Typed as spelled and written
Lena Stone Criswell
THE MARLIN DEMOCRAT
Thirteenth Year - Number 36
Marlin, Texas,Thursday, November 6, 1902
SOUTHERN PACIFIC LAND AGENTS.
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Came On Special Train Of Ten Cars.
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The special excursion train of the Southern Pacific Land and Immigration Agents
arrived in the city as per itinerary this afternoon at 3:15 o'clock.
The excursionists came on a special train
of ten coaches and were under escort of the Southern Pacific officials from
Houston. They are touring the state and were enroute from Houston to Waco
and had an hour's stop here.
They were met at Bremond by B C Nettles, W.
W. Allen, J. R. Taylor, W. A. Patrick, C. C. Chatham; Tom Connally, representing
the Business League and G. M. Herring, agent of the H. & T. C., all of whom
returned with the excursionists.
The excursion is composed of about 500 men
representing the Land and Immigration Department of the Southern Pacific system
and reside in the different parts of the country through which the system
extends.
The party includes quite a number of
ladies.
They stopped off at Marlin in response to
an invitation of the Busines (sic) League and were the guests of the city while
here.
Upon arriving they were taken in charge by
the local committee and citizens and escorted to the artesian well where they
were given a drink of the elixer of life. Afterwards they inspected the
sanitariums, Arlington Hotel and were then taken to the opera house, where brief
speeches were made.
The exursionists left for Waco. They will
go from there to San Antonio.
The excursionists headed by the local
committee and the band, were escorted up Commerce and Live Oak streets along the
square and down Coleman street to the Grand Opera House, where a brief reception
was held, at which President B. C. Nettles, of the Business League, presided.
The welcome address was delivered by Mayor
Wm. Shelton, who extended the hospitalities of the city, and L. Z. Harrison, who
in a warmth of manner emphasized the appreciation of the people of the presence
of the body of men and women in our midst.
Responses were made by W I. Black and
George Graybill, of Chicago, and T. J. Anderson, of the Southern Pacific
railway.
Mr. Black grew eloquent in his remarks
concerning Texas and declared it to be the grandest and most glorious
undeveloped country in the Southwest. He said that the monied people of
the east were anxious to place their money where it would do the most good to
the investor and that he believed Texas was the best field, provided the people
were not too high in their prices.
George Graybill, who is a prominent and
unique character in the excursion, followed next. He declared that this
was a warm town, that the committee of gentlemen who met them at Bremond were
warm numbers and that the Southern Pacific officers in Texas were the warmest
kind of people. That Marlin, he had heard, was the warmest proposition in
the state and that it had the warmest water from the greatest depth to show that
it was the warmest place. In fact his talk was warm all the way through.
Mr. T. J. Anderson, the popular assistant
general passenger agent of the Southern Pacific, was called and responded in a
very pleasant way. After thanking the people of Marlin for courtesies
shown and paying his respects to Col. Graybill, he told the excursionists a
little of his own personal experiences in Texas and particularly at Marlin.
He said that Marlin would always have a warm place in his heart. It was
here that he was restored to health by the use of the mineral water. He
came here twelve months ago unable to move a limb and was in few weeks entirely
relieved of a malignant attack of rheumatism. He said that the Southern
Pacific system was always ready to help the towns and cities along its route.
After Mr. Anderson's remarks, the party
retired from the opera house and proceeded to the sanitariums and drinking
fountains where they all drank of the water and discussed its merits with the
committee for a few moments when their train came along and "all aboard" was
called and the party proceeded to Waco.
The only unfortunate feature about their
visit was the short time here.
Many of the visitors expressed regrets that
they had not the time to take one of Marlin's hot baths. However, the
visit of this body of practical men and women is greatly appreciated by Marlin
people and was enjoyed by the visitors. They come from many portions of
the United States but are principally from Illinois.
NOTES.
The Business League committees handled the excursion admirably and appreciate
the valuable assistance of Mr. T. J. Anderson, who is in charge of the
excursion, and Mr. G. M. Herring, local agent of the H & T.C.
The party has a splendid band in full
uniform with it. This is, within itself, a feature that adds a great deal
to the pleasurers of an excursion of this kind.
There were a number of newspaper men in the
party. Hon. W. I. Black, one of the speakers was for years, a newspaper
man, but has reformed.
Willim Lux, one of the editors of the
Rochelle Independent, published at Rochelle, Illinois, was in the party.
He also carries real estate as a side line. Here's luck to Mr. Lux.
Sorry we did not meet him personally.
Capt. E. F. Wright, of Lexington, Ill.,
editor of "The Unit" published at that place, was very favorably impressed with
Marlin. To a Democrat reporter he said that if
he had had any idea that Texas was what it is that he would have been a citizen
of Texas long since.
The party is composed of practical,
business like people, who are not out solely for pleasure but after information.
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Copyright permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for
printing
by The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas