The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-02-13
Happy GREETING
Accorded the Gascogne Upon
Her Arrival.
BaudeIon wildly Cheered by the Men
and Kissed By Women.

NEW YORK, Feb. 13.-Long be>5re the
hour for La Gascogne 10 pass up yesterday
every point Of vantage along the North
river was occupied. The roofs OF all the
pier sheds were black with people and tho
battery was lined with spectators 10 deep.
As the big ocean greyhound came In sight
on this point a mighty cheer went up.
Meanwhile the thpongs OF people who
wore unable TO secure positions on the
water front marched along West street,
keeping pace with the slow progress OF the
steamer and gathering In numbers at
every street corner. until by the time the
foot OF Morton street gas reached there
was a multitude that extended from east
TO west, and surgcd against the gates OF
the French limo pier in n vain endeayor TO
gain admittancc.
Notwithstanding that admission 60 the
pier could only be obtained by those who
Ind friends Ola board In Gascogne and
who had obtained passes from the com
pany's Office, the crowd grow in numbers
every moment, and an extra squad OF
police had the greatest difficulty in pre-
vomiting tho crowd from taking tho pier by
storm.
While waiting for the steamer to arrive,
those on the pier could not control their
agitation, and the relief from the strain OF
nervous tension. under which many OF
them had laborcd for days past, was man
ifcsted by mingled tears and laughter.
At Her Pier.
1t was 1915 o'clock when tho big
steamer ran alongside the end OF the pier.
The crowd gave wild cheers and began
-. hon n flau
could. The tugs were pulling and push
Ing tho big steamer about SO as TO run her
into the slip.
damned. There was very little space
there any way, owing to the large number
Of boxes which had been brought for load
ing on the Gascogno last week. The
crowd clambered upon these boxes Men
helped women up. On the top of one Of
the highest piles of boxes stood two Paulist
fathers waving their handkerchiefs.
AS tho steamer gllded past the gang
plank opening, her decks, which were
crowded with people. presented moving
panorama OF joyous excited faces. AT in
tervals the loud d-voiced crowd burst forth
In wild cheers.
Captain Baudelon was discovered stand
ing sereneiy at his post on the bridge. A
big man with big voice, on one of the
goods boxes. cried: "Three cheers for that
brave man" The cheers echoed against
the shed roof The captain smiled.
At 1135 the lines were made fast, and
the vessel became stationary. The crowd
was so thick and eager that at first the
deck hands could not get at the gang
plank When at last they did lift It, they
4{fro1 n half dczav, mamie with IN
Going Ashore.
It was Just 1889 o'clock when the first
passenger stepped down the gang. plank
and was seized by the Wild bowling
crowd He was a young man dressed in
. big fur-trimmed overcoat. He looked
very glad 10 get on shore. The next was
4 big man in a silk hat. His wife was in
tears at the foot of the plank. The third
was pretty girl, and before she reached
the bottom she was seized and madly
kissed by young man with n little
mustache The crowd yelled with delight
and gave more cheers.
A great many of the crowd tried to board
the vessel. Passengers and stewards with
travelling bags and steamer rings and hat
boxes were still coming down the gang
plank. "A great deal OF confusion and one
or two impromptu scufiies arose. The off,
GERS tried TO rastrAin the crowd, and for
bade their stopping on the gang-plank
But they cfnfnbered over the goods boxes
and jumped down on the plank from
above, anu thus stole their way on board,
despite the officials.
Cheers For Gallant Captain.
Suddenly there was wild shout from a
man near the rangway. "'lhe captain I
The captain Captain Baudelonv" some
one cried. "Hip, bipl' Every one Joined
III the cheer. Some college boys gave a
Princeton cheer; then Yale one. Then
Captain Baudelon came striding down
the plank with his head uncovered, smil-
ing and bowling from right TO left.
woman threw him large bunch OF
violcts. He deftly caught 1t and held
them to his face as he stepped down tow.
ard the crowd. Here hc was seized by
eager hands OH all sides and pulled this
way and that. Every one tried to get one