St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-07-13
Our Troops at Honolulu.

The CALIFORNIAN is permitted TO
print the following letter from resi-
dent in Honolulu giving vivid de-
scription OF the arrival Of the boys
in Blue" en- route to the Philippines.
The letter is dated June 3.
"We have had an excitement here
the last three days. Wednesday p.
m. five whistles from the iceworks
announced that steamer bringing
troops was off the harbor. The COM
mittee of one hundred men and many
other citizens were taken out on two
of the local steamers to meet the
City of Pekin. Several sail boats
also went out, and the rest OF the
community who own carriages rode
Gown to the beach where they could
see the ships comein. When we went
there were twenty or more.
THE City of Pekin was followed by
the local steamers and sail boats,
and at little distance behind came
the Australia and City of Sidney. 1t
was a fine sight. A special train
brought up hundred people from
other places.
"By the time the City Of Pekin
reached the wharf great crowd was
collected there. 1t seemed as If the
whole town were there, and there
was great excitement and much
cheering, which was responded to
by those on the ships-hrst the City
of Pekin and then the Australia,
(the City of Sidney did not come up
to the wharf.) President Dole and
wife were there and went on to one
of the ships to see the Presidents
nephew, who is one of the volunteers,
Judge Frank Judd, Prof. Alexander
and many of that class of men and
women as well as great numbers Of
others, half whites, Chinese, Japan
ese, Portuguese, etc. A Chinese CIR
rode a bicycle to the spot, and 6
Japanese man carried a baby, while
, two women walked beside him carry
ing nothing. The world do move.
f and orientals are becoming western
: lied rapidly in this cosmopolitan
community.
Thursday, the men on the ship
= had liberty on shore, part of then
| from 1912, and others from 2-7
5 They were all over town as thick a
berries on a bush, and many OF Their
a awaited themselves of a free ride O
e the street cars to Waikiki to bath
!, in the sea, visit the park, etc.
: 1.-The legislative halls Tin tn
= former palace were put at the di:
e posal of the men'to write their letter
y in, and stationery, pens and stamp
e furnished them. A senator acted a
postmaster Tor those in that room
IS and a representative in the othel
l. From the latter alone three hundre
y letters were posted. Many were ais
i written from Y. M. c. A. rooms
= where three hundred or more regi
tered. AS one of the Boys in Blu
,. took his seat in the Presidents chat
e a comrade said, You'd been Ion
u time in the old country before you
10 had chance to sit in the Pres
ie dents chair
{. Friday was the great day. In II
~ grounds of the administration bull
g ing tables were made of two lor
ie boards fastened together and Resin
IL on horses and covered with viii
II cotton cloth. They were set wit
y, plate, cup and saucer, knife, fork ar
VI spoon. THE spoons were the chea
~ est kind OF tin ones The Boys
d. Blue evidently enjoyed potat
salad, sandwiches, bananas, coff
= and especially the soda water pr
vided for them by the committee al
served by the ladies in person. Sor
W of these were hard at work from 8
of m. till p. m. We were there near
all that time. Then we were out
7 this morning to see the ships stal
"a but they did not 60 on time, so ,
w went home to breakfast. At g.;
~ we went again and waved the boy
III off. You see the town has gone wi
80 with excitement and we among
VI number.
az "The bands on ship and she
~, played alternately the boys cheer
NY and waved hats and handkerchi
ne and were responded to. When t
ne ships moved off one by one, the m
y, titude hurried from one wharf to 6
W. ~ other to give the boys a last wa
"a. of the handkerchief. 1t was an
IL spring sight. The boys behav
ny we'll on shore and we were proud
ioo them"