The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-26
THEY ARE ENTHUSIASTIC
Planning a Grand Welcome for
the Montana Boys.
A NEW SCHEME is SPRUNG
Proposed That the Boston & Montana
Band Be Taken to San Francisco.
Developing Plans for the
Reception.

Without doubt the committee having
in charge the matter of a welcome
home to the Montana regiment of vol
unteers has entered upon the work with
wonderful amount of enthusiasm. 1t
struck good many people yesterday
that to raise $780, 900 is big undertake
ing for city the size of Butte, and
they could not see where the money is
| to come from. On this point one of
the members of the committee said
yesterday:
1T is true that this is the largest
sum that Butte ever undertook to
raise. but it is also true that this is the
biggest occasion Butte ever tried to
raise money for 1t has never hap
pened before that Butte had soldiers
returning from the war; and it may
not happen again in so years. LOW
that the occasion is upon us we should
meet it like Montanans and everybody
give little more than he can afford.
In that way we can give the boys the
welcome home which they deserve. If
it were not for the railroad fare home
the welcome would be a comparatively
inexpensive affair. But it will not seem
like real hearty welcome unless the
boys are taken in the hands of friends
as soon as they get off the boat in San
Francisco and brought to Butte with
out any expense to them whatever.
That is the way to do it right, and that
is the way other states have done"
new scheme was sprung yesterday.
II was to take the Boston & Montana
band to San Francisco at the arrival
of the Montana regiment, and let the
band accompany the boys home. The
hn, &c {oI
place is properly with the boys any
way. 1t would be very pleasant to the
boys undoubtedly to have the band
with them once more, and the band and
regiment together would, without ques-
ton, make great sensation in the
streets of San Francisco. AS to
whether the band Is taken along or
not will depend entirely on how much
is raised by the people of Butte toward
the celebration. The mining companies
will be tackled first and then all the
people will be called on to subscribe,
and all will be expected to DO so more
than literally
There is much doubt as yet as to
the details of the reception and the
parade. 1t is probable that the regi-
ment will come up from Ogden in a
special train of three or four sections.
In this case the several sections will
all be held at Silver Bow so that they
can come in to Butte close together and
the regiment thus be landed intact
But where the regiment will be landed
in Butte is matter not yet deter
mined If the regiment is landed at
the Montana Union depot, it will be a
mighty long march for the boys to go
through the principal streets of the
city and then go clear back down to the
race track for the banquet and presen-
tation of the medals. Another sugges-
"a OF mt "a
landed out by the School of Mines and
march into town from there and go
right through to the race track. This,
however, would also be a very long
tramp and one unnecessarily long. An
other suggestion is that the regiment
be switched to the tracks of the Butte,
Anaconda & Pacific Railroad company
and be taken to the head of Main street
and out Park to the race track. The
objection to this plan is that while 1t
saves a laborious march up the HILL
yet there is no depot at Main street,
in Centerville, to unload them at, and
no good place or open space in which
to form the procession. A suggestion
which seems to meet with most favor
is that the regiment, instead of being
unloaded at the depot, be switched onto
the Northern Pacific tracks and taken
to the fiat close to the race track. The
boys could be unloaded there. it would
be only a few steps to the track, the
banquet and the presentations could be
made there, and then after the men
had eaten and rested the procession
could be formed and the march made
through the city. The regiment could |
break ranks up town and the soldiers
be entertained individually until they
saw fit to return to their tents, which
will probably be pitched at the race
track.