La Junta tribune., 1917-08-02
TALE OF THE MISSISSIPPI
Story oS . Trip From 81. Louis 70
ChicAgo by Water and Rail-
Ohservatioas En- Route

o44OusD So uUpSeO
A very Interesting story Of 4 trip
from 81. Louis to Chicago. partly
by river and partly by rail. Was re-
Gently written by Charles X. Seeley
to his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. c. l..
Seeley. and Is herewith presented to
the readers OF the great family Jour-
nal with the hope that they will en-
Joy the descriptions given and the OBJ
servations made. II will be Of es-
pecial interest to those who in times
past have made similar trips on the
Father OF Waters. and are familiar
with the names OF the towns and the
historic scenes along the route made
famous by Mark Twain.
The writer. Mr.. Charles X. Seeley,
is an Instructor In mathematics At
the Western Military Academy. To-
Gated at Alton. ILL.,. and has been
retained in that capacity for the en-
suing year. He Is now in Chicago
takiag . post graduate course At the
University of Chicago. The Military
Academy II . military school. and
the number Of students 10 limited to
200. Mr.. seeley Il . captain In the
tnstitutjoa. aad having had. three
Year, expsrisncs - . member Of the
Colombo National Guard. with ssv-
sral noatAs' active service durins
the coal strike at Trinidad. u we'll
qualified for his military duties at
the academy. The letter follows:
An IN 81. Louis. Mo.-fourth
largest city IN the Uaitsd Statss. II
b situated On the western baak Of
the Missisappi river. about midway
bet~ cen the northssn and southern
boundaries Of Missouri. Il 10 - H.
dustrial city. full Of brsweriss. shoe
factories. etc.. with tall buil6Ags.
miles and miles Of paved streets. H.
tricate street railway systems aad
many other incidsntai affairs that
make up . great city Of . uillloo
population. have tust left ny
boarding house and An standing at
the corner Of Etssl. Plymouth aad
Coodfsllow aveaues waiting for .
street car to take me down town.
There Ia. all around me. . great
clatter Of horses hoofs and . rattle
Of wagon wheels on the pavement.
Yes. indeed those streets are paved
AS are most Of the st. Louis
streets. An unpaved street. even In
the residence districts. is y rarity.
But here comes the street car. II
is OF the "pay-as-you- enter" type.
and both entrance and exit are
guarded by doors and folding steps
which prevent getting on or off
while the car In In motion. take
4 seat near the front OF the car
and get settled very comfortably for
the thirty-five minutes ride before
! change cars. The view on either
side Of the track ID houses. houses.
houses. houses-so many can hard
ly zee the town-for although the
distance IL nearly twelve miles there
is scarcely . place Ia any block
whore one could stand With arms
outstretched sad not touch either
house. Al last comes the down
town district. and I ride block II.
ter block. past shoe factories. shirt
factories. Wholesale houses and other
seven or twelve story buildings. !
change cars In the midst thereof and
finally reach the unioa ststloa-
and such Q station Il 10. A hank. .
hotel. . garage. and ! don't know
how many other things are found
withia Il walls. ~ we'll ~ the ticket
offices. check rooms. baggage rooms.
waiting rooms. dining room. lunch
counter. and all the other appur.
tsnsnces and appliances commonly
associated With and located In rail.
way stations. Here also II what h
claimed 70 bs the largest trala shed
II the woslA-a glaas rooted struct.
ure eeetsiains thisty.two tracks sads
b st1s WITH bsasd platforms bstwsea
thso. Eaeh track \ leas saeugt
- held . Dasssaesf train of twelve
OF teustssa eass. An tsaias bask iaaa
The statiea. Across ths sa1s ee tAssl
teaeks b ~ eoos0ous coacoofoo
oas huadssd ~ - lsst vice ao1 Z
eeupjs q city bleeks loag. aesesl
whieh sal through vhieA hun1Fo11
Of psopls ase mating tAets way =
The waiting roens. ssws seaals,
tie1ee elf1ees. tealas. &c. LeoAlaG
fre0 The eeoeeoroe - tAs WAlt1nG
reeos go l1Alag seo0 ~ seolss IN
TIVE g1Gnaeie sealsways anl - ~
lsa1la0 q ~ ~ e - - tAoDl
slalsvsUs seep - vooso ~ sseo11
-1ualss1a. ~ t1o1noo1s q taeoo'