The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-07-18
At SAN FRANCISCO.

At SAN FRANCISCO.
Montana Troops Decide to He Mustered
Out at the Gate City.
The Montana volunteers will be
mustered out in San Francisco, says
the Butte Inter Mountain. AT the last
meeting Of the COMMITTEES having in
charge the arrangements for the reoep.
tion of the volunteers, Hon. Geo. W..
Irwin. the committee secretary, was in.
struoted to correspond with reference
to the muster out. Mr.. Irwin wrote
Governor Smith, and in reply received
the following letter:
Zion. George w. Irwin, Butte-Dear
Sir: Replying to your letter of the
It'll instant, ! have to inform you that
some time since, desiring to know the
sentiment Of the regiment as to the
place where they wished to be mustered
out, I wired Colonel Kessler to know
the desires of the men (as each Iegi.
ment under tho rules Of the secretary
Of war can determine by majority vote
where it will be mustered out). In
answer ! received a %oablegram from
Colonel Kessler saying San Francisco
had been selected by the regiment az
the place to muster out. Since then
certain Of our citizens have been trying
to get the boys to reverse their decision.
But in this movement ! cannot join.
because I believe it to be to the comfort
and enjoyment Of the me to he mus.
tered out ut Frisco. However, our
people can doubtless give the great
bulk of them a reception, as / an, sure
nearly all Of them will come at once
home. Yours truly.
Robert r. Smith"
Mr.. Irwin states that the members of
the committee entertain the same views
as Governor Smith with reference to
San Franoioo being the proper place for
the muster out, because Of the differ
enoe in pay. But" said Mr.. Irwin.
''in addition the committee hopes to III.
duoe the railroad companies to make
concessions in rates, which will permit
OF the boys being brought to Butte in a
body, and we are further ~endeavoring
to get excursion rates for the boys from
Butte to their homes, and rates to all
persons DESTROYS Of being present at the
reception. The matter Of transportation
Ia in the hands Of Senator CLARK. and
he ia in correspondence with q number
Of the leading railroad officials in re.
gard to the matter.
"Our programme, 80 far as it has
been considered, will probably include
the presence Of a number Of the leading
citizens Of Butte as a committee to as
sist the governor of the state il re.
ceiving the regiment when it lands in
San Francisco, and in providing for the
comfort Of the men, il this be neces-
sary, and, Of course. bringing them
home in a body. We propose to enter
tain them at the race track, where we
know they would gladly give a review
and al exhibition Of tactics and mill.
tary maneuvers, and also a demonstra-
ton Of the capacity for eating Montana
grub. The committee hopes that ar.
rangements will be made for a meeting
Of the battalion of rough riders, at the
same time, and that Major Deeney and
the Meagher guards will participate.
There ought also to be q general turn
ing out of the civic societies, fire de-
partment, police and other organiza-
tions.
But it will be some time before the
boys arrive. If the regiment sailed
Saturday, coming via Yokohama to
San Francisco, it would take about
thirty days. and from the experience Of
the Oregon volunteers two weeks would
be required for the muster out, 81 we
might say that September ! would be
the earliest date possible for their ar.
rival, should they depart from the
Philippine islands ut once" ."