Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-06-27
A Large Crowd Gather at the Train
to Bid Them Farewell
Many Pathetic Scenes
Enacted.
BEST WISHES 90 WITH THEM
As the Train Pulled Out There Were
Many Sad Handshakes- Those
Left Behind.
BEST WISHES 60 WITH THEM

press the feelings OF the tnrOng Ol
people assembled at the Northwes-
tetn station yesterday morning as the
train bearing the boys of Company
C and the staff officers, pulled out OF
the city at exactly $50 o'clock.
Tears made their wa unbidden,
down the cheeks of hundreds who
had no son, brother or husband
among the company. but in whose
heart swelled that strange feeling
called patriotism. which no man can
define. Flags, hats and handker-
chiefs were waved in the air and a
tremendous handclapping accompan-
led the slow outgoing Of the train
bearing the Eagle Grove company
and our own boys in khaki.
At 8 o'clock that morning the pa
rade formed at the armory and
marched to the station grounds, led
by the Grand Army of the Republic,
the Second Regimental band and the
boys of Company G. A volume of
cheers and handclapping accompan-
led their march to the station and
the great crowd already assembled
there gave the boys an ovation as
they approached. Arriving, the
band gave two or three selections,
after which the company began en-
trainment. A line formed on each
side as the lads mounted the steps Of
the coaches and general handshak-
ing ensued.
The train stayed in the yards
probably twenty minutes before pull
ling out and during the interim a
great handshaking, expression of
good wishes and farewells took
place.
Silently standing by were the "old
boys of the Grand Army, their
faces plainly evincing the thought
Of that other time over fifty years
ago when they too. surrounded by
loving friends and neighbors, march
ed away with the same old flag flut-
tering proudly in the breeze, it's
folds now immeasurably dearer with
the years OF struggle and suffering
indelibly written on every red bar.
Eighteen years ago, a throng of peo-
Pile stood about another train in this
city bidding goodbye to another COM
pany who offered their lives and
their services for all that America
stands for. Many of the same men
were in the company this morning.
Col. N. P. Hyatt, Maj. F. ]. Lund,
Color Bearer w. S. Norton. and pos
sibly others were in the number who
left for the Spanish American war.
Although they never went farther
than Chattanooga, some Of the per-
lis they there encountered Of fever
and disease were as great as Others
faced on the battlefield.
And the boys themselves, yesterday
morning, what of them? With sus-
pieious redness about the eyes, but
with a smile on every face, they
"jollied" from the car windows, and
shouted greetings and farewells to
friends too far away from the car to
reach with a handshake. Only now
and then as the train began to move
out, was there to be seen a convuls-
i've sobbing of some khaki breast.
The boys were bravery personified:
the departure made all the harder
by weeping friends, whose emotion
could not be concealed.
For a week the boys have faith
fully practiced under the efficient
leadership OF Major Lund, utilizing
the school grounds, the streets, and
every available space for maneuvers
and the band, SO newly formed, with
SO many young boys among their
number, has practiced almost hour
ly. Faithfully and bravely they
have been the first to respond to the
call OF the country. and the part
which remains for Webster City peo-
pie Is to see to it, as Col. Hyatt SO
sagely expressed q few evenings ago,
that those who are left behind do