The National tribune., 1904-06-23
A CITY'S INSULT TO THE FLAG.
How Omaha Became the Eastern Terminus
of the Union Pacific Road.
lNaW Ynrk Sum i

"You people in New York seem to think
good deal of the American flag" said
a man from the Middle West, as he
watched the banner whipping the winds
that strained the halliards of the staff at
the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.
We'll, sub, it may sound strange to you.
but dislike Of the flag by the community
in which | once lived came very nigh kill
ing the town.
1T did prevent the town from be-
coming the eastern terminus of the Union
Pacific Railroad. And in losing that
chance the town got blow that kept it
i'll the corner for good many years.
THAT town was st. Joseph. After Lin
coins first election we had a Republican
Postmaster in our town. Maj. John l..
Bittinger, who was COnsul-General to
Canada in the Mckinley Administration,
was the appOintee.
The town was Secesh. Bittinger was
a gritty Republican. He had showed that
| on several occasions.
''The day that he took charge of the
post office he hOisted the American flag.
The hotheads held meeting on the
market square and denounced the Post
masters act. These meetings were re-
peated 10 or fifteen times.
"All that crowd wanted was leader
He finally came. Col. Nj. jeff Thompson,
afterward picturesque character in the
Confederate cause, mounted market
wagon and denounced Bittinger.
Followed by the excited crowd, Thomp-
son went to the Post Office Building and
cmt the ropes. Down came the flag.
Thompson caught it and thrashed it
against the cornice of the building on
which he stood.
THAT only nfurated the mob. They
rushed to the roof by ladder and tore
the flag into ribbons. They cut down the
staff and broke it into kindlng wood.
Then they descended, took the tatters
and splinters with them. marched to the
| river and east them into the waters The
| crowd that had followed cheered the act
within "A hours a company of United
States Regulars was sent from Fort
I.eavenworth to st. Joseph, and Capt
Sully ordered Old Glory to be spread to
the winds. Never did that flag appear
more beautiful to me than on that occa-
sion.
''At that time the question of deciding
upon the eastern terminus Of the Union
Pacific Railroad was before Congress
Omaha and ST. Joseph We're competing for
the location.
'As soon as the incident I have related
was published to the world Omaha sent
big delegation on hurry train to Wash
inston. They made the most Of the tear
ing down of the flag. The speaker of the
delegation went before the committee and
made lurid speech.
Congress was in belligerent mood
anyway, and the committee at once re-
ported unanimously in favor of Omaha.
When the report was handed in the chair
man, recting the insult Of the flag. said
that the time to rebuke treason had come,
and he moved the adoption of the report.
THE Senators from Missouri, Hender-
son and Wilson, tried to be heard. They
had, previous to the insult, almost per-
suaded the committee TO name st. Joseph
for the terminus. When they tried to
calm the storm they were howled down.
and Omaha-was unanimously chosen as
the eastern terminal Of the great system.
Omaha was a boom town at the time.
but the prize which it secured put the i'm
press of stability upon it. st. Joseph had
| the age, the prestige, the geographical adj
vantage and the wealth. But the insult
to the flag by its people put it on the back
row, and kept it there until long after the
war.
meanwhile. Omaha forged to the front.
A town is like a dog in one respect A
bad name sticks and hurts l reckon it
would be sorry thing for any man to
say anything or do anything against the
American flag to-day in old st. Joseph"