The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-04-20
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At the Signal of Ringing
Church Bells
And Blowing ofSteam Whistles
at Omaha,
A Great Army of Thousands
of Men
SPRINGS INTO BEING.
It MaFehes Out of the City
5000 Strong
Bound for Weston to 'Help
Gen. Kelly"
SECURE A L RAIN.
All is Excitement Thousands
Following the Army.
IOwa's Governor in a Quandary
What to Do.

OMAHA. April 20-Three thousand
laboring men marched out of Omaha to-
day with banners flying, bound for the
camp of Gen. Kelly's commonwealers at
Weston, Iowa, fourteen miles east of
Council Bluffs.
At o'clock this morning, the signal
agreed upon at the last meeting of the
Central Labor uniOn-tne ringing of
church bells and the blowing of whistles
was given, announcing that Kelly's
army was still at Weston, unable to Sc
cure a train for the east
Inside of five minutes 1000 men had
gathered at Jefferson square and were
quickly organized into companies, with
a captain for every ten men. The march
was then taken up through Sixteenth
street to Earnham, where the column
proceeded to the city hall and counter
marched. At every street recruits were
received, and when the column reached
the Paxton hotel there were $500 men in
line. Each company was provided with
an American flag, and as fast as recruits
joined they were formed into companies
and provided with banners.
At 18th and Farnham streets the main
column was met by a detachment of 500
men. They joined the forces and pro-
ceeded to the Douglass toll bridge across
the Missouri river. Here they were met
by the superintendent of bridge who
said the company was glad to give them
free transportation across the river.
Let Them Go Across for Nothing.
This was a graceful act; for the men
were prepared to cross with or without
the Union Pacific shop men would join
the column at this point but
that part of the programme was not
carried out, for the company
work that those working would be ex-
pected to remain on duty all day. The
master mechanic also prevented the
blowing of the shop whistle There
were a number of Union Pacific men in
the line of marchers, however, but they
were men who had not gone to work this
morning.
Thousands of people followed the col
umn to the bridge and other thousands
were on hand on the other side
of the river to welcome them The
cold seemed to have the effect
had been expected last night, when the
rain was falling SO heavily. All the men
seemed to be in excellent spirits and de-
termined that the march should mean
business.
The column had been proceeded to
Council Bluffs by a committee of promi-
nent citizens appointed at last nights
meeting of the central labor union, in
Guiding Rev. DIR. Joseph Duryea, pastor
of the First Congregational church; Rev.
church, and Rev. Frank Crane of the
First Methodist church
Comforting With Railroads
The committee was to call on Gov.
jackson and the managers of the rail-
roads and urge that the commonwealers
be at once started their way east
While the column was marching towards
the Missouri, Gen. Kelly was in Omaha
seated in the private car of ST. John of
the Rock Island road, holding an ami
mated conference.
Mr.. St John said in response to a re-
quest for a train that he was not in a
position to grant it even should
he desire to do So as the
matter was wholly in the
hands of the president of the Iowa trunk
lines and no one road could grant re-
quest for train unless the presidents of
all the other lines acquiesced
General Kelly then left the car and
called on other friends for advice. One
prominent man suggested that the army
levy on the farmers for horses and wag-
OF 100 men each, and that they spread
out over stretch of territory % miles
wide and march on foot across the state.
What the Effect Might Be.
1t was suggested that such a plan
would soon bring the people Of the state
n,..,,na1,s TO tune for the army would
through which it passed and the railroads
would then be forced to take the COM
monwealers up and carry them out of the
country
Gen. Kelly said the plan seemed to him
a good one and he thought it might he
tried He agreed to call a council of his
officers and place the plan before them.
After deliberation if they agreed to it.
the plan would be adopted The general
left for Council Bluffs at IL O'Clock. 1t Il
said that some Of the anarchists who
ware In the column marching out of
Omaha had some dynamite with them.
but how much is not known.
Thrilling Sight Was
a strange sight was witnessed on the