CHAPTER XVIMEMPHIS AND COLUMBUS. AT THE TOMB OF WASHINGTON
ON March 18, 1906, the younger of our two girls was married
in the room in which she was born. Her sister, who had to cut
short a season of "brushing up" at her Alma Mater, the
New England Conservatory of Boston, in order to hasten home for
the event, and the groom's youngest sister, were the only invited
guests; Frances and I being on hand, as a matter of course. We
have not lost our daughter, as she will always live near us, but
have gained another son.
In the month of May following, my life partner and I again
started off to attend the G. I. D. of the B. of L. E., held this
time at Memphis, Tennessee. We arrived there on the morning of
the eighth between ten and eleven o'clock, and very hungry, I
remember. So the first thing in order was something to eat, after
which we made our way to the Gayoso Hotel to give the hand of
welcome to our friends, and to see what was on the bulletin. The
usual opening exercises were held the next day at two P.M., there
being some sweet singing by engineers' children, and a double
female quartette led by Mrs. Cassell, which called for hearty
applause and several encores. Memphis then claimed a population
of 183,000 and had much to interest our large delegation, especially
those from the north and west. The parks are numerous and have
many entertaining features. One day we were all given complimentary
tickets to East End, where we witnessed quite a wonderful contrivance.
This side attraction was called Hale's Car. We presented our tickets
at an ordinary looking railway coach, and entered. The seats were
arranged in the usual order, and we sat down to await developments.
The time passed and I began to think it a was a hoax. But pretty
soon the car was filled with passengers and we began our ride
on a railway train. The whistle sounded, the bell rang, and we
were off swaying from side to side, with cool breezes coming in,
and everything true to life! The sights on our journey were seen
ahead of us. We rushed by trees and houses, saw people getting
out of the way of the train, and on a trip to Ceylon, could see
odd little depots on the way, and natives jumping into the water.
I thought it the most entertaining show I had ever seen.
While in Memphis, I also rode on one of the small park trains
for the first time, and learned that the engineer used just one
bucket of water and one of coal for a round trip. Some of my spare
time was most pleasantly spent at the home of one of Selma's old
citizens and an ex-engineer, jovial Tom Gatchell, who a short
while ago went his way to "That undiscovered country, from
whose bourne no traveller returns."
I could usually be counted on for church services at the conventions,
but never having been a Sunday-school attendant, didn't lean that
way. Frances was very anxious for me to go to the Methodist School
with her, which was presided over by Mr. J. R. Pepper. She argued
that I was sure to be interested as he was said to be the finest
superintendent in the South, but I hadn't forgotten my boyhood's
experience, so she set out alone. After attending, she was enthusiastic
in her praises of that school, and I think went every Sunday while
we remained there.
Our first outing was a boat ride on the Mississippi to the
Mound City, ten miles away, when our B. of L. E. poet and fun
maker, Shandy Maguire, highly entertained the party by various
manoeuvres. One of his "capers" was getting on a wagon
to which a mule was harnessed with ropes, and having his picture
taken in company with several ladies. One night we were delightfully
entertained by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen at Jackson
Mound. The place is right on a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi
River, of which it commands a very fine view.
We were given only one excursion at a distance at this convention,
namely, to Hot Springs, Arkansas. The crowd was divided, some
going over the Rock Island Railroad and the others by the Iron
Mountain Route. We were on the latter train, leaving Memphis,
Saturday morning, and arriving at our destination near sunset,
thus having some time to look around before night. Hot Springs
is charmingly situated in a valley between two mountains, and
abundantly supplied with springs and wells. One of the springs
contains water so hot that we had to wrap a handkerchief around
the cup in order to hold it. Our party thoroughly sampled the
water, and several got sick from drinking so much, not being accustomed
to it. We spent the night there, starting back early the next
morning, well satisfied with our outing, and ready for renewed
work.
A few days later the Convention closed, and we journeyed homeward.
The next spring I decided to take Frances with me on "grievance
business," as she had only spent a day or so at a time in
Washington, while passing through. Some of the other committee
men were going to be accompanied by their wives, and I knew she
would have company while I was occupied. Washington was an "old
story" to me, but I enjoyed showing her the sights of the
city, especially the Congressional Library, of whose beauties
one never tires, and we took besides some pleasant out-of-town
trips.
One was to Cabin John Bridge, seven miles out on the "Conduit
Road." The structure was built by the United States Government
to convey the water supply of the city of Washington across a
deep ravine. Coming from Great Falls ten miles beyond, the nine-foot
stream flows into the receiving reservoir with an eighty-pound
pressure to the square inch.
