Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1911-01-06
A TEXAS WASH0UT.

SlOn WIFI q SANDY SOIL. LII Is HOG
liable to drouth like the west of
that great state, and at times there
is an excessive downpour which
easily takes the loose, reckless soil.
! About the middle of May, 1908,
| was on my way to Shreveport,
La, and had occasion to change
cars at the small junction town of
Big Sandy on one of the head
streams of the Neckes river. 1t
was late in the afternoon when we
arrived, and there was none too
much time to get under cover, for
a heavy, black cloud had begun to
unload its watery burden. Only
the night before there had been a
six-inch storm not far away.
The station was already full of
people. They were the paessen-
gers of an east-bound train, who
had been brought in by a special
train from washout. We were at
length told by the station agent
that no train could get to Shreve-
port that day because of another
washeut. There was a break in
the track on each side of the Big
Sandy. 1t was now in order for
the crowd to look up accommoda
tions for the night, and it taxed the
capacity of thefew hotels and board
ing houses to provide shelter for so
many people. Several persons did
not look up the nattersoon enough,
and had to remain all night in the
station. One of them was a young
farmer from West Texas who had
small girl he had to carry about in
his arms. She was unable to walk
and he was taking her away for
treatment.
In the morning the crowd reas-
sembled at the station, waiting pa
tiently for the chance to resume
our journey. All appeared to be
Southern people, and some were on
their way to revisit old homes in
Mississippi or Alabama, or were re-
turning from visit to Texas. 1t
was no time at all before everybody
had become acquainted with every
body else. Notwithstanding the
suspense the hours passed pleasant
ly and many a new friendship was
made. A common misfortune had
made companions of us all.
1t was only a short while before
that two young fellows came to me
and said they had told the station
agent they were strapped and could
not pay for meals or lodging. They
reported that he took them in
charge looked out for their |, GALS and
then found lodgings for them. They
advised me to plead poverty like
wise. ! could not say | was strap
ped, but I did inquire of the agent,
who told me to bring receipt from
my lodging house and he would re-
fund what | had paid. This was
done. | then told several of my
new friends, and what a few knew
al first every one soon knew. The
upshot was that while at Big San
dy we were boarded at the expense
! of the Texas Pacific Railroad.
The day wore away and still no
train. We sought our former quar-
tiers again, and though there was
the possibility we might have to
get out in the dead of night our
slumbers were undisturbed, and it
was past noon when a traahbss-S
peared to take us on by way of the
Cottonbelt Railroad. This involv-
ed going about twice the direct dis
tance and stopping over night at
Texarkana. AS we got aboard, all
agreed that Big Sandy was a place
long to be remembered.
BY this time we were like the
members of a fraternal society.
Whenever any person reached the
place where his own journey ended
there were words of good bye.
When, as at Texarkana and Shreve-
| port, we had to lie off between
trains, those who knew these cities
piloted their new friends to suita-
/ BILE accommodations, and in gener-
al we made ourselves mutually help
! full. In my own case, | had two