New-York tribune., 1909-07-27
TENTH'S FESTIVAL DAY
REVIEWED AT CITY HAIL..
Cheering, Feasting and Speeches for
Returned Negro Regiment.

men soft from seventy days in transport.
They tied up the financial district completely
when they came ashore from the Fitzpatrick at IL
o'clock and started their march uptown Per
haps dozen Office boys. who will ali be great some
day. stuck by their jobs when the band music came
roaring up Wall street. It was not more than a
| dozen Everybody else out a. windows and
| doors shouting. waving. fngiug down ticker tape
and making almost noise enough TO drown the
three bands which were in the procession The crowd
below packed the sidewalks. swaying and showing
| good naturedly, and getting tiptoe to have a
peep at the men in khaki as they went past.
| The Mayor reviewed them at City Hall. with
| President MCGOWAN Of the Board of Aldermen sud
| a following of city officials City Hall Park was
long before the head OF the procession ap-
pesred. In the throng were negroes, many or them
in brilliant dresses talkative suits ana blazing
necktes. with little black pickaninnes and big
black pickaninnes and more pickannnies less black
! and vet who were brown.
The nigg-row Is comic" exploded one OF
| group OF shining eyed youngsters who were blowing
J off steam In front OF the crowd. Why don you
+ fellows read tn papers? The park was a sea of
faces betcher you kin fin that in tn papers to-
morrow"
lie was squelched for his learning. TO tie dis
composure OF a fat who trying to light
a very bad cigar just behind them. Then somebody
shouted: Here they comet" for the twentieth
time, and this time got it right
They we're worth looking they swung
/ around the Postoff1ce the square. They did
.
mounted police and two three bands, coored
vaudeville association in long gray busters. and
double line OF twenty carriages more. carrying
the reception committee made up OF prominent
negroes OF New York and New Jersey And there
vas more division which divided The cheers
and the neck crauing with the 10Th itself-the
grizled black of Grand Army posts. the
Thaddeus Stevens 255 and j. A. Anderson "a
There were only a few OF the veterans perhaps
dozen on horseback.
HOW FIGHTING 10TH LOOKED.
And then there WAS the regiment. The crowd
would let you think of nothing else once they came
In sight There suggestion OF bravado or
parade Their khaki uniforms were worn ana
businesslike and their broad felt hats were pa'e
with much weather. and cooked and bent INTO
hftv different shapes. They we're rather weather
worn themselves supple compactIy made fellows
they strobe along in the loose lmoed EaIt that
goes with well trained muscles and perfect health.
Faces tanned with the troPpic sun. bet you il
500 that in tn papers Tomorrow volunteered 'he
literary minded youIgster- He vas supPiesSeN
again bv his fellows, harder than ever
The red and white suidon flags ranged them III
pIatoons the square as they swung 10 'na'eH
before the Mayor The Co)ors dipped as tley went
mast and the Mayor removed his hat and ssiuted'
while the crowd roared again It much the
same all the way uptown Everywhere were
crowds and cheering. and every here and there
crowds Of negroes who claimed section Of the
street 10 themselves The troopers followed
Fifth avenue from Washington Square,
Madison square lined Hith watchers ten
and fifteen deep on both sides Of The way Along
Fifth avenue the crowds we're thinner eut quite a.
anxious TO see The line vent ont West 7Sth
street to Columbus Circle, and down Eighth ave-
nue 70 csth street over there the streets were
jan,rcd again. and a tumult Of rejoicing went up
TO heaven. Through 2sth street they turned east
again and wound MP the seth Regiment armcry
at ,2sth street and Lexington avenue
u luncheon downstairs
we're ready for H. for the march had been hard /.
one one man. Private George Coleman. Of Troop /
IL. cola psed just before they reached the armory
and was taken 10 the hos sitaI. The committee (
looked out for the feast, and there was COM I
mittee Of the 6eth's there 10 that the /
reEimental hospitality was not wanting.
Now. it was looked upon somewhat OF an ex- /
pertinent to feast regiment OF negroes in the |
house OF tho crack irish regiment of the state. /
and there were those who came TO see II any |
thing exciting Of IT. They were badly dis |
appointed. The seth men threw the place wide /
open, and when they learned that the black /
regiment fun of O'Tooes and Doonns and /
o Farrells they laughed and fraternized. The 4
white officers taken out TO a luncheon that |
lasted until o'clock.
MR.. MGoWANs SPEECH.
When the eating was all over the exercises OF |
the afternoon started. There singing by a !
choir of one hundred negro school children and |
speeches by four I've negro orators. President |
MCGOWAN OF the Board Of Aldermen extended the /
welcome to the city Of New York. Said he
! have welcomed thousands Of organizations 10
the city of New York. but have never welcomed !
a body of men who have made such splendid rec
ord has the 10th Cavalry. In the countries OF |
he has done only for what his ancestors have
many races thrown side by side. the bad
tions of one or two men will throw discredit on
It's bad rule that doesn't work both ways
want to say to You that you men have raised your
race higher IN the esteem or the people OF the
done more to kill the prejudice OF some of our ci
you to New York with open arms. II the State OF
Vermont doesn't want YOU come back TO us by all
means.
l. Frank Wheaton negro lawyer presided at
the meeting. There was poem by Aubrey Bowser
and other speakers were the Rev. DR.. Reverdy G. |
Ransom who declared that he hoped to a battle
ship manned and ofiicered by negroes. and J.
Douglas Wcmore who. with DR.. Ransom repre-
sented Manhattan; DR.. c. w Hunter and George
E. Wibecan of Brooklyn, and A. b Cosey, of New
ark
Two thousand negroes hand TO greet the
regiment and hear the speaking They a high
" sympathetic audience and at Mr. McCiowan's
euIogy their enthusiasm kept the great armory in
riot of nose for three four minutes
Among the guests half dozen fiat faced
little with bright, dark eyes. who spoke a
language that is still new even TO many tongued
They the Filipino wives who are
travelling with their trooper husbands their new
home in Vermont. They we're much sought after
by the other guests. and each held a little recep-
ton of her good part Of the afternoon.
After ii the fell in and marched
out of the armory. They broke ranks and made
they way back 10 the Fitzpatrick as they pleased
Taxicabs pleased a great many OF them Red
taxcabs not plenty in the streets of Manila.
nor even green ones. and as the men had Just
drawn two months pay. they chartered the fussy