56 WESTERN INCIDENTS.

pose of establishing offices, and making other business
arrangements in connection with their road, and its far-
reaching 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 breech-
loading 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:

“ Weriow-Crrzens: 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 distin-
guished 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 :

“T leave the Great connecting link in your hands, while
I proceed to swing around the’—the remainder of this