The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-24
ST. PAUL DID HONOR
TO THE BOYS WHO CAME
BANQUET BREAKFAST AT THE
AUDITORIUM THE EVENT
OF A LIFETIME
TENTS WERE PITCHED
LATER IN THE DAY

Men Seemed Glad to Come Home,
Although Their JOY Was Mingled
With Regret That They Could
Not Have Gotten Into Action
They Are Given the Privilege Of
Immediate Muster.
The people Of st. Paul aroused from
their lethargy yesterday and gave to
the boys Of the Fourteenth regiment a
right royal welcome home from Chicka-
mauga. They rose early in the morn
ing to do it, and they manifested more
enthusiasm than in any event that has
occurred since the beginning of the
war against Spain. The Fourteenth
was made to feel that it Is regarded
with as much affection in this city as
though it went to Cuba and the men
were assured that even if they did not
light, their native state is just as con-
hdent as ever that they can. 1t was a
splendid demonstration on the part Of
the people Of the city and in every
way worthy the occasion.
The first section Of the train bring
ing the Fourteenth reached the foot Of
Robert street at just ten minutes after
o'clock, and everybody who wasn't
down town at that time came down as
soon as the whistles began to blow.
The other sections came Immediately
after. The dirty yards under the
Robert street bridge have never been
so popular as of late. First the hos
pital train gave them an idea that
there might be more in life than freight
cars, train hands and rag pickers, and
yesterday the English sparroWs who
occupy other birds homes in the White
bluffs along the tracks went into fits
of aStonishment early in the morning
and vacated their stolen residences in
definitely some time later.
But the Fourteenth had come home
and nobody cared for the dust or the
dirt, and the masses Of people trudged
patiently through 1t all and climbed
the grade from the yards in the wake
of the boys When they began their
march to the Auditorium and didn't
know they were tired. Never have
men received a heartier greeting. Men,
women and children of every grade
were at the train to meet them, and
SAACS4 NEOAl SA1CCI LOSS 1LOIn lIG CIOWQS
as the cars came through the union
station and slowed up at Robert street.
THE WHISTLES BLEW,
big and little ones but the people
were there already, they had packed
the union station, and they raced with
the first engine down the tracks, men
and women, young and old, running
c[O
the yards around the cars, they got
under the feet of horses and in the
way of hurrying ambulances, and then
the overflow swarmed over the railings
Of the bridges. over every available
projection of the bluff, and up and
down the stairway leading through the
500 freight house like so many ants.
They packed themselves into the
streets and rear alleyways like hun
dreds of sardines in a box, and they
yelled like nothing in the world but
American citizens.
There was a hush as the hospital
train with its big Red Crosses was un-
loaded and ambulances and carriages
carried away twenty-five or more sick
and weary boys. The bands and the
flowers and the banquet at the Audi
torium were not for them, and the
crowd, strung to the highest pitch of
excitement and patriotism, and flinging
cheer after cheer to the men emerging
from the other cars. gave as ready
sympathy to their sick boys and their
friends and was quiet as they were
carried by.
Enthusiasm broke out afresh when
CT
ing road from Robert street, and the
men lounging about the stacked guns
Of the first detachment eyed with
amused interest the small boys COM
posing the Eldridge zouaves, who fol-
lowed the band. The red of the flowing
trousers made pleasing touch of col
or. The costumes of the men had been
frightened by
RED AND WHITE
hat bands, souvenirs of welcome from
the committee in charge, and the effect
was not lost as they fell in and fol-
lowed the mounted police and band up
to the streets. The line of march was
packed Flags and streamers told their
eyes that which cheers and hurrahs
told their ears, that they were welcome
anu OF. L ul IAleuOGQ lnSy SlOQlQ
know it.
When Wabasha street was neared the
crowd made a dash for the Auditorium.
Only the rear and side doors were
open to the public, but these were
easily found. The place was packed in
side of fifteen minutes, and youthful
America had draped itself across each
window and between each side beam Of
the building to the immediate danger
of everybody not out of reach. 1t is
doubtful If ST. Paul ever saw or will
ever see again so beautiful a scene as
that spread before the glstening eyes
Of the spectators filling the galleries.
1t is not eXaggeration to say that it
was truly beyond the description of any
but a poet. 1t was not only that the
scene was as some wonderful
DREAM FROM FAIRY LAND,
but the sentiment expressed by the
long tables, with their burdens of
flowers, fruit and banners, the BEAM
ing faces of the women as they stood
With uncovered heads awaiting their
guests, and the delight Of the men
themselves, when the beauty Of 1t all