The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-08-12
RAILROADERS' FLAG.
D., L. & w. Engineers, Firemen and
Round House Men Raised 1t.
G,eeted With Whistles.

Among the very many flag-raising
exercises in and around Scranton
since the war began, the exercises yes
terday afternoon at the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western round house
deserve a place in the front rank, or
fir.ng line, as it were. The flag is 26
by 40 feet, and the pole stands 100 feet,
exactly, above the ground. The pole Is
planted on a natural terrace at the
entrance to the round house. The Del
aware, Lackawanna and Western Rail-
road company furnished the pole, and
;hc flag was purchased by contribu-
tions from the engineers, firemen and
rounl house men. Edward T. Swartz
and John Schafer, engineers, made up
the committee that collected the
money.
Seats were arranged around the base
of the pole, and there the exercises
were held. A gathering of two or three
hundred employees of the yard, car
shops and round house assembled on
the north side of the terrace. Besides
:he chairman and those who took part
in the exercises, seats were occupied
by George M. Hallstead, Clarence II.
Van Buskirk, Garrett Bogart, David
Brown and f. w. Pearsall. The chair
man was j. r. Troch.
II organ used in the meeting room
at the round house was brought out
and presided over by Del Rowley.
A seXtette consisting of Lindsay Nc
MILAN, Walter wilkins, William Nor
gan, Thomas Lewis, John Lloyd and
Perry Thomas, opened the programme
by singing America" and closed it
with the Star Spangled Banner" Af-
ter the opening chorus Mr.. Pearsall in
voked Divine blessing with a fervent
appeal. AS he said Amen" Chairman
Troch gave the signal and the rope
that lifted the starry emblem to the
breeze was hauled by Anthony O'Neill,
call boy at the round house.
O'Neill is never called anything but
"Nipper" by the engineers and fire.
men. He is now Is years old, and for
ten years, rain or storm, sleet or hail,
he has been at his post dutiful and
prompt He was chosen for this func-
ton because he grew up from knee
high in the round house.
AS the flag floated on the breeze it
was given a glorious salute by the
whistles of all the yard engines and
these in the round house. Mr.. Bogart
issued orders to this effect. Walter A.
Smith, the 12-year-old son of Engineer
Tommy" Smith, recited Present Day
| Ccpperheads," an Grafton made up of
extracts from editorial utterances.
MR.. COLBORN's SPEECH.
Then Mr.. Coborn's address, in the
| eloquent style characteristic of him,
was delivered. 1t is epitomized as fol-
| lows:
Demonstrations such as these are of
great benefit to the citizens and to the
government. They awaken the enthusi-
| asm of all and make US more patriotic.
| The love we bear for the Star Spangled
| Banner is not for the flag itself. A gov
| ernment like ours is founded in sentiment
| must live upon sentiment and will die with
| its decay. Our flag floats today from the
rising to the setting of the sun in prouder
| triumph over a vaster domain than ever
| before. 1t represents the best and last
hope of humanity and wherever it floats
| it rparks the hallowed spot where truth
and justice must dwell.
An engine is a worthless piece or ma
chinery until the spark kindles the fire
in its furnace and the heat produces the
motive power-steam-then IL moves in
| tie. Our government is great piece OF
machinery and it's mighty work for hu.
manity can only be accomplished by kind,
| ling the fires of enthusiasm and patriot
ism in the breasts of the people thereby
| creating the motive power that enables
it to proclaim 'liberty throughout tht
| world and unto all the Inhabitants there
Of" and makes its flag the beacon light
of freedom to the down-trodden and op
pressed of the earth.
| Today, as never before our country
needs intelligent patriotic citizens. To
day, as never before 1t faces the world {
| united country. Our country is in arm'
today because 1t loves justice more thar
peace. If no other good were to be ac
complished by the present war with
| Spain, it is worth all that II has cost
to know there is no longer any sectiona
issue, and that by this contest we are one
people, united heart and soul for ont
country, one constitution, one flag anC
one destiny-for all of which we shoulC
| reverently thank the God of our fathers
who has helped us to come off more thar
| Nictors.
Sectionalism was shot by the cannon
of Deweys fleet at Manila, IL was blotte,
out by the blood of Bagley in cutting tn,
CABLE IL was buried in the trenches 81
Santiago, sunk with the Merrimac b,
Hobson, and burned to ashes in fires tina
conumed the last fleet of Spain on tn,
| ocean.
In the name of humanity this contes
has been waged and in that name the fu
ture wrongs of our people win have TO b,
redressed. In that name will be brough
about the reforms in our social indus
trial and political lift 1t has been tn,
battle cry in which our army and nav!
has blazed a new path to victory-il Il
times of peace 1t will be the ralying or!
by which our people will make more glo
rious still this government of the peo
pie. for the people and by the people,
and our starry banner will ever wave a
the symbol and sign of a nation. Ou
watchword will ever be, "Glory to God il
the highest peace on earth and good viii
| oil