The times., 1898-09-10

ginia Avenue was carried out by Chair
man Emil G. Schafer, of the committee
on carriages and conveyances, and his
assistant chairman. District Hack In
spector Samuel A. Croft
Major Richard Sylvester. chief of police
and chairman of the general committee
OF arrangements, reached the scene of ar
rival about noon and besides directing the
work of the several committees on the
ground, he also saw to it that the police
arrangement was carried out properly
In this he was ably seconded by Capt
Austin, Lieut.. Kenney, and Acting Lieut.
David DUNCAN.
Virginia Avenue, between Third and
Four-and-a-haf Streets. had been roped
off by order of Major Sylvester and only
those persons wearing the official badges
were permitted within the Enclosure lie
fences along the railroad tracks had been
torn down and were used as a sort of
barricade to keep back the waiting null
titude.
The Regiment Arrives.
1t was just lis o'clock yesterday after
| noon when putting locomotive was de-
| scrfed in the distance. Behind it were
| eleven heavy coaches, and the distant
| yells and fiutter of handkerchiefs from
| the car windows told palmer than words
| that the rapidly approaching train was
| the first section with one-half of the First
| Regiment District of Columbia Volunteer
Infantry, on board The second section
arrived ten minutes later.
Here they GOMEZ" shouted a commit
| teeman, and in an instant the great
| crowd was in a ferment OF excitement
| Up into the air went thousands of small
| flags, and as the train went whirling by
| the crowd broke into a frenzy of enthu-
| siasm.
The Sun-BrOwned Soldiers
| The wan, sun-browned faces of the he
roes of Santiago, framed in the car win
dows was too much for the assemblage
| Women burst into tears, men burst into
cheers, and the small boys and even the
girls yelled and shriekeA with the vigor
| of Apache Indians. 1t sounded as though
| pandemonium had broken loose and the
great volume of cheering could be heard
| for a long distance. The thousands of
| flags fiuttered and waved welcome to
the boys, forming a confusion of colors
and action, which one of the returning
volunteers declared made him dizzy as he
| gaZed at the kinetoscopic panorama from
car window. The members of the regi-
ment responded to this tumultuous greet
ing by shouting and waving their hand
| kerchiefs.
| The Debarkation.
| Then followed the debarkation, which
! was attended by many pathetic scenes
| The ladies who acted as mattresses were
lined up along the tables and after the
| volunteers had formed line and stacked
| their rifles, they We're marched to the
| tables and provided beautifully with
| food.
The grand reception the boys received
however. had taken away, their appe-
tites and they ate but ssparingly of the
repast. Some of them contented them
selves by simply drinking a cup of drip
coffee, with real cream and loaf sugar.
While the volunteers were at the table
their relatives and friends in the crowds,
who were kept back by the police, rec
ogniZed their dear ones
Greetings to Relatives.
There's Bill" shouted one.
"Thank God, there is my darling back
SAFE" exclaimed a pallid little woman.
Hello, Harry, home again?" yelled a
well-dressed youth.
Hubby, hubby; my soldier hubby.
Here ! am. Come here"
These and many similar exclamations
were heard on every side.
Some of the volunteers were so weak
and tottering that it was necessary for
committeeman to assist them down the
car steps. The boys We're quickly sur
rounded by their mothers, wives, sisters.
or sweethearts, who hugged and kissed the
heroes of Santiago until they blushed
red through the deep brown and yellow
of their smiling faces. Such scenes OF
pathos, love and welcome have seldom
ever been seen anywhere.
Weeping With joy.
Women wept with joy and tears even
trickled down the bronzed cheeks of the
soldier boys, who never fiinched from
their duty, even when in the Santiago