The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-04
HUNGRY WHEN THEY ARRIVED.
West Pointers show Endurance in II
Tedious WHIT


The battalion of West Point cadet
which arrived in Washington amid grea
| enthusiasm yesterday afternoon to par
ticipate in the Inauguration ceremonie:
proved their nerve and courage shortly
after, before several hundred people, il
the vicinity of Scott Circle. For over al
hour the cadets were subjected to treat
| ment which somewhat resembed the or
| deals to which hapless 'plcbes' are sub.
jected when they enter the Military Acad.
envy.
| The boys in grey We're marched several
miles over the hard asphalt streets. stooC
| at parade rest without moving a muscle
| for an hour, and then passed in review
! before Secretary Root before they had
/ been given a bite of food to satisfy a
hunger superinduced by tresome tril
from West Point to this city.
When the cadets arrived at the Penn
1 sylvania depot they disembarked from
! the train and soon moved up the
Avenue with that rhythmic swing charac-
teristic only of the West Point corps.
quarters had been secured at the Ebbitt
and Wizards and after a march up the
Avenue amid the enthusiastic cheers from
the crowds on the sidewalks the battalion
swung up Fourteenth Street, turned east
on f Street, and halted in battalion front
, before the hestelries where they are to be
: accommodated during their Washington
visit
Col. o. /. Helm. who commanded the
battalion, dsmOunted from his horse and
entered the hotel The cadets were dis
missed and swarmed into the lobby, intent
upon appeasing their hunger. Then it
was that the first diffculty arose. 1t was
learned that Colonel Helm was to report
with his command to the Secretary of
War Immediately upon arrival in Wash
ington and that the battalion could not
take quarters before that time.
The Secretary not being at the War De-
partment on Sunday, the battalion had to
be marched to Mr.. Roots residence,
whittier it proceeded in quick time, with
large crowd of spectators following. The
band played merrily and the cadets APP
peared as cool and unruffied as if they
We're out for dress parade instead of on
forced march, necessitated by lack of pro-
visions
The battalion moved up Sixteenth Street
to Scott Circle, then turned down Rhode
Island Avenue. The command to halt was
given in front of the Root residence and
the rifles came down with single rattle
and bang which brought the residents of
the neighborhood to their windows with
a rush
Parade rest was the next order, and
each cadet dropped one foot back and as
stunned that position without moving eyes
to either side
Colonel Helm dismounted again and en-
tered the Root mansion. The cadets re-
manned still as statues. Ten minutes
passed and the cadets had not moved;
and there We're no signs of life about the
A 1fnar- Of
tators had been added to the throng about
he cadets. Many ladies were looking on
from the handsome residences nearby,
but there might as well have been nothing
In the whole street for all the effect this !
had on the silent figures in grey.
Inc ten minutes became fifteen and the |
fifteen widened into twenty, but never a |
sign came from the Root mansion Nor |
was there any evidence of weakening in |
he ranks of cadets. Every one maintain |
ed the tiresome position without A tremo Or |
,or half an hour. 1t must have been tor
-ure for the cadets and someone in the |
'rowd of onlookers remarked that it was /
1 curbstone hazing of the hazers. Five /
minutes more and popular belief was to /
he effect that the Root house was unin-
labited.
There was just the least possible sign
of relief moment or two later, and
hen the front door, which had been the
Colonel Helm, accompanied by Secretary
Root, emerged followed by a number of !
aides and gentlemen. Colonel Helm
mounted his charger once more, and two
luick commands went ringing along the
ront. The long line resolved itself into
olumn of fours and went swinging down !
he avenue toward Scott Circle The
roWd thought il was all over, and the
sual wake of followers fell in at the rear
# the column. Soon another command
vas given and was repeated by company
"Fours, right about, march, was
houted, anu the column began to march
Jack toward the Root house where BY
his time quite a reviewing party had
,athered. Each company came to port
rms as it came opposite Secretary Root.
Who returned the salute. The crowd.
which had now become a large one, cheer
d heartily as the cadets marched away
gain.
When the Ebbitt was again reached the
oil was caned and the battalion dismiss
d. The dining rooms Of both the Ebbitt
nd Wizards We're at once invaded. But
-efore the West Pointers could appease
heir hunger, which had been by no
means satiated by the march to Scott Cir
lie and return, the roll was again called.
Ifter that everything was all right, and
. soon as the meal was concluded the
adets were provided with quarters and
iNen their liberty.