The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-05-03
THIRSTY WILLIE GOING,

Camp 20 Of Kelly and coxey's COM
monvcal army was organized in this
city yesterday. II was all through the
Growlcr Rushcrs' Union and the Con
comfy street Free Lunch Cadets
League. These two bodies divide the
offices between them, and already have
a roster OF 27O volunteers. They expect
TO sail for Washington by Friday night.
A committee Of the army saw Agent
Lounsberry at his house last night to
receive the promise of train Of 12 Pull
man sleepers and five day coaches after
reaching Portland. They demanded a
buffet car, also, but 1t will not be put
on until the train leaves La Grande.
Some Of the members want to engage
the Islander. of the Canadian Pacific
line, and run up to the Sound and start
from Seattle, there are so many brew
cries there, so 1t may be that a division
of the forces will result.
At a meeting of the leaders at the
old Anglo-American cannery last night
Thirsty Willie, the "unbitten terror of
Fortitude Camp" was elected general.
In an interview this morning he ex-
planned the situation as follows:
II amt much on cuckoo talk, but
when 1t comes to rastlin' / wins out,
see? Some Of desc skates give me de
bolts, but the smear goes, and l goes
wild 'em. We'se all pacing for Wash
ington. Old Grove is the bloke we want,
and when / get through with him he'll
look like skinned ostrich. I'll just put
up my fins and bat him into the next
county. See? Den / goes over to the
crowd Of congressman what Ellis and
Hermann belongs ter and | trots thro
the block like q jimycane. Dere won't
be nothing left but to sweep the floor
when / gets by. Den I gets up on keg
and says: 'Feller Skates, dis is the head
boss, and don't you forget It, Gimme
de keys to the safe Den we has a
new govment, and Willie is strickly in
1t. See?"
In the march to Washington, Thirsty
Willie says much depends on the COM
missary department. The committee on
supplies is headed by Col. Pickles
Walklr, who has seen service at Tama-
laville and Salem. He wanted 131 kegs
Of beer, and donations of nearly half
that number have been received. He
figures that one keg to two men will
last the army till they get beyond the
city limits.
At the meeting last night one mis-
guided man made a motion that 80
loaves of bread be secured each day.
This was received with howls of scorn
by the army. An amendment was made
reducing the number to three, but this
was lost, and each man was delegated
to hustle for himself. Thirsty Willie
said he hadn't eaten bread for year,
and didn't propose to begin now.
Song and Dance Moll is going along
as vivandiere. She Is a brawny lass,
and instead of the usual canteen of the
historic vivandiere she will carry a
bucket of mingled rum and Shellac var
nish, which powerful tonic will be used
only for the wounded. Mollie will have
Lowneck Susan as a running mate. The
latter will carry the banner, on which
is inscribed, Free Lunch and Free
Whiskey!" 1t is not the first time she
has carried the banner and she Is will
ing to do 1t again in a good cause.
The great roundup Of the army will
take place either tomorrow orsSaturday
night at the cannery. Thirsty Willie
has named Hungry Hank as his chief
of staff. and the two will ride cayuses.
The committee on lunch route will be
required to report every hour. The pro-
cession from the canhery to the Union
Pacific dock will move at an early hour
in the morning. If the steamer is not
not there with open arms ready for
them they win take possession of the
rlght-of-way path from here to Kalama
and go as far as they can on foot, but
expect to catch the first freight running
between Astoria and that point. Snow
Bound Pete says there is nothing so
invigorating as a May-day ride on the
hurricane deck of wild freight.
Utzinger has offered to telegraph his
theatrical agent in San Francisco to-
send up balloon for the leaders, but
they said nixey. The earth was good
enough for them. II was all they
wanted.