The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-08
P. R. RS FLAG RAISING.
Patriotic Speeches by Supt.
Jackson, Senator w. D.
DAILY and Others.
AMERICAS PRESENT WAR
Crowds Attended the Cere-
mony in the Waldo Ave-
nue. Yard Yesterday.

A very patriotic gathering was that
which attended the flag raising in the
Waldo avenue yards Of the P. r. r. yes
terday afternoon brief account Of
which appeared in yesterdays News"
Fully two thousand spectators were pres
emit Composing not only the employees IS
the P. r. r. who subscribed for the
flag, but people, and some prominent
ones. too, who by their presence showed
their appreciation of the act of the conn
panys men. High officials, like General
Superintendent F. Walcott Jackson and
Superintendent E. F. Brooks, were pres
ent as well as Brigadier General p. F.
Wanser, Col. John ]. Toffey, Senator w.
D. DAILY, Lawyer A. c. Young, H. G.
Ross, H. S. Hayward C. D. McKelray,
L. H. Burker, C. H. Strange, Yardmas-
ter F. McNally. C. C. Coats. Clay Til
den, John Brennan, c. Murphy, G- w.
Harding, ex-Street and Water Board
Commissioner; ]. A. Van Deusen, M. F.
Tomlinson, ]. w. Sanford, H. v. Con-
dict, Chief Murphy, E. C. vanderbeek and
H. c. Ross.
The flag was a splendid piece of the
bunting makers work. measuring 40 feet
by % feet flying from staff at least l35
feet high and visible from nearly every
point of the city. 1t was two o'clock in
the afternoon when the halyards were
pulled and the ''bonrfe bittock of colors''
Huttered in the breeze. Loud shouts greet
ed the flag as it reached the proper place
at the top of the pole, and these acciama-
tions were Increased when from its starry
folds fiuttered hundreds of small flags, for
the possession of which there was lively
.I.l1 49, r.,.a
too baskets We're opened containing eight
homing pigeons. and the trained birds
circled and then fled straight for their
loft in the P. r. R. yards in Philadelphia.
where many of the employees in the yards
of the main offices would be waiting to
hear the news.
Those who had this ceremony in charge
arranged also for good speeches and for
good speakers to make them of course
Among these was Superintendent r.
Wolcott Jackson, whose address was a
| model Speech well chosen, well delivered
and justly well received. He reminded his
audience that patriotism meant more than
merely shouting and cheering for the flag.
1t meant, he said, the answering and
unalterable devotion of a man to the
country of his birth and adoption and the
willingness to do everything to advance
the honor and glory of that country. Mr..
Jackson's eloquent address was cheered
again and again.
Senator William D. Daily received a
warm welcome when he stepped forward
to speak. He dwelt ON the mission of the
United States in the present war. The
American flag, just raised, he said, SYM
bolized freedom of thought and liberty of
conscience and action. 1t stood for the
oppressed and downtrodden and would
ever be victorious when battling for such.
In the present fight with Spain America
was upholding the cause of humanity,
and no matter how long or how short the
conflict was the end would be, as it had
always been. triumph for humanity.
The Pennsylvania Railroad employees, he
said were to be congratulated on their
patriotism in raising the national emblem.
The Senator's remarks were loudly
| cheered.
Lawyer Alexander c.. Young of Hobo
ken, followed in a similar vefn- He
| praised the patriotic spirit which found
expression in the flag raising That spir-
| it of patriotism should be found in the
breasts of every man who called himself
| an American citizen. American loved
| freedom, it fought for it before, and was
| fighting for it now and would fight for
| it in, the future. The war with Spain,
| he said, was a just war, and had been
approved by every enlightened country
| on the face of the globe. Countries like
Spain, which ground down their people.
| could not long exist, and the sooner they
| were annihilated the better for the
march of civilization and progress.
| This completed the exercises. All the
arrangements for the raising were splen-
didly carried out, rejecting great credit on
| the committee in charge. Mayor Hoes
had been invited to attend, but other
| matters prevented him.