The times., 1898-08-30
GOTHAM 4 BLAZE GLORY
Big ovation for the Gallant
Seyenty-Eirst.
BOYS WORN AND WEALY
The AwfuI Rayases of the Cam
pafgn Before Santiago Manifest in
Every Veterans Face and Form
The Welcome Brings JOY Into
Hearts Tint Longed for Home.

welcomed soldier boys nome from war pe-
FORE but never has there been such
welcome as that given today to the Sew
enty-first Regiment, back from the SAN
tiago campaign and a short stay al Camp
Wikoff Montauk Point.
Broadway can hold only just so many
people, no matter what the parade, and,
therefore, In the point of the number OF
the onlookers at today's demonstration
it would not be strictly accurate to say
that the homecoming of the soldier lads
called forth the greatest demonstration
that street has ever seen. 1t is strictly
accurate however, to say that the street
was packed from the Battery all along
the line OF march as full as it could hold
and that the demonstration was unique
in that it was electric and spontaneous.
The welcome to the soldier boys was
cheerful. There were, indeed. thousands
upon thousands who were doing their best
to keep down the gulps in their throats
and hold back indications of tears; but
tears and signs pass unnoticed almost
when a whirlwind of cheers goes sweeping
up, and few mournful faces were to be
seen. How the demonstration affected the
boys of the Seventy-first was probably
best voiced by one of them who said:
No Sleep and Light Rations.
"Oh. yes, it's all delightful and very
nice TO see this demonstration. Very few
of us had any sleep last night and some
of us only had a cup of coffee and a
cracker or two for breakfast, but when
we got to Broadway. coming up from the
Battery. and when We heard those cheers
for three miles or more 1t was like so
many electric shocks. You could feel your
legs grow stronger under you. and
strange sensations went down the spine,
something like those in a fight, but yet
so different and then we got stronger,
but, somehow or other. neighbor. your
eyes get CLASSY, and-and-Oh. God, I'm
glad were home again"
The police were apparently unprepared
for the size and heartiness OF the well
come given. Broadway had policemen at
intervals of about one hundred feet and
there was a very inadequate force at
the Battery.
The Flag Everywhere
Long before noon the sidewalks Of
Broadway were lined. From thousands
of windows hung Old Glory and occa-
sionally a flag was stretched across the
street. There seemed to be no other dec
oration Of importance along the line OF
march than the flag itself. At l O'Clock.
5,,-ee c,7,a vte,.S of a hour s...fo-a fta ya-
rytooat Flushing arrived at the Battery
from Long Island CITY with the regiment,
the chimes of Trinity rang out and for
an hour or more. until the first line of
troops was seen approaching that point
on Broadway, they could be heard play
ing patriotic airs and voiciRg the general
spirit oe happiness and good cheer.
Down at the Battery $50 veterans of the
Seventy-first, in command of Gen. Nc
Alpin. had gathered as an escort, and a
few of the officers of the One Hundred
and Seventy-first also appeared for the
same purpose.
The Metropolitan Street Railway had
a lot of cable cars ready in which to
place the soldiers for ride as far as
L
march to Fifth Avenue and thence to
Thirty-fourth Street and then over to
their armory at Park Avenue.
a yoIIeying of Cheers
At last the ferry gates swung open and
Col. Downs and his staff and the first row
of soldiers of the first company appeared
The veterans who were waiting as an
an electric fiuttering of flags and an in
cessant volleying of cheers.
The men came off the boat in heavy
marching order. They wore brown slouch
hats, their blankets and blouses We're
rolled together across their shoulders and
the rest of their costume consisted of blue
shirts, yellow canvas trousers and leg
gings Each man had knapsack and ac-
couterments, and they carried the old
Springfield rifles.
1t was soon evident that the people
were shocked at the first appearance of
the soldiers. They were thin and hag-
gered. of a complexion that was between
yellow and brown; they were unkempt,
many of them bewhiskered. and their gait
was somewhat unsteady. The minute
they heard the cheers, however. most Of
them set their teeth together and they
jumped into something like military form.
Bonrding the Cable Cars.
The veterans and the officers Of the
One Hundred and Seventy-frst stretch
ed themselves across Whitehall Street,
the returned soldiers were packed
away little by little in the cable cars. the
guards were let down on each side of the
cars the sick and fatigued were put
into carriages and carryalls. and at about
2:15 o'clock word was passed along to
the head OF the procession that the move
UP Broadway was about to begin.
1t was fortunate for the returned SOL
diers from Santiago that they were in
cable cars with the bars let down to
keep the mob away. The CROWD on
Broadway from Bowling Green to Waiver
ly Place simply became a mob. There
was nothing imposing in the demonstra-
ton except the sincerity of the welcome
to the boys.
On the south +bound track of the street
car line down Broadway the cars were
stalled all the way from the Battery
to WaYerly Place. OF course the people
took possession of them and squeezed in
along the sides of the northbound track,
and the motormen on the cars containing
soldiers had a most anxious trip of it
Finally 1t became necessary for the po-
licemen to go ahead of the first car con-
tanning the troops and literally pull off
a layer of humanity from the sides Of the
stalled cars.