and Southern Railroad, and his assistant, T. H. Gray, accompanied us from St. Louis to Poplar Bluff, and Conductor P. Elkins, a member of DeSoto Division No. 241, got on at DeSoto and went with us to Bismarck. A large number of our party were gathered in the smoking car and we had quite an entertainment. Brother Elkins sang a number of songs, and the cook and waiters, one of them having a banjo, entertained us with songs and music hard to beat, and most thoroughly enjoyed by all. Conductors McDonald and Suter and Brother Haas sang excellent songs, and Wyman and Shaw gave recitations. Our genial train conductor, Capt. W. Hall, related some interesting stories of the days when this section of the country was terrorized by the operations and exploits of the Jesse James’ gang of train robbers. Captain Hall’s train was held up one night by this daring band of thieves at Gad’s Hill, 120 miles south of St. Louis. Hall was forced to surrender and remain quiet with the cold muzzle of a revolver pressed against his temple. An attempt was made to blow open the safe in the express car, but the robbers became frightened at their own noise and fled without securing any booty. The evening has been such a very enjoyable one that midnight approaches unawares; finding it so late we turn in, having less difficulty in doing so than we had last night.
MONDAY, MAY 10th.
Got up this morning at 6.30 (5.30 Central) and found our train in charge of Conductor H. C. Withrow and Engineer A. B. Archibald, with St. L. I. M. & S. engine No. 375, fired by T. Grifin. Captain Withrow took charge of the train at Poplar Bluff, with instructions to consume ten hours and thirty-two minutes in the run to Texarkana, a distance of 325 miles. Withrow has no brakeman, but is accompanied by a colored porter, J. J. Norris, who performs the duties of a brakeman. We are now in Arkansas, having crossed the State line last night at Moark, 185 miles south of St. Louis. We arrive at Little Rock, Ark., 8.15 (7.15 Central) A. M., and make a stop of ten minutes. We alight to look around and very much admire the “375,” and are informed that it is one of the best engines on the Iron Mountain Route and the first one built at the company’s new shops at Baring Cross, Little Rock, Ark. Went to breakfast at 9.10 (8.10 Central), hungry as a hyena.
We cannot help but notice as we journey through Arkansas the advanced condition of vegetation. Farmers in the East are only preparing their ground for corn, and here it is up; potatoes are in blossom, and peas are ready for use. Cotton is grown extensively here, and many acres are seen with the plants just peeping through the ground. We are now nearing the southern extremity of the State and approaching Texarkana, where we arrive at 12.35 (11.35 A. M. Central) P. M., having passed through the State of Arkansas 305 miles in a slightly southwesterly direction.
A stop of twenty-five minutes is given us at Texarkana, which is on the line between Arkansas and Texas, one-half of the station being in Arkansas and the other half in Texas. Brother Wyman, who acts in the double capacity of manager and clown, has a robe of crazy patchwork design, a veritable coat of many colors, in which he has arrayed himself, much to the amusement
of the crowd of natives who have assembled on our arrival. The antics of Brother Wyman and a number of others who have taken possession of a bronco and a team of donkeys occasion a great deal of merriment. As we are about to leave, Mrs. Robert Foulon was presented with a large bunch of beautiful magnolias by her friend, Mrs. Carmichael, of Texarkana. It graced the sideboard of the dining car for many days and was much admired.