VII.

TWO WEEKS AT OMAHA-WILD GEESE AND DUCK SHOOTING-ADVENT OF CHICAGO AND NORTHWESTERN RAILROAD AGENTS ON THEIR WAY TO DENVER-PARTING SPEECH OF MR. TAPPEN-ANTICIPATED ARRIVAL OF THE GREAT PACIFIC RAILROAD EXCURSIONITS ANTECEDENTS AND OBJECTS-DEPARTURE FROM NEW YORK ARRIVAL AT CHICAGO-ST. JOSEPH, AND OMAHA-RECEPTION AND BALL AT OMAHA.

OMAHA, NEBRASKA, Oct. 23, 1866.

The difficulties at the Hernden House, heretofore alluded to, were amicably arranged on the Monday following our arrival from the Rocky Mountains; and Mrs. Brownson, the new lessee, was fully installed in quiet possession.

A favored few of the guests were allowed to retain our rooms in the gloomy, half-deserted house; and vegetate, as best we could, among the restaurants, until the hotel could be renovated and refurnished.

Mrs. Brownson will not only prove herself to be a public benefactor, but do much towards establishing the doctrine of the social and business equality, and vested rights, of women, if she succeeds in the hazardous undertaking of keeping a good hotel. She certainly has the best wishes of her numerous friends in the town, as well as of the railroad people and travelling public generally.

But the city of Omaha should boast of several firstclass hotels. The town is growing, and will continue to grow rapidly. It has the eastern terminus of the Union Pacific Railroad; and is the half-way point between Chicago and the Rocky Mountains. No finer site was

ever selected for a large city; and the country about it cannot be excelled for beauty, as well as productiveness. Elegant residences, and large brick blocks of stores, are continually being erected. "The Credit Foncier of America," and other capitalists, are making large investments there, and the inhabitants are wealthy, energetic, and liberal. Why, then, not give us one or two more hotels, equal at least to the Tremont and Sherman House of Chicago?

WILD GEESE AND DUCK SHOOTING.

Having received orders to remain for the present at Omaha, I was very glad of an opportunity, when other duties would permit, of accompanying my friend Collins on his hunting expeditions to the Florence lakes, a few miles above Omaha, where fat wild geese and ducks did much abound. And here I must be permitted to say, that a young wild goose, when cooked under the supervision of Mrs. Collins, is the finest eating of the feathered game kind that I ever tasted.

My friend Major Bent would sometimes join us in these excursions, and then we would be sure to return with enough game to supply our restaurant table for one or two days.

CHICAGO AND NORTHWESTERN RAILWAY AGENTS.

Another pleasant incident, in this somewhat dull and monotonous period of my Western sojourn, was the advent of Messrs. Tappen, Patrick and Brown, heads of the freight and passenger departments of that "Great connecting link," the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, who tarried a few days at Council Bluffs and Omaha, as they were passing on their way to Denver, for the pur

pose of establishing offices, and making other business arrangements in connection with their road, and its farreaching Western tributaries.

As they started westward, on the morning of the 17th October, in a special train laden with demijohns, cases, canned meats, fruits and pickles, rolls of buffalo robes and blankets; together with almost any number of breechloading carbines and revolvers, one would think that they expected to spend at least six months among savage beasts and Indians, before returning to the land of civilization.

PARTING SPEECH OF MR. TAPPEN.

When the train was about starting from the depot at Omaha, Mr. Tappen was loudly called upon by his friends who remained behind, for a few parting words. Upon which he promptly made his appearance upon the rear platform, raised his hat, bowed gracefully to the audience, steadied himself by a firm hold upon the railing, and spoke substantially as follows:

"FELLOW-CITIZENS: But a few short years ago, the spot on which my foot now rests, was part and parcel of a howling wilderness"-just here, the sudden starting of the train so disturbed the spot upon which the distinguished speaker's foot was resting, that he came near being thrown overboard; but, on recovering himself instantly, he proceeded with great composure to say:

"During a somewhat short but eventful life, I have held every position, from"-at this point, the train being fairly under way, it became quite difficult to hear distinctly, except the closing sentence, which was as follows:

"I leave the Great connecting link in your hands, while I proceed to swing around the"-the remainder of this

happy speech was lost; but the speaker evidently alluded to a curve in advance of the train.

The train soon disappeared, but the telegraph wires kept us continually posted, during the day, as to the progress of the party; and the nature of the despatches was such as to afford the most gratifying evidence of the expansive powers of the air and scenery west of the Missouri River, particularly when a party, like our friends, are borne for the first time with railroad speed along the broader expanse of the great Platte Valley, on their westward course to the Rocky Mountains.

The following specimens have fortunately been preserved:

FREMONT, 10:12 A. M.-"Green leaves grew where my hand now rests. Wild beasts roamed unmolested by the hand of man. More to come.'

NORTH BEND, 10:35 A. M.-" The shrill whoop of the savage alone broke the solitude and silence of nature. It was at this epoch of our nation's existence, that two solitary horsemen might have been seen-To be continued."

COLUMBUS, 11:25 A. M.-" Or words to that effect. Conclusion."

ANTICIPATED ARRIVAL OF THE GREAT EXCURSION.

By far the most exciting event of all, however, was the official announcement received on Thursday, October 18 that the great Pacific Railroad Excursion had reached Chicago, on its way westward from New York, and that it might be expected to arrive at Omaha on the following Monday morning.

The worthy Mayor immediately convened the Common Council; and the President of the Board of Trade

called that august body together at once, for the purpose of conferring upon the subject, and giving a proper reception to the distinguished strangers.

It was finally arranged that the freedom of the city should be tendered to the excursionists; and that a grand reception ball and supper should be given them at the Hernden House, on the evening of their arrival in town.

ANTECEDENTS AND OBJECTS OF THE EXCURSION.

Before speaking further of this great excursion, it may be well to refer briefly to its objects, as well as to its immediate antecedents.

The public generally, is so ignorant respecting the identity of the many railroads in this country, which bear in some form the appellation of Pacific, that I will take the liberty of inserting the following letter written upon that subject, and published for general information, more than a year ago, in the National Intelligencer, at Washington.

The status of many of the roads referred to has undoubtedly become changed somewhat since the letter was written; but it is believed that it will be found substantially correct for our present purpose :

UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.

Confused Ideas as to its Locality-Nine Different Pacific RailroadsLocation and Present Condition of Each-Government Aid, etc.

OFFICE OF THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY,

No. 13 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK, February 10, 1866.

To the Editors of the National Intelligencer :

So much doubt and confusion appears to exist in the minds of the people, and possibly of some members of Congress, in relation to the