Saturday, July 30th found us in the beautiful city of Dallas, Texas, after another day of travel. Called at the home of Rev. H. B. Hudnut, another of Jimmie's Seminary classmates, now Associate Pastor at "City Temple", the largest Presbyterian Church of the south. Spent twelve days with the Hudnuts, seeing Dallas from every angle. Visited the Continental Gin Company, where cotton gins were made. Saw one in operation.
Played golf, not minding the heat, the first since leaving Washington. The days are so hot in Dallas that people do their calling in the morning, close the houses and try to keep cool in the afternoon. The evenings are cooler and restful. Hudnuts lived a few blocks from S. M. U.
Throughout this section of Texas, the Oil Companies were having price fights and in Dallas we paid as low as twelve cents a gallon for gasoline.
Our first night after leaving Dallas, was spent in Wichita Falls.
Throughout our journey, we had been experiencing considerable tire trouble, partly due to the heavily loaded car and partly to the condition of the roads. Before leaving Wichita Falls we invested $36.00 in two "full-size, over-size" Racine Tires, and with the assurance that these would outlast the car, we started out, "riding on air". So confident were we that most of our tire trouble was over, we couldn't believe our ears when we heard a loud "bang" and realized the car was rather dizzy. We stopped, and to our dismay found a 10-penny spike in one of Those Tires. The tire was not alone in feeling "flat".
We continued northward thru the Texas Panhandle, stopping in Amarilla Saturday night. Attended church Sunday morning in a fine new Presbyterian Church. A young lawyer was the speaker that morning, and Jimmie, being an "orthodox preacher" was asked to take part in the services. The regular minister was having his vacation and having spent all their money on the new building they did not have supplies for the pulpit, but had various members of the congregation take charge of the service.
The day was extremely hot and we traveled slowly during the afternoon. When almost into New Mexico, we encountered a terrific rain and electric storm which slowed us up until finally we were forced to stop. When we were ale to start again, we found ourselves in "Texas Gumbo". Only those who know "Gumbo" have any idea of our experience. We slid into Clayton, New Mexico and for the first time on our journey, decided to hire a cabin to be more comfortable. We soon doubted the wisdom of this move, for the cabin leaked.
The next days travel took us out of the sand and cactus country into the mountains. We had numerous flat tires caused by the spines from the cactus.
We passed many flocks of sheep, with the shepherd driving, instead of "leading" them, as is the custom in the far east.
The altitude at Claude, New Mexico, was 3800 feet and here we felt high and dry, after aour experience in the flooded territory.
Soon we were at Mt. Dora, with an altitude of 6,000 ft. and up we went through Capulin Mountains, over beautiful Raton Pass at 10,000 ft. elevation, and now we were "up in the world". Night fell upon us at Pueblo, Colorado, where we found a satisfactory Tourist Camp.
Sunday, December 20, 2015
1926 Flood Detour
Spent twelve days with the folks in Grand Bay. Sightseeing - Shopping in Mobile - Fishing in the Bayou Le Batre - Swimming in the Gulf of Mexico.
Got a boat and went fishing with Dad and Grayce out in the Bay.
Went with Pikes for a beach picnic at Beloxi, Mississippi.
Went Crabbing one evening - Henri's first experience. Caught crabs and ate them too. They were good!
We also learned how to grow cotton, sweet potatoes and watermelons. Incidentally, Dad's watermelons were just right and we consumed several daily.
On Sunday, Jimmie preached in the local Baptist Church.
Wednesday, July 27th, we left Grand Bay, well supplied with fried chicken, watermelons, ect. Traveled leisurely along the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, thru Passagoula, Biloxi and Gulfport, north thru Hathesburg, Miss. to Wendenhall. Here we camped for the night in a school yard directly across from a Baptist Church, where the colored Brethren were holding meeting.
After a few hours drive the next morning, we arrived in Jackson, Miss. where we learned we could not cross the "Father of Waters" at Vicksburg as we had planned, but must retrace our road to Natchez where we would find the only southern road (westward) in tact - the "Dixie Highway".
Back we went, traveling slowly, and camped 20 miles north of Natchez, at Church Hill. Friday, July 29th, we were ferried safely across the Mississippi River and continued westward on the Dixie Highway. This highway had been elevated, after the food to make it passable and even on it, we had a detour of fifty miles or more.
We drove for miles and miles with a swift stream of water on either side of the road - backwater from the flood. All kinds of debris, animal carcasses, etc., were to be seen everywhere. What had been an inhabited area was still under water. We talked with people 25 miles west of the river and learned that the water there had been eleven feet deep. Such was the result of the flood of 1926.
We stopped along the road, east out a hook and line and in no time had fish for supper. We ate our fill, too, for there were plenty more in the water, waiting to be caught. That night we traveled until eleven o'clock and were 200 miles from Natchez (at Ruston, La.) before we felt we were safe from the dampness and odors of the flood.
Got a boat and went fishing with Dad and Grayce out in the Bay.
Went with Pikes for a beach picnic at Beloxi, Mississippi.
Went Crabbing one evening - Henri's first experience. Caught crabs and ate them too. They were good!
We also learned how to grow cotton, sweet potatoes and watermelons. Incidentally, Dad's watermelons were just right and we consumed several daily.
On Sunday, Jimmie preached in the local Baptist Church.
Wednesday, July 27th, we left Grand Bay, well supplied with fried chicken, watermelons, ect. Traveled leisurely along the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, thru Passagoula, Biloxi and Gulfport, north thru Hathesburg, Miss. to Wendenhall. Here we camped for the night in a school yard directly across from a Baptist Church, where the colored Brethren were holding meeting.
After a few hours drive the next morning, we arrived in Jackson, Miss. where we learned we could not cross the "Father of Waters" at Vicksburg as we had planned, but must retrace our road to Natchez where we would find the only southern road (westward) in tact - the "Dixie Highway".
Back we went, traveling slowly, and camped 20 miles north of Natchez, at Church Hill. Friday, July 29th, we were ferried safely across the Mississippi River and continued westward on the Dixie Highway. This highway had been elevated, after the food to make it passable and even on it, we had a detour of fifty miles or more.
We drove for miles and miles with a swift stream of water on either side of the road - backwater from the flood. All kinds of debris, animal carcasses, etc., were to be seen everywhere. What had been an inhabited area was still under water. We talked with people 25 miles west of the river and learned that the water there had been eleven feet deep. Such was the result of the flood of 1926.
We stopped along the road, east out a hook and line and in no time had fish for supper. We ate our fill, too, for there were plenty more in the water, waiting to be caught. That night we traveled until eleven o'clock and were 200 miles from Natchez (at Ruston, La.) before we felt we were safe from the dampness and odors of the flood.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)