Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1898-08-31

! New York. Aug. 22.-Hundreds of
, thousands of people along the banks
! of the Hudson aud thousands on all
styles of river craft blended their
shouts in royal welcome Saturday
TO the returned North Atlantic squad
ron under command of Rear Admiral
Sampson, and as fine an August day as
could be desired was natures tribute
, to the return Of the victors. For al.
most three solid hours steam whistles
Of all sizes, steam sirens and small
guns along the shores shrleked. and
i doomed in the effort to display the
heartiest enthusiasm for the home
coming of the naval heroes with their
! battle-scarred ships.
Seven Esls Ships in Line.
Early in the morning the seven big
ships, the New York, Iowa, India ma.
Brooklyn, Massa chusetts, Oregon and
Texas, lay in New York bay just off
Tompkinsville, S. l. There was no idea
with Admiral Sampson that New York
city was prepared for rousing recep-
ton. out the news was brought shortly
Ivy a tug from the navy yard, and all
the ships of the squadron were imme-
diately put under preparation for
dress review. BY nine o'clock the big,
dul-looking fighting ships. looming
high above the picturesque confusion
OF smaller craft which had come down
TO get a glimpse of the ships. were
ready for movement. Strung out along
their decks in long, regular lines were
the white-uniformed jackies, with here
and there bluecoated officer, all
strongly contras1ed against the SOM
Der. lead-colored armor Of the ships.
Great Guns boom.
The start was accompanied by ire
mendous cheering, screechug voices
and booming cannon. From Castle
William came the first salute. 1t was
merely fash of bright red. which
was Immediately smothered in a sheet
OF smoke before any defamation was
heard. Then came the roar across the
waters, and the ships headed right in
the river or the way to Gen. Grants
tomb.
At Grants Tomb.
At the bottom Of he slope an obser-
walton train crawled lazily along, keep
ing even with the ships, above this the
vast sea ofhumanity, aud browning this
Gen. Grants tomb. which was to mark
the beginning of the return of the
squadron, where national salute of
Fl guns was fired. The tomb, standing
high, white and solemn, far above the
waters OF the river, looked to be built
upon a foundation Of faces. For the
irst time in the parade the battIeships
drew together. Just at the point OF
return there was momentary lull. as
1t expectant of the climax.
Salute to Dead Hero.
Suddenly, from the sides and turrets
OF the battleships there was vivid
flash: following this tremendous
roar announcing the first gun of the
national salute. The heavy smoke
curled and tumbled down towards the
water and up into the air until the
ships had been almost hidden, but the
roar, coming again and again, seemed
to rock the waters themselves. It was
an imposing spectacle as the big bat
tleships doomed a salute to the ma
ton; as the warships saluted the final
resting place Of Gen. Grant, and the
guns that sounded the knell of Admiral
Cervera's ships at Santiago doomed
reverential obeisance to the dead
hero.
The salute ended, the return of the
squadron along the line of review was
begun. 1t was repetition of The en-
thus!astic scenes on the way up the
river. Every whistle that could be
brought into it's use played it's part;
every bell, every band joined in honor
ing the fleet, and above all were the re-
sounding echoes of the shouts from or
water and on land.
The parade of the ships, from the
time it passed the battery on it's way
up the river TO the time it repa<sed on
its way to anchorage off Tompkins-
vile, S. L., occupied just two hours and