Previous to the construction of the conduit the city depended
only upon wells and cisterns. At the time of its construction
the aqueduct was the largest single arch span of masonry in the
world, and a wonder to engineers. The bridge is 450 feet in length,
and 105 feet above Cabin John Creek, while the length of the span
is 57.26 feet and its width 20.4 feet. On the east abutment is
this tablet:
"UNION ARCH
CHIEF ENGINEER CAPT. MONTGOMERY MEIGS
U. S. CORPS OF ENGINEERS
Esto Perpetua."
The bridge is so called from the creek it spans. By its side
formerly dwelt a hermit, who came from no one knew where, and
after living many years in an old hut, disappeared leaving no
trace. He was known as "John of the Cabin," hence the
name of the creek. Work was begun on the bridge in 1857 under
the direction of the War Department, and together with others
the name of Jefferson Davis was carved on the side of the stone
work, he being Secretary of War at that time.
After the interruption of the Civil War the Interior Department
was given charge of the work which was finally completed in 1867,
at a cost of $254,000. One day Caleb Smith and a party went to
view the new bridge, and some of them being incensed to see the
name of Jeff Davis on the main tablet, the Secretary ordered the
contractor Robert McIntyre to cut it out, which was done. Last
year it was restored by order of a special act of Congress.
Another trip was to Mount Vernon. We went down the Potomac,
and after a pleasant hour's ride landed on soil sacred as having
been the home of Washington. A hundred yards' walk brought us
to the tomb, where rests all that was mortal of America's greatest
son and his wife. As we paused beside the plain vault with its
simple inscription, "George Washington," one thought
was uppermost in my mind, that, though throughout the entire range
of modern history, only two other names have been placed upon
the height he attained in generalshipNapoleon and Frederick
the Greatstill more than for his greatness, we revere the
memory of his goodness. A wonderful combination! Passing into
the mansion, across the lengthy, old-fashioned gallery, we entered
the reception room, in which only a few of the original furnishings
are to be seen; among them the mantel ornaments, Washington's
chair, and a mirror which undeniably shows its age. Many old deeds
and wills were there on exhibition, bearing the signatures of
the Washingtons. In the hall-way hung the keys of the Bastile,
presented by La Fayette to his friend, and to the right of the
entrance is the room occupied by him during his visits there.
Upstairs we saw the room in which the ex-president died. The old-fashioned
bedstead with its high posts, the little wooden trunk used in
so many campaigns, and the old boot beside it seemed to bring
back in some degree the presence of the beloved dead. In the corridor
adjoining stood a case containing various pieces of wearing apparel
worn by General Washington, his sword, etc., and a couple of fire
buckets that were in use in his time.
The room formerly occupied by Nellie Custis (the adopted daughter
and niece) was very quaint and tiny, and we saw her harpsichord
and guitar, also a flute that her uncle used to play while she
accompanied him.
Mounting the steps to the third story, we visited the room
in which Mrs. Washington died. It had heavy draperies, small windows
and a low roof, but, nevertheless, wore a pleasant aspect. It
is said that she always used this room after her husband's death,
as from it could be obtained the best view of his grave in the
old family burying ground. Upon descending we went through the
flower gardens laid off in odd-shaped beds, after the plan used
over a century ago, and stood under the magnolia tree said to
have been planted by Washington just before his death. The entire
trunk had to be encased in wire netting to protect it from relic
hunters.
We returned to the city by an electric car, Frances saying
that she had never enjoyed seeing anything more than Mount Vernon.
One afternoon we went around to the Richmond and Danville depot
to see the place where President Garfield was shot by Guiteau.
The spot in the wall where the bullet entered is shown, and a
star on the floor marks the place where the President's head rested
when he fell backward after the fatal shot.
Upon her visit to the Treasury building, Frances was much impressed
by the fact that the vaults contained forty-five hundred tons
of gold and silver, as much as nine of our largest engines can
pull. She said the knowledge gave her additional confidence in
"Uncle Sam."
Columbus, Ohio, had been selected as the next place to hold
our convention, so on May 11, 1908, we again set out, going by
way of Chattanooga and Cincinnati. We greeted many friends on
the way and still more at Headquarters, the Southern Hotel. The
convention was held in Memorial Hall, and we located quite near
with a Mrs. Yoder, a German lady. The usual entertainments were
given the B. of L. E., balls, theatres, and so on. We never attended
the two mentioned, as Frances does not approve of such things,
but there were many things left to enjoy without them.
