La Junta tribune., 1917-08-02

hut. then . town. etc. At $3.50
O'Clock We pass the large Atlas Ce-
ment Mills. and . few moments later
arrive at Hannibal. No. Hannibal d
the scsns Of some Of the rawlings OF
one Samuel L. Clemens. There u
auits . little freight to be unloaded
here and the way they handle II d
most interesting. Il ID all handled
By negro stsvedores who carry things
on their backs or heads. All kinds OF
baskets. buckets, bales. boxes. bar
rels. and bundles Of all sorts are
managed In this way. At the front
OF the boat IL derrick supporting
long gang plank called . land
ing stage. This stage IL lowered so
as to reach from the boat to the
shore and the negroes walk on that.
II is six feet wide and thirty feet
long and is very substantial. When
the boat II moving the stevedores
have nothing to do and lie around and
sleep on the lower deck. But I start
ed to say something about Hannibal.
While all the freight is being un-
loaded wander over the town. I
find one main street with quite a
few nice looking stores and some
ornamental street lighting. About
half block from the wharf find
Mark Twain Spring." and OF course
proceed to imbibe. or In other
words. Quaff. some of the liquid
gurgling therefrom. OF all the Gre
ator condemned water I ever tasted
that is the worst. and I hasten back
to the boat lest run across some
thing else and be tempted beyond
endurance.
Down on the river front am spec
tator to a most interesting. kid ball
game. in which Is playing a boy OF
about fifteen years OF age. whose
right arm has been cut off at the
shoulder and the left above the ell
bow, or course he cannot throw the
ball but he can bat and catch quite
well. He holds the bat under the
stub Of his left arm and catches
the ball in the same place. A little
while after leaving Hannibal we see
n hole in the cliff. This. the porter
says. is the cave spoken OF In Tom
Sawyer" Quite romantic to be in
such renowned surroundings.
And now we are headed for Quin-
cy. ILL.,, which we reach about six
O'Clock in the evening. II is q town
of about $4,000 inhabitants which
boasts OF its manufactures. 1t claims
the largest stove factory in the
world. and also. I believe. the larg-
est factory OF any kind under one
roof. The town Is also famous for
Its pretty residences. and indeed Il
has reason to be proud OF them.
There are certainly some very pretty
homes here. II would be a pleasure
to live in such place. I take n
long street car ride through the res
idence district and out to the Illinois
State Home for Soldiers and Sailors.
There are quite n number OF nice
churches In sight and also several
pretty parks. am quite favorably
impressed with Quincy. We leave at
. .. m. and I retire early.
1
Just as I expected the porter woke
me up nj 2:3O a. m. to say that we
had arrived at Keokuk and OF course
I promptly went back to sleep again. 4.
only to be again wakened by the
porter at 3:%5. This time he says
the boat starts back down the river
At I o'clock. II Is entirely within
keeping Of my usual good sense that
I decided TO rise and dress hurriedly
In order TO avail myself OF the op.
portunity Of leaving the boat while
there h something between II and
the shore that IL more easily trav.
ersed afoot than 10 hydrogen hydrox-
ide. Ny. what an unsarthly hour
to rise II such . foresaken place.
Not even the chickens are stirring.
! finally manage 10 locate the Bur
linEton depot and deposit my suit
cases there while ] 20 out TO look
over the town. The first thing OF In.
terest IL the only dam across ths
Mississippi river. A. I start up
toward the locks. powerhouse. dam
etc. . militiaman stops me and
pushes toward me . book In which
he requests that ] inscribe my sig
nature and place Of abode. This done
an allowed to proceed. Then
wander around at will for some time
! cannot gain access TO the power
house but I thoroughly investigate
the dam and the locks until n sar'
sesnt Of the militia comes along and