The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-04-22


or to make an investigation ofNliving
conditions of the miners and If
possible effect settlement between
the mine operators and miners. !
was glad to note by later newspaper
uitqe satisfactorily settled.
Unfortunately l was unable to at
tend many of the functions provided
for our entertainment during this
part of the trip, but as previously
stated had splendid assistant who
brought me the news of AL such af-
fairs and certainly enjoyed her
descriptions and stories almost as
much ash would have enjoyed the
actually.
We were joined at Birmingham by
south, thus increasing the number of
our party to neaIy 400 The added
members made it necessary to run
our train in two sections and being
in Car A was of some advantage for
we were usually the first car in the
first section.
Light of Beautiful Day
Sunday morning we were awaken
ed to the light of beautiful day
in the beautiful old city of Mont
gomery. The morning air was balmy.
the breeze was laden with the fra
GRANGE of roses and blooming fruit
trees. Upon leaving the train each
member Of the party was presented
with bouquet Of red carnations from
Mrs. w. B. Patterson, then directed
to waiting automobiles and taken to
breakfast at the home and as the
guests of Mr.. and Mrs. F. j. Cramp-
ton. formerly of Michigan but now
of Montgomery. Then came thirty
miles drive in the city and country
We had been told that we would be
taken to see the "black belt" and
many in the party expected to see
an exclusive "nigger" settlement but
were agreeably surprised to learn
that the black belt was strip OF
country several miles wide, having a
deep rich black loan soil similar 10
the rich soil of Minnesota, where
the farms looked familiar because oil
the likeness of fields, buildings
crops and stock to our home country
This drive was over well built dirt
many pecan groves. one of which
covered 300 acres. The pecans are
of the paper shell variety and form
an important and profitable crop to
the producer.
We were fortunate enough to be
assigned to Mr.. Patterson's car and
found him to be not only a good
driver but fluent conyersationalist
and agreeable companion. Mr.. Pat
terson is an elder of the Trinity
Presbyterian church so we accom-
panied him there to hear DR.. Charles
H; Pratt deliver fearless and force,
ness" The program as arranged pro-
vided for church attendance at ST
Johns Episcopal church and there
most of the party went.
At 1890 the party was escorted b.
the Boy Scouts to the Gay league
and exchange hotels. where luncheon
was served with the complinnts Of
the Chamber of Commerce and press
of Montgomery.
A special train took those who
wished to- go to the great Tuskegee
in time to leave for Pensacola be-
fore midnight.
Turn Pages Of History
A visit to Montgomery, Alabama
makes one inclined to turn the page;
of history and recall those stirring
days when jeff Davis. the first and
only president of the confederacy
was inaugurated at the beautiful ole
building, now the capitol OF the state
Here the frey words of William l.
Yancey famed the flame that almost
but consumed people who did bat
tie for a cause they imagined could
The white house of the confederacy
is still to be seen as one of Mont
gomery's show places and Yancey
sleeps near the home where he lived
and died. This old southern city still
loves the memory OF her ,illustrious
sons, but her people have long age
turned their faces to the rising sur
and have found too much of interest
and charm in the New South tc
swell on memories.
The Montgomery Chamber Of
Commerce is real living, working
throbbing piece of civic machinery
The heart of the chamber is fed by
its two auxiliaries-Jhe transporta
ton bureau and the farm bureau and
through these the city and county
! have raised 100000 for advertising
and civic purposes for 1921.
1t was a sleepy bunch of editors
and affiliates which was awakened
at an early hour at Pensacola, Mon
day morning. l had slept and rested
Sunday afternoon and all night, sc
glad for the events of the day proved
very interesting.
Citizens in their cars met the train
to conduct the party to- breakfas,
and for long ride in the cool, re-
freshing, morning air. l stopped fol
few moments to visit with the
mayor and chief of police in order
that we might be "in right" during
our stay in the city, and the mayor
called his own car and gave the
driver instructions to see that we
were well cared for and did not have
to walk. The "us" and Eve" in this
story always refers to wife and ].
The name Pensacola will lone
bring pleasant memories to us. The
sun was never more gentle nor the
breezes more refreshing than during
our stay in this city on the gulf.
Run Up The Bay
At ten o'clock directed by the en-
tertainment committee the party
boarded the Leroy and Richmond
of the Aiken fleet for short run
up the bay to give us some idea OF
the size of the land locked water
which Pensacola proudly boasts will
hold the navies of the world. Then
the boats headed back to the navy
yard and this trip was marked by
several unique features, one of which
was a shower of flowers from the
air dropped from the great navy
dirigibles, which sailed over us again
and again At the flying beach we