We began our sightseeing in Columbus with the State Penitentiary,
which at that time contained one thousand six hundred and thirty-seven
inmates. The buildings cover twenty acres of ground, and are surrounded
by a wall twenty-five feet high. We were taken by the cells, shown
the chair in which electrocutions take place, then through the
various work shops where we saw numerous articles made by the
prisoners out of beef bones. These were for sale, and a great
number were purchased by the members of our party as souvenirs.
The first Sunday our entire delegation (with our wives, I am
sure the number did not fall far short of a thousand) started
at ten o'clock to walk to the Christian Church where we had been
invited to service. The distance was twenty-one blocks, but I
walked until I got tired, then several of us boarded a car and
rode the rest of the way. We heard a good sermon. In the afternoon,
I attended a Y. M. C. A. service in Memorial Hall. It is customary
to hold these Sundays services at these conventions, when our
Grand Officers are invited to participate and occupy seats of
honor on the rostrum.
About this time, one of the ladies, a member of the Grand International
Auxiliary to the B. of L. E., was starting to the hall one morning,
when her foot slipped on an uneven place in the pavement where
it was damp from a light rain, and she fell, hurting one of her
wrists. The doctor pronounced it a silver fork sliver. She was
kindly cared for by sympathetic friends, but went home in a day
or two. The name of this unfortunate lady was Mrs. C. E. Perkins,
of Atlanta. She died shortly after reaching home, the sad news
being received with deep regret by all the convention people,
among whom she was a general favorite.
After arriving at Columbus, we heard a great deal about a man
named Hartman who originated the so-called medicine "Peruna,"
and were shown the immense white marble building where it was
manufactured. I often saw the huge wagon loads of bottles passing
along the streets, and decided that I would like to go out to
the Hartman farm. Taking a High Street car, we rode some distance
to the German village, and from there we boarded another car going
four and a half miles farther. We found it very interesting at
the farm, seeing hogs, cows, and horses in great numbers, and
the very finest specimen of the latter that I have ever seen.
He was a very large, glossy, black animal, weighing 2280 pounds.
The hogs were of every variety possible, some black, brown, brown
and white, and spotted. Some wore straight bristles and others
curly, while some had considerably turned up noses. We very much
desired to see the poultry, but learning that it was four miles
farther, omitted the inspection of the feathered portion of this
extensive farm. That night I witnessed a fine display of the Westinghouse
Air-Brake Company, stereopticon views being used to illustrate
the work.
One day, while I was at leisure, we went out to visit the State
University. There are many fine buildings, quite a distance apart,
four hundred acres being comprised in the property. I was overjoyed
to find a spring of water on the grounds, and drank several times,
as the water in Columbus is not good unless filtered. The gymnasium
strongly resembles an ancient castle, and is admirably fitted
up. In fact, it seemed that in all departments of the institution
everything possible was provided for the comfort and happiness
of the pupils.
We were given a trip to Cleveland, and it having been announced
that we would start at an early hour, there was a good deal of
"skirmishing around" for such a large number of people
to get something to eat at such an unseasonable time. At length,
I succeeded in procuring a light lunch, enough to stave off hunger,
and we went on to the station. We failed to start as early as
expected, it being six-thirty when the trains pulled out. Four
hours later we arrived in Cleveland and proceeded at once to a
large hall where we had the regulation speeches, then all scattered
to find dinner. At one-thirty we again gathered at the hall, and
went in a body to take the train to a park where we were present
at the ceremony of unveiling a monument erected to the memory
of Senator Mark Hanna. Later we accepted a most cordial invitation
to go through the various rooms of the Grand Office, and were
well pleased to note the order everywhere displayed, and the exquisite
precision that enabled all concerned to carry on the vast amount
of work that is done there. Each visitor was asked to register
and in return received a card from the office written in handsome
lettering. We had time to get a comprehensive idea of the city
of Cleveland and reached Columbus shortly after midnight.
At this convention we enjoyed music to a greater extent than
at any other, as this was the home of the "Convention Song
Bird," Mrs. Cassell and her Euterpean Chorus of young ladies.
They assisted in most of the entertainments, and their sweet voices
were often heard in the evening at the Southern. There was also
one peculiarity of this convention that is worth mentioning, viz.:
That in the election of Grand Officers, all of the old officers
without exception were re-elected by acclamation.
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