The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-30
LAST EDITION
COAL REACHED.
Camp at Washington Resem-
bIes a Circus.
Thousands Of Curious Visitors Gaze
At the Weary Tramps,
BY ns Associated Press.

WASHINGTON, April 80. - The COM
mander-in-chief Of the good roads army
ofthe. e.commonwsal, standing on rickety
wagon in the center OF the Brightwood
driving park, waving aloft his alpine hat
to one Of the most cosmopolitan and ex-
tensive audiences ever gathered In Wash
ington, announced yesterday afternoon
that the greatest march Of the 10Th CEN
tury had been accomplished.
The march had been accomplished but
Its ending was in pitiful contrast 20 the
massing Of the thousands of unemployed
that Its projectors had prophesied. Three
hundred and half of miserably dressed,
wobogone. rumbling, out-at-the-elbows
and run-down-at-the-h heels specimens OF
humanity, who bore striking resem blances
60 the familiar genus tramp, marched
into the park, led by q wheeling apology
for band. pitched tents. and stretched
themselves In the sun.
Thousands from the city turned ont to
make holiday Of IL and inspect the Gu
rious aggregation. They listened TO the
weird talk of Marshal Carl Irowne and
the Populistic speech Of Coxey. Then
they turned toward home in haze OF
mental wonderment at the whole queer
IL had been carried out and the strength
IL had gained. Across the park, enterpris-
ing colored citizens had established their
booths for traffic in gingerbread and
sweetened water. which passed current
under the guise of lemonade.
Crooks Were There.
The semblance TO a circus layout was
furthered by thin ble-riggsrs and shell
.l.xlL~ - L.. 4 n
crowd. But when the people poured into
the park enclosure the suggestion of
circus day was full blown. In the center
OF the half-mile track appeared the can
vas enclosure which encircled the quar-
ters of the commonweal army.
Half dozen weather beaten army tents
stood about the canvas-drawn circle with
several canvas covered commissary wag-
ons. Tents and wagons were covered
with black-painted legends, which
were q queer mixture OF good roads, rein
carnation aud finance The great Per-
cheron horses with shaggy fetlocks were
teshersd about thewagons. Nearby were
fastened two large American flags. and
the emblematic banners were piled OH the
ground.
Most interesting of the sights, how
ever. were the human elements, the rank
and file OF the Quixotic army, the men
who had marched and borne the brunt of
mud and storms and cold. They were
the most unique and inexplicable aggre-
cation ever brought together. Some of
them we're at work about the tents and
wagons. Others curled up on the damp
ground munching great chunks OF bread,
and many more stretched sleeping in the
sun with their heads pillowed on rolled
up coats. Fashionably dressed women
stood about surveying the men. COM
menting upon their appearance with no
apparent realization of the fact that the
subjects of their comments We're human
beings who could hear and understand
them.
A Talk With Coxcy
Over In the most pretentious tent, which
bore the sign headquarters" painted
across it, were found the leaders of the
army, General Coxey and Marshal
Browne.
Clad in a fashionable spring suit of
light drab hue. with perfectly creased
trousers, with cup of coffee In one hand
end a boiled egg in the other sat General
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