The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-03
CHEERS FOR HEROES
FIGHTING TWENTIETH RECEIVED
AT TOPEKA BY SIXTY THOU
SAND KANSANS
AND ALL TOPEKA WAS THERE
GEN. Funston tho Lion of the Oc
CASTOR, but There Were Fathers,
Mothers and sweethearts to
Greet the Rank and FiIe-Affect-
Ing Scenes at the DepOt-FunstOn
Gets His Sword.

TOPEKA, Kan. Nov. 2-Returning
warriors never received a more royal
welcome home than that accorded today
to the soldiers of Kansas famous fight
ing Twentieth" on it's arrival from San
Francisco. Gen. Frederick Funston came
in for the lions share of attention
shown to the officers, and the Little
Hero Of Manila" was literally taken off
his feet by his admirers in their eagerness
to display their regard for him. At every
station in Kansas after the Colorado line
was crossed early this morning. cheer
Ing crowds met the soldiers and greeted
them in unstinted fashion. The schools
and colleges along the line were closed,
business was practically suspended, and
the people fiocked to the trains by the
thousands
Snow in the mountains had delayed the
trains. and it was 1856 this afternoon be-
fore the first section reached Topeka
The three other sections followed closely,
the last squad of soldiers being landed
shortly before o'clock.
So many thousands of people were on
the platform and the railroad tracks that
the train had TO fairly crowd into the de-
pot. Whistles screeched, cannon doomed,
dozens of bands played, and the cheers
were almost deafening. From every car
window leaned soldiers waving hats, YELL
ing and whocping shrill hurrahs. They
leaped from the car steps before the train
stopped, and fell into the arms of friends,
who grasped and Rugged them, and pass
ed them on to eager relatives and sweet
hearts Fathers and mothers pushed
through the crowd in a frantic endeavor
to find their boy" Many affecting
scenes were enacted.
FIGHTING FUNSTON.
Gen. and Mrs. Funston were in the
rear Pullman Of the first section. When
the train came to stop there was rush
to get to them, and it took half a dozen
strong men to keep the people off the car
platform. A woman spied Mrs. Funston
at a window, and pushed her baby up
to be kissed by the generals wife Mrs.
Funston complied promptly, and immedi-
ately dozens of mothers reached forward
with their babies to be kissed.
Gen. Funston was hardly off the car
before he was half dragged, half carried
up stairs into the dining room.
Solid blocks of people tilled every street
leading to the depot, and the city was
tasked to its utmost to care for its guests.
It seemed as If the whole state of Kan
sas had come to town, and 1t Is estimated
that fully 10000 outsiders were here.
Tons of bunting had been. used in deco
rating the buildings, and electrical and
other decorations were used with lavish
hand. The weather was glorious.
With the eXasperating and unavoidable
delay in the arrival Of the trains bringing
the soldiers, it was after o'clock when
the parade began. A guard of honor for
the boys of the Twentieth was the Civil
war veterans; members Of the national
guard and many civic orders. There were
three bands in the parade the perform
ers numbering nearly LOCO musicians. The
entire parade was over two miles long
and was mass of cheering humanity.
GRAND PARADE.
Gen. Funston, with his wife, rode in the
carriage of honor, while Col Metcalf, on
white charger, and Lieut.. Col. Little,
on q prancing black, took their appointed
stations at the head of the regiment. All
received ovations at every point On the
line. At the state house the state militia
orders were drawn up in line on the south
steps. Chief Justice Doster, in a brief
speech, introduced Gen. ]. K. Hudson,
who, on behalf of the people of Kansas,
presented the beautiful $1,000 sword to
Gen. Funston. In a short speech of ac-
ceptance, Gen. Funston said he predicted
that in one years time the island of
LuZon would be as quiet as Massachu-
sets. II return to Manila" said he, land
unless 1 get sick or die 1 will not return
until the war is over"
Col. Metcalf followed Gen. Funston in
a brief speech. Later in the evening an
elaborate banquet was served in the new
state library rooms to the soldiers and
officers of the Twentieth.
The day closed with the most magnif1-
cent display of fireworks in the evening
ever given in the states history.