The Forrest City times., 1914-05-29
(By Clio Harper, Editor WIN. U)

tD4 AI'O LitNA PSA, i<NANOi N.gANs C.J "Oh happy day, oh happy day,
 When we came down Strawberry Way, They taught us how to eat and say,
 We want strawberries six tin@s day Oh happy day, oh happy dayf
 When we came down Strawberry Way"
 Three days of unalloyed pleasure through a land of unstinted prosper ity, one continuous round of entertain ments and receptions, breakfasts. and dinners and suppers, automobile drives and balls. speechmaking and festivities, among the most graCiously hospitable people on earth-that was the record of the annual excursion of the Arkars@s Press Association through Northeast Arkansas the three days following the forty-secoud an nua! convention May 2l, p and 23. From the rugged pictureSquencss of North Arkansas, up near the Missouri line. to the St. Francis valley with it's fertility snrpassing that of the Nile the eXcursionists went their trum. phant way.
 By all it was admitted to be the most successful excursion ever taken by the press gang-lhe country through which it passed was more varied and interesting, the reception everywhere the most enthusiastic, the entertainment most generous and free handed. Each community seemed to vie with the preceding in the liberal ity of its entertainment. and the only danger was that the recipients of all these honors and bounties might per ish Of oyer-feasting
 There were 174 members of he ex- cursion party, including the wives and children and sweethearts and invited guests, among whom were Mayor and Mrs Charles E. Taylor, Of Little Rock, MT. Taylor being one of those ire quently called upon to respond to toasts and addresses of welcome. The excursion covered 56S miles. of which 34p was on the Iron Mountain. 169 on the Frisco, and 59 on the NJ. & N. A. and the Jonesboro, Lake City X East cTn. The trip was made in a special train, with great streamers On the side Arkansas Press Association " It was accompanied throu shout by Gen Supt J. w. Dean, Assistant General Passenger Agent F. E. Schroeder. D. (. Welty, Commissioner of Agricul- ture, C. O. Carpenter assistant com missioner, Jack Kearney director of publicity, Carroll Walker. secretary to MT Dean, all of the Mo. Pac.-Iron Mountain, Fred D. Wore of the Mis- souri X North Arkansas. and Chas kohrer of the Rock Island. On the tTlsco line the eXcursionists were roy ally treated by Division Supt. Charles baitHell, who ten years ago was phy sicaI director of the Little Rock Ath- letic Association, Ralph Powden, tray eIIhg passenger agent, and H. C. Ga pfleI, assistant superintendent. At all uIheS the entire train crew, follow ing the examples set by Supts Dean ana Baltzell, were alert in extending courtesies and looking after the com lort and convenience of the excursion Sts George R. Brown. Secretary of the Little Rock Board of Trade, and known as one of the capital city's greatest boosters also accompanied the party.
 inc receptions everywhere were more ulan generous-they were lavish The stops varied from twenty minutes to fifteen hours, the longest stays being al Mammoth Spring Thursday night ana at Jonesboro Friday night Recep- uoh committees were awaiting at each Place, with brass bands, and automo- oles and welcome signs across the streets. It began at Searcy, where Nol. Brundidge welcomed the party in the rebuilt courthouse, and there were speeches by citizens and members of 'he Association. The principal speak CTS or the excursion party whose elo- Quence was heard at the various stops were Secretary of State Hodges, May or C E. Taylor, T. E. Wood, the retir- Ing president, V A. Beeson, the new president Mrs. Sallie I. Stanfield. C. A Berry, A D. Murlin, c. P. Newton ana numerous others Brief, snappy talks were the order, and long -winded speeches were everywhere out of place.
 More attention was given to gastro- monies than to eloquence, and it was thls fact which inspired the beautiful Iyrlc, When We Came Down Straw perry Way" which was sung by the chief entertainers of the party, prin- clpally, Fred Pattee. Ray Gill, Earle Hodges, A. D. Murlin. Erwin Funk. R. p Schaefer and others. The first two days were enlivened by the bunch who