The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-02-13
GREAT CROWDS ATTEND
Ln ansoogne'G Arrival Mt Her
Dock In Now York Ycssorday
THREE CHEERS FOR THE CAPTAIN.
Captain Baudcl0n win 10 Presented
With II Gold Medal by tho French
Steamship LInc-.Tho d fllrc fioSicccd
by n Multitude of People Anxious to
Greet tho Passengers.

NEw YORK, Fob. lo.-Long before tho
hour for La Gascogne to pass to he,
dock every point OF vantage aloag the
North river wGs occupied. The roofs Of
all tho pier shcda were black with poo.
pie aud tho battery was lined ten deep
with spectators. AS the big ocean s,>
hound csmo in sight mighty cheer
arose from moro than n thousand throats.
Meanwhile tho .hrongs OF people who
were unable to secure positions on tho
water front marched along West street,
keeping pace with tho slow progress Of
the steamer and gathering in numbers
at every street corner, until by the time
the foot oil Monroe street was reached
there was multitude that extended
from east to west and surged ayuins.
the gates OF the French line pier in vain
endeavors to gain admlttance.
Notwithstanding that admission 10
tho pier could only be obtained by
those who had friends on board La
Gascogne and who had obtained passes
from the company's office, the crowd
grew in numbers every moment and a
squad OF police under Sergeant TAYLOR
and Roundsman Bursh had tho greatest
difficulty in preventing the crowd that
filled Vest street in front OF the dock
from forcing the gates and taking the
pier by storm.
As the steamer glided past the gang
plank opening, her decks, which were
crowded with people, presented NOV.
ing panorama Of joyous, excited faces.
At intervals tho loud voiced crowd burs.
forth in wild cheers. Captain Baudelon
was discovered standing serenely at his
post on the bridge. A big man with a
big voice on one OF the goods boxes.
cried "threc cheers for that brave man."
The cheers re-echoed against the shed
roof. The captain smiled.
1t was just II 80 o'clock when the first
passenger stepped down the gang plank
aud was seized by the wild howIing
crowd. He was young man dressed
in n big fur-trimmed overcout. lie
looked very glad to get on shore. The
next was big man in silk hat. His
wife was in tears at the foot OF the
plank. The third was n young girl, and
before che reached the bottom she was
seized and madly kissed by Young
man with little ;nus,ache. The crowd
yelled with delight and gave more
cheers.
A great many OF the crowd tried to
board the vessel Passengers and stew
ards with travelling bags and steamers
rugs and hat boxes were still coming
Inrp ha vi nl- 4
confusion and one or two impromptu
scuttles arose.
The officers tried to restrain the
crowd, and forbade their stepping on
the gang plank. But they clambered
over the goods box and Jumped down
on the plank from above and thus stole
their way on board despite the olficals,
Captain Baudelon came strding down
the plank with his head uncovered,
smiling and bowing from right to left.
A woman threw him large bunch Of
violets. He deity caught it and held
them TO his face as he stepped down to-
ward the crowd. He was seized bv
eager hands on all sides and pulled this
way and that. Every one tried to get
one OF his hands. the women in the
crowd being the more demonstrativs in
this respect. Three Of them pushed
their way toward him. and when he
saw who they were. he hastened toward
them. They oil kissed him at once.
Harry Watson, the handsome steward
OF the ship, was also hugged and kissed
over and over again by several pretty
women who had been waiting at the
pier since carly in the morning. The
crowd cheered Watson, too. 4"
Outside the dock there was long
line Of cabs and carriages and as soon
MS landed, the passengers hurried
through and drove off. 1t was a good
natured crowd. Every one was excited,
but every one was happy.