Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-07-10
OLD FRIENDS VEL
COME SERGEANT
LYON HOME
Reception Committee, Band and
Shafts Garbage Wagon All
Feature of Event.

Shafts Garbage Wagon ALI
Feature of Event.
[R. W. Lyon will hereafter be Iocat-
ed in Traverse City, Michigan, as
Mr.. Lyon has been transferred from
the South to the above place by The
Upjohn company, by whom he has
been employed In returning to Mi
! chigan Mr.. and Mrs. R. w. Lyon and
mother stopped on their way for a
few days visit in DoWagiac, where
they formerly resided to visit their
friends The local papers give us
| the following account of their recep-
ton and Mr.. Lyons response
Sergeant Robert w. Lyon ought to
die happy, for his every wish was
complied with today by his Dowogiac
friends, and his return home from
southern climes was made an event
which will long be remembered.
Several days ago the man who
was second over the walls of Pekin
during the Boxer rebellion wrote to
one of his DoWagiac acquaintance
that he wished to be met by a rec
option committee, band and Dan
| Shaft. His every wish was granted,
for the committee, wearing badges
of pure white lettered in contrasting
black, met the sergeant at the lis
train this afternoon. The committee
was composed of Dennis Omen, DR..
Frank H. Essig, Karl H. Nelson and
Abe Oppenheim. The latter carried
a banner on which was emblazoned,
Hero of Peak-in."
The band was there also, each of
the musicians wearing a straw hat
and long flowing locks as disguise
to the music which was discoursed
as the train pulled into the station
and during the ensuing parade down
Front street. Last, but by no means
least, was Dan Shaft and his scaven-
ger wagon with it's pail of odOT-kill-
ing smudge swinging beneath The
wagon had been fitted up with seats,
and to this DoWagiac's prodigaI son
was escorted and seated with all the
pomp and ceremony incident to such
occasions. Sergeant Lyon was in
clined to renig on the scavenger wa
gon proposition, but the committee
led him to it.
Bearing a banner on which was in
scribed, "Welcome to Bob From the
State Readers" Abraham Lincoln l.
Bascome headed the parade which
moved from the Michigan Central
station along Front street to Divis-
ion street and thence back to HOlme
ice cream parlor. Here the honored
guest was ushered in and given a
seat of honor, the chair which he
ing been draped with the nationa,
colOrs and given the most prominent
place in the room. After the few for
NAL details incident with the return
and welcome of the battle scared
called Lyons Roar was dispensed by
veteran were over a new connection
Mr.. Holmes, and the sergeant was
permitted to escape from the hands
Of the committee and from the noise
Of t1o1 To f1o0
Of other friends.
Mr.. Lyons after a few days. stay
here will go to Saginaw, where he
will represent the Upjohm company
of Kalamazoo in that territory Dur
ing his stay here he will be tender
ed several social functions of a no
vel kind.
HIS REPLY.
Had I been elected governor of
the state of Michigan I could not
have received a more enthusiastic
welcome than that which was afford
ed me yesterday" declared Sergeant
Robert w. Lyon this morning. The
sergeant has almost recovered from,
the warmth of the welcome given
him, and is able to talk nationally
once more.
"In no place in these great United
States except Dowagiac could such a
thing be pulled off. 1t was an event
to be remembered. Someone has sug-
gested giving me a tablet with the
record of the doings and the day and
date engraved thereon. That is not
necessary, for on my heart is in
scribed the details of the affair such
as no one but a crowd of Dowagiac
fellows would ever think of perpet-
rating"
The reception committee which
rendered the official ovation to Ser
geant Lyon feels that other Dowa-
giac people should come in for a
share of praise. In connection there
with the committee has unanimously
voted a resolution of thanks to the
people at large, the '1ong haired
band from Benton Harbor," and
more especially Dan Shaft, for the
parts played in the welcome.
Sergeant yon will remain in Do
wagiac to recuperate for a few
days before going to Traverse City
where he will hereafter make his
headquarters.