The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-29
RETURN OF BOYS IN BLUE
They Arc Pleased with the Result Of
Mt. Gretna Encampment.
THIRTEENTH LED THE BRIGADE
II Was tho First Regiment to Leave the
Camping 0round for hOmo-Go0d
Time Made ON the Journey
to This City.

Happy to be home once more. the SOL
diers Of the Thirteenth regiment
reached the city from Mt. Gretna Sat
| urday afternoon at 4S0. They left mere
Friday. July 20. at p. M. arriving AT
camp the next morning at daylight
and at o'clock every man was IN his
tent. Seven days OF camp life then en-
sued. the Thirteenth in all the drills,
parades, and all the other accompani-
| ments OF the week showing up so well
as to win the credit ~ being the fore
most in the Third brigade.
The last day In camp was one OF an
| ticipa tion; the men were ordered TO be
prepared for the first reveille at
| o'clock Saturday morning. When that
hour arrived all the boys quickly re-
| sponded and attended to the task Of
preparing for departure. II was In
tended that the train should leave at
o'clock for Lebanon. but the arduous
task of loading the baggage and camp
equppage caused delay of two hours.
| The Thirteenth was the first to leave
the camping grounds. the Ninth or
| Wikes-Barre following on later
| train. From Mt. Gretna TO Lebanon
| the trip was made over the Cornwall
branch OF the Reading railroad. and on
| the main line from Lebanon 10 Allen
| town. Lebanon was reached at y
| o'clock and Allentown at noon; no stop
| was made at Reading.
| Prosecutions Against Accidents.
| The train was made up of sixteen
| coaches and an engine. there being 5lS
men aboard. At Allentown twenty
| minutes of stop was made in chang
| Ing engines and crews; at this point the
| Lehigh Valley road crew took charge
| and the run was made at the rate OF
| forty-five miles an hour until Penn
| Haven junction was reached. 1t took
three engines TO haul the train UP the
Wilkes-Barre mountains. The conduc-
tor had stationed men at every brake,
taking precaution against any possible
| accident through the breaking Of 4
coupling.
When camp was broken at Mt. Gretna
| the weather was fair. the boys looking
| forward to a pleasant ride home. As
lhe train sped along and the hours went
| by the skies became cloudier. At Al
| lentown. while the train was being
switched onto the Lehigh Valley tracks,
as many Of the boys as had no lunch
with them made a descent on the res
| taurant keeper at the station and ex-
hausted his stock of coffee and sand
witches.
Much Of the delight that would have
accrued in viewing the picturesque
scenery was detracted from by the rain.
which began falling as the train pulled
into Mauch Chunk. 1t pattered against
the windows of the cars on the ride
| through the mountains.
Arriving at Wilkes-Barre the regi-
| rent was greeted with fairer skies.
Twenty minutes OF stop was made
there. One engine hauled the train to
Scranton, and on account of the heavy
load had to go slowly. The Delaware
and Hudson station was reached at 43O
precisely.
Encampment Was q Success.
On the hsmeward journey the boys
enjoyed themselves in fine style. All
| told they were not able to express the
satisfaction they fel; at the thorough
success OF the encampment. The ar
rival in the city before night was re-
garded as q pleasant Innovation; there
was not a large crowd on hand to
greet them, but as they marched along
UP Lackawanna avenue to Washington
to Linden street, to Adams avenue and
the armory. hundreds Of pedestrians
along the streets lined the sidewalks as
the boys in blue passed.
Colonel z. H. Ripple. Major Miller
and Commissary Sergeant w. H. Burke
arrived at 10 o'clock Saturday morning
when Johnny Comes Marching
Home was the tune played by the
drum corps when the Thirteenth left
camp Saturday morning, and it is i'm
possible to describe the feelings of the
members when they heard the refrain
They expected they would receive a
royal welcome and looked forward with
Joyful anticipation to the time when
they should arrive at home and march
up Lackawanna avenue, the sidewalks
lined with enthusiastic men and women
eager TO applaud the brave boys who
had attained the highest point of ex-
cellence among the citizen soldiery
They had expected this reception be-
cause their proficiency was recognized
abroad, but the cheers of those at home
would be more dear. Their reception
was disappointing.
Pool on the Leaving Timo.
IT was 9:0S when the regiment left Mt.
Gretna. 1t was the first to start, but
the leaving time will not be forgotten
by the members Of Company C. After
the work was completed Captain Chase
In order to hold the attention OF the
men and furnish them diversion, Or
ganized a pool on the time of leaving.
The one nearest to the leaving time
was to take the pool.
Nothing that was broached during
the enoampment caused so much excite
ment. Other companies were also in
1 terested. The pool was formed at z
O'CLOCK. The men guessing at all times
from that until II o'clock. The excite
ment was Intense. Finally the regI-
ment was loaded on the cars. It was
about $40. Everything was ready but
why wasn't the start made.
Man after man was dropped from the
list Of probable winners. Finally IL
reached 0 O'Clock. That was the time
Mr.. Kaufman fixed. 1t seemed sure
as the start was expected every minute.
The order had been given but fixe min
utes elapsed, and at the sixth minute
the train started and the pool was won
by Mr.. Colony.
Last Night In Camp
The midway plaisance was not cir