The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-30

An Organization Needed to Secure
Some Suitable Building In Charge
of Those Who VIII Look After
the COuntry's Defenders Going to
the Front or Returning, Either
in Companies or SingIy.
A suggestion has been made that the
best thing the citizens of st. Paul can
do to show their patriotic sentiment
and sympathy with the government
in these stirring times is to establish
a Soldiers Relief association, with
headquarters in some centrally located
building, where transient soldiers can
be entertained, fed and, if i'll, nursed
or sent to one of the local hospitals.
The idea is that from now until the
end of the war ST. Paul will be visited
by many soldiers passing through the
city en- route to the South or on their
| way home-perhaps sick or wounded.
| There should be some place here where
the boys in blue can make their head
| quarters while in the city and where
| they could be treated to a cup of cof-
fee and sandwich or a meal and
shown that the citizens of St. Paul
recognize their uniforms and respect
their loyalty.
The idea is that an organization lib
orally supported by the people Of ST.
Paul, should be formed at once to give
| every visiting soldier a hearty recep-
tion and thereby spread the reputation
Of st. Paul as a loyal and hospiIable
city.
The want of such an organization
was shown yesterday when the out-of
town troops arrived here to pitch camp
at the fair grounds. How they would
have appreciated cup Of coffee and
cracker, had there been some building
and arrangement for serving some
| thing on their arrival.
The boys all were obliged to get up
at daybreak, and, by the time the DIFF
ferent trains pulled into the union de-
pot, each of the militiamen was raven
| ously hungry. Their hearts would
have gladdehed had a committee Of
st. Paulites awaited them at the sta
ton with some cans Of steaming cof-
fee and pans of crackers or doughnuts.
| The memory Of that morning meal
would have been carried by the SOL
der lads for long time.
ST. Paul is railroad center of great
Importance, and, it being the hub of
so many lines it is only natural to sup
pose that the different reads Will bring
in hundreds of men on their way South
before long. A Soldiers Relief asso-
citation could do a great amount Of
good work among these visiting SOL
diers, and many a homesick boy could
be made to forget his loneliness, if he
| were welcomed to our city and made
to feel that he had friends here.
There will surely be a great number
of men who will be obliged to return
on account of Sickness and others who
will be taken ill before reaching the
Southern concentration points. Scores
| of sick soldiers will be left here, and
| a commendable work could be done
| among them, such as having them TAX
en- to hospitals with the least possible
delay and made comfortable until their
transfer could be effected. Others
would have friends in the city who
could be advised Of their illness.
The relief association could do work
Of priceless value and their efforts
would receive the thanks of hundreds
of brave men who go to the front.
The idea of a Soldiers Relief asso-
citation was presented at meeting of
| Acker post, G. A. r., last Saturday
night, and resolutions were drawn up
and adopted requesting Mayor Doran
| to appoint such an organization.
The resolutions read as follows, =:
] Whereas The city of st. Paul. by reason
of its central location and the fact that there
are many railroads diverging from 1t to
many sections, there will be a great many !
soldiers passing from and through the city
in defense of our country.
! Resolved, That the Hon. Frank B. Doran,
| mayor of ST. Paul, be respectfully request
ed to appoint committee whose duty 1t
|
organization Of a Soldiers Relief associa-
ton.
Mayor Doran was presented with the
resolutions and will within few days
appoint the committee, which will be
| made up of prominent citizens and
! prominent ladies. The committee will
| include representatives from the cham
Der of commerce, Jobbers' union and
the different Protestant and Catholic
| churches.
The idea of the soldiers relief asso-
citation was first suggested by Maj.
John Espy. Maj. Espy had the follow
ing to say to The G o b e at his home
| on Summit avenue last night:
1.-THE great number of soldiers who
will pass through this city will appre-
ciate any courtesy shown them. This
will be an opportunity which should
not be overlooked by the citizens of st.
Paul. This city has reputation of
loyalty, patriotism and hospitality
which it gained during the national G..
A. r. encampment here.
"Some large, airy, conveniently stu
ated building should be selected for the
headquarters of the association, and it
should be appropriately decorated
with flags. Here the visiting boys in
blue should be made to feel at home.
Hot coffee and sandwiches should be
| rendered them, and they should be fur
nshed with reading matter. and, in
| fact, made to understand that we are
| happy to call them our guests.
There will be a great number of
men pass9Sg through here from the
| Dakotas, Montana, Washington and
| Oregon, and with the arrival of each
| train there should be number of our
prominent men and women at the de-
! pot to extend to the lads CHEEKY well
come and to escort them to the head
| quarters, advise them as to the loca-
tons Of any friends the soldiers may
have here, etc.
'And then there will be the sick ones.
| They should be given immediate at
! tentfon and sent to the hospitals.
Here is a grand opportunity for the
| people Of ST. Paul to show their true
spirit and to spread the reputation Of
! this city widecast as a town composed
i of genuine hospitable citizens.
Il remember in the days of 81 how
the soldiers appreciated the receptions
accorded them and how thankful they
felt to the ladies who met them at the
depot, not with brass band, but with
/ load of eatajbles.''