeles Ex- aminer had the most unique display in the whole city. The main building was covered with thousands of incandescant lights formed in signs of Welcome The main display was an immense star and meteor. which flashed around the star at intervals and burst into an inn mense B. P. o. E. sign in colored lights. The floats in the street parade were also very original. The scenes portrayed were: ! Jonah and the Whale, the Bucking Bronco, which worked automatically; q porpoise, Cleopatra, and the Sea Serpent. Another unique feature of the parade was an immense Elk made entirely out of prunes and apricots. The automobiles which were in the parade were covered with flowers, not one of which was arti- ficial.
 "We were very hospitably enterta aimed | in Los Angeles. the people seeming more inclined to give than to take. There was none of the usual raising of prices which is evident at most of the large conventions. The accommodations were | ample. even for the crowd that was in' the city and every one had a very en- joyable time while there'