The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-02
CAMP RAMSEY THE MECCA
ALI DAY LONG A STREAM OF
VISITORS
Thousand of SiGhtseers Mt the Fair
Grounds Sunday - BY Trolley
Cars, Carriages and bicycles
Twin City Crowd Augmented by
Large Delegations From the Near
by Towns.

by Towns.
There was one great center of inter-
est in st. Paul yesterday, and that was
Camp Ramsey. The camp was the
mecca of thousands. All day long Wis
dtors streamed to the fair grounds 10
see the volunteers. Every trolley car
that ran near the camp was crowded to
,CVerflowing, and extra ears were put
an service till late at night. But even
then there were not enough cars, and
passengers hung on any way they
could secure q hold, and risked being
pushed from platforms and steps.
II The st. Paul and Minneapolis crowds
were augmented by visitors from Still
water Albert Lea and other towns rep
Resented in the regiments. Special eX-
cursion trains were run from those
places. and they We're all crowded TO
their utmost capacity.
The crowd began to arrive about 10
O'Clock. Instead of going to church the
friends Of the volunteers started for the
camp. Crowds began to collect along
.Wabasha street and quickly filled the
cars as they came along. 1t was soon
apparent to the city railway officials
that every available car would be re-
Quired to accommodate the throngs that
they realized would visit the camp dur
ing the day, and they made prompt ar
pangements to meet the demand for
transportation. Cars were switched
from their regular routes, and were
out under five minutes Roadway, but
even then there were more passengers
than the cars could carry. At every
corner crowds stood and hailed the cars
that were already filled.
AS soon as a car arrived at the Ho-
tel Ryan it was raided, and every seat
was taken. Very few who boarded the
cars between the Ryan and the camp
secured seats
1t was jolly crowd. Every one was
gay and filed with the spirit Of the
occasion. Women predominated, and
they carried packages of food and lit
tie. dellcacies that they knew their
friends at camp would appreciate.
In anticipation of a great crowd Of
visitors the men at camp were given
larger liberty yesterday morning than
they will in future receive, and they
prepared to receive their friends in
proper style. They decorated their bar
RACKS and cleaned them up, and then
they strolled to the entrances to meet
their friends. Every car that arrived
was filled and soon a stream of men,
women and children was pouring in the
gates and across the grounds to the
barracks and tents. The stream stead
lily grew broader and blacker, and by
moon it was moving in long, black lines
through the grounds.
1t was picturesque crowd. There
were women dressed in blue with flags
fiutterinS from their hats and pinned
TO their breasts Some of them had
secured army capes, which they threw
over their shoulders. A number wore
star spangled belts ard hat bands and
even shoulder straps in imitation Of
those worn by their soldier friends.
Mixed with the visiting crowds were
hundreds Of volunte ers in uniforms.
They We're happy to meet their moth
md OF hoo ND
showed them proudly through the
camp.
Rut the women wanted to see the
barracks and the cooking arrange
ments. They crowded into the bar
racks and inspected with curiosity the
sleeping accommodations of the men.
They We're much amused with the
straw bedding and the efforts of the
men to make their quarters attrac-
GES. Many Oh StallS were deco
rated with flags and bunting. There
We're portraits of Gen. Lee. Cuban
heroes and Cuban flags Many stalls
bore humorous signs and notices.
Nor were the recruits neglected, but
they were not as easy to find as the
uniformed men. They received as
much attention as the others, and their
friends were greatly interested in
hearing their first experiences in camp.
AS the day advanced the crowds
grew greater, and at 2 o'clock the
camp was a mass of moving humanity.
The people streamed along the streets,
though the buildings, across the lawns,
UP the hills and through the Second
resiment encampment like an army
They came on foot, on horseback and
IN carriages. They stood out against
the sky lines like regiments. They
We're cons family moving and changing
about. EverySi1ng they saw attract
ed them. An officer on horseback
would quickly become the center of an
admring group, and one who received
a salute was envied by all the others.
The tents of the Second regiment
were eagerly sought by feminine
friends of the men. They We're nearly
all out-of-town people, and the women
were profuse in their attentions to the
boys. They inspected the canvas
shelters. and it was difficult for them
10 understand how ten men could sleep
in a tent that could hardly hold four.
During the afternoon the regimental
bands gave concerts in the vicinity of
the brigade and regimental headquar-
ters, and the visitors focked to hear
them. AS the musicians marched
around the grounds they were followed
by crowds. The appearance Of a band
was a signal for a rush and 1t was
quickly surrounded.
There were two religious services in
camp. The first was held by Rev.
Father Colbert, chaplain Of the Third
Infantry. He said mass at a. m. in