LETTERS.

I.

Arrival at Clear Creek, the end of the Finished Road — Meeting of the
Excursionists at Clear Creek — Ellsworth — Arrival at Fort Harker —
Curious Rocks — Prairie Grass — Country last passed over — Fort
Harker — Another Meeting — Leave-taking — Expedition to Pond Creek.

Forr Harker, June 7, 1867.

Wz arrived here this morning from Clear Creek, the present end of
the road, four miles east of this place, where we stayed last night,
supped in a big tent, slept in the cars, and where we had a glorious
meeting, over which General Cameron presided, and at which Attorney
General Brewster, of Pennsylvania, was the chief orator. His speech
was one of classic elegance, and rose fully up to the inspiring associa-
tions with which we were surrounded. Mr. Perry, the President of
the Company, was then called and made a few felicitous remarks. He
was followed by Judge Usher, of Indiana, who spoke eloquently and
in perfect accord with the unanimous sentiment of the party, that the
great enterprise, the progress of which we had come to witness, was
deserving of liberal aid from both government and people.

The following is the published report of this meeting:

ELLSwortH, THREE MILES BEYOND \

Proceedings of a Meeting of Excursionists, held near Fort Harker, Kansas, at the
western end of the Track of the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division, as
far as completed on this Route.

Crear Creek, Kansas, June 6th, 1867.

Hon. H. A. Risley, Assistant Solicitor United States Treasury, called the
meeting to order and nominated Hon. Simon Cameron, United States Senate, for
President, which was unanimously agreed to.

The following named officers were then elected:

Vice Prestpents :—Hon. A. F. Stevens, N. Hampshire; Hon. J. A. Nicholson,
Delaware ; Hon. A. H. Laflin, New York; Hon. ©. H. Van Wyck, New York;
Hon. B. M. Kitchen, W. Virginia; Hon. 0. D. Hubbard, W. Virginia; Hon. J.
L. Thomas, Maryland; Hon. G. S. Orth, Indiana; Major General Hancock, U.
8. A.; General Haines, U. S. A.; General Hazen, U. S. A.; General Donaldson,
U.S. A.; General G. W. Morgan, Ohio; Hon. J. B. Henderson, Missouri ; Hon.
C. A. Newcomb, Missouri; Hon. W. E. Niblack, Indiana.

_ Secretarigs :—Alexander K. Pedrick, of Pennsylvania; ©. C. Fulton, of

Maryland. :

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