The sun., 1904-08-31
WHIYESTONE'S HEROES HOME.
THE VICTORIOUS FIRE FIGHTERS
BA(K FROM ST. LOUIS.

NeirhborinE Towns Join in Cheering the
Men whose Exploits With the Hose and
Cart VIII BE Written in History's
Paxes-Week of Suspense Ended At Last
The greatest citizen Of Long Island last
night was Capt. John Scott OF Whitestone,
captain Of the victorious Columbia Hose
team, which returned last night in victory
from the worlds fair to be crowned by the
grateful commuters OF whose little homes
Chief Oscar Fowler, Capt. Scott and their
faithful men are the guardians. 1t was
n great night for Whtestone. Never in the
memory of the Oldest commuter have the
citizens sat up 80 late or turned out 80 nobly
1t has been an exciting and unsettled
week for Whitestone, anyway. The people
have gathered in knots in front OF o O'Rourkes
drug store day after day to watch the
latest bulletins from the front When Co.
lumbia won third in the $50 yard contest.
there was wild excitement, although the
members Of Indian and Hook and Ladder
and the Engine, rival teams all, shifted at
the score and exulted in secret. But when
Columbia won the $50 yard wet and the
400 yard wet, the bars doubled their busi
ness, and the sale of soda at O'Rourkes
increased 30 per cent. Itlooked like a cinch
for the championship, but Friday came,
and no news. Operator O'Connell, at the
station, tried to satisfy the universal desire
by frantic kilograms to st. Louis. First
he wired:
What ia the cause of such silence?"
When that didn't fetch EN-, he wired
Remember the anxious ones. II you
are defeated you are not disgraced."
That little heart touch fetched Capt
Scott. He wired back:
They done us."
1t was hours before they dared paste up
this dread news. The town authorities
deemed it best to spread about a rumor
that two Of the boys had been killed in n
trolley accident. to prepare the town to
bear this greater disaster. And finally,
with trembling fingers, O'Rourke's clerk
pasted it up.
Just when gloom sat thickest on the town,
Capt, Scott got "a the wire
we won two Sffirst places he wired,
regardless OF expense. Bridgeport beat
us, but We made better time than winners
in morning run"
That raised the gloom The Whtestone
Herald sat up all night to get out special
extra with cuts of the team and hose house
and portrait Of Capt. Scott, with specially
fooled whiskers. In vain the Indian team
gathered in it's hose house and knocked.
The town went mad with excitement, and
sat UP until 9I5 to discuss the news. There
hasn't been such excitement, since the
Warlow A. c. took the football champion
ship.
Then and there the citizens swore that
Columbia team should have a welcome
which would ring down in history when
jamaica an amt hill the Hen waro~ Sa sf,an band
went to practising all its campaign tunes at
once Sergt. Brassin Of Fort Totten. who
leads the Whitestone tooters, had new
mouthpiece put in his cornet.
1t is estimated by the propretors Of the
was invested in bunting for private and
public decorations. Eighth avenue, with
flag in every window and blue and white
bunting climbing every balcony post, was
truly magnificent spectacle. The White
stone Herdld stood appalled, at the task Of
describing it,
There was unparalleled excitement yes
terday when news was posted in o O'Rourke's 8
S o'clock train. Preparations for a grand
reception were made at once. As planned,
il was to make Julius Cmsar's entry into
home look like fourth grade graduation
When the commuters came home from the
city last night. you'd have thought Fourth
overfiowed from their arms.
Suppcrs went untasted while papa
fitted himself int o the blue shirt and trousers
OF the Indian team or the khaki and gold
her prettiest white dress and pink shawl
and all the little commuters had permis-
zion to stay up as late as they wished.
The joy spread to Flushing and Great
Neck and even to Jamaica. 1t is estimat ed
by reliable persons that the floating popu-
lation Of Whitestone was increased by at
least IFS.
The Bayside fire department turned out.
Ill would it have gone with Great Neck
and Flushing had an incendiary done his
fendish work there last night, for their
fire fighters were all at the grand reception
The Alerts of Great Neck, clad in blue shirts
and shining white duck trousers, brought
their band. They scored a great hit by
removing their helmets reverently as they
passed the Columbia hose house.
Eight O'Clock came and the train pulled
in-and the boys were not aboard. Dull
gloom and apprehension, settled over
railroad track. H. c. Buncke, organizer
Of the fire department at Whitestone and
the greatest enthusi ,st of them all, scorched
the wires telephoning, but there was nc
result.
Nine O'Clock and bedtime came, and
another ira in pulled in through the yawpinz
populace of Milestone, and still no news
Mothers wrapped up the chilaren in the
pink shawls and put them to sleep beside
the road. u. there breathed not in White,
stone last night soul 80 dead as to desert
The town was still there waiting when
Buncke got a telephone message that the
boys had passed through New York TO the
tune Of heavy cheering from the populace
and would be in at 10.
At once Grand Marshal Powell galloped
his livery horse up and down the line and
formed the parade. First there we're
the Milestone and Great Neck bands,
playing, See, the Conquering Hero Comes
Then followed the G. A. r. and the German
Rifles, and the visiting hose teams and the
daughters of Temperance Drill Corps and
the Fraternal Order of Eagles. A platoon
OF the twenty-four police who make three
arrosts year in Whitestone cleared the
way. The track was covered with tor
pedoes for one hundred yards from the
station
And so Whitestone waited. brea thless,
hut somewhat sleepy. for the greatest
moment in its history
The Whitestone Herald throws up it's
hands and quits when it comes TO describing
hat delirious, maddening moment of Joy
THE Sun follows suit.
Enough that when the town Of White
zone got through welcoming The team
that made better time than the champions
You couldn't tell their khaki uniforms from