Saturday August 16, 1930

Josephine arrived at Bristol, Virginia at 6:50 pm central standard time on Saturday August 16. Bristol, Virginia was on eastern standard time so when Josephine left Bristol at 8 pm eastern time, she really only had a brief time between arrival in Bristol and departure from Bristol since 6:50 pm central standard time translated to 7:50 pm eastern standard time in Bristol – so basically she had a 10-minute layover. Josephine traveled to Lynchburg, Virginia, via the Norfolk and Western Railroad (either the same railroad car and train No. 42 or a new car and train No. 42 – either way a designated railway employee was always there to help the ladies get to the proper train car). Josephine arrived in Lynchburg in the early morning hours (1:50 am) of Sunday, August 17.

This second day of Josephine’s journey is filled with train travel. Josephine will spend a total of 52 hours, 36 minutes on the train traveling from Morganza to New York City – 2 ½ days.

Josephine had quite a few meals on the train, all paid for by the government. Josephine received a letter sometime before her actual departure that read:

Dear Madam:

There is enclosed herewith Check No. (?) in the amount of $ (?), to pay for your meals and incidental expenses from your home to New York on the pilgrimage authorized by the Act of March 2, 1929.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MUST THIS CHECK BE CASHED AND USED FOR ANY PURPOSE OTHER THAN THAT SPECIFIED.

If for any reason, you are not able to sail on the date mentioned in your invitation, the check must be returned to this office immediately.
For The Quartermaster General,
Very truly yours,
A.D. HUGHES,
Captain, Q.M. Corps

I don’t know how much Josephine received for travel expenses. Mrs. Blanche Horn, who was traveling from Missouri to New York, received $12.50. In a fictional account of a pilgrimage, a person traveling from Texas to New York got $27.50.

This check was delivered to Josephine by registered mail.

One of the travelers on the pilgrimage with Josephine was Mrs. Octavia Hobgood from Baton Rouge. The Baton Rouge paper wrote two or three articles covering Mrs. Hobgood’s trip. In one article, she was interviewed about the trip – I have a transcript of that article if anyone is interested in reading it.

How I wish we had such an article about Josephine!

Source: written by Carolyn Ourso