Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-06-24
DEMONSTRATION
HELD FOR MILITIA
OF TOWN GATHERED To
SAY GOOD BYE TO BOYS
OF MILITIA.
COMPANY Modified

COMPANY Modified
Local Guards Received Call In 1894
10 Go to State capitaI-Joined
| With Other Sections Of
Regiment.
sack IN 1898, when Company G was
called upon to mobilize with the Iowa
Ialhtla at Des Moines, to be sent into
tne Spanish American war, the people
Oh ottumwa were not slow to display
tnelr patriotism. A huge demonstrn
tion was given on the night of Apr1
rs, at the Grand opera house in which
| many OF the prominent citizens Of the
| Town spoke. On Saturday morning
april 70, 1898, Company G was ordered
70 the state capital. All day Iona
crowds OF people stood anxiously IN
'front.' OF The Courier bulletin boards
watching for reports. A bulletin wa,
SHOWN, which stated that Presiden,
mckinley had called for 1875, 900 yolun
teers and close upon the heels of thi,
announcement came the word that tn,
aoJutant general of the Iowa nationa.
guards, mad ordered Captain Harry
Caughlin Of Company G to be prepared
TO move at any time. Up to this time
there had been little thought Of war
III Ottumwa, for people here consider.
ca mat there would be some way ont
OF the difficulties without force Of
arms, put when the bulletins telling
or the call for volunteers and the or.
dering out of the militia were read a
nush settled down over the crowd. for
then they realized that war was in
evltable. Immediately the patriotism,
broke FORTH
Flags Appear.
At first an occasional flag was seen
on store front. Then a man or two
appeared upon the streets with small
american flag stuck in his coat lanel
by noon the business streets of the
town were literally covered with flags.
ana red, white and blue bunting.
wagons and carriages were decorated
IN patriotic colors. Crowds began to
congregate In the streets and the ex
cltement became higher and higher.
Local pride was stirred by the new
that the Ottumwa company had been
called and the appearance of a guards.
man on the street in uniform was the
signal for cheering. The whole citv
was aroused by the enthusiasm and if
was decided to have some kind of
concerted program to bid the boys
good bye.
Crowds Gather.
BY 1880 there were over 5000 neo
pie gathered on Court. Main and Mar
ket streets and about dozen factory
whistles all over the city began I'd
blow. Fire crackers and small can.
mons were set of, adding to the gen.
eral din. The company was gathered
at the old armory, which was at Jef-
ferson and Main streets. Headed bv
the Wapello Chief band, it marched
down the thronged streets to the CITY
park where 1t was met by the civil
war veterans OF Cloutman and futile
T.. A. r. posts. A thousand citizens
joined IN the line of march which was
one continuous ovation from the ar.
mory to the park. v+..
The veterans escorted the militia
back to the opera house after short
exercises in the park. Hundreds Of
people besieged the doors of the the
alter which was already full to over
flowing, while the parade filed into the
opera house, the company bearing
Cuban flag, which was loudly cheered.
The company filed upon the stage
and sat down amid the applause of the
loyal Ottumwans seated in the opera
house. Several men who had one or
two sons in the company stood up and
announced their willingness to allow
their boys to leave for the war for
they regarded the cause Of the Unit.
ed States as just. There were several
pathetic scenes when mothers. with
tears streaming from their eyes.
watched their sons upon the stage
and broke into sobbing. 49, ,
J Veterans Speak.
The rest OF the program was con-
fined to five minute talks, Captain r
G. Hutchinson taking charge of the
meeting. A number Of veterans and
prominent men spoke, directing their
addresses to the company. Some OF
them who had seen service in the
civil war gave advice - the best OF
their knowledge to the boys of the
company. Others spoke of the causes
of the war and once more reused the
audience to the widest enthusiasm
Some spoke Of the fact that the mem.
bers of Co. G were of all different ma,
! t1onalities, but that they were all good
Americans, and that the south and tho
north which had been divided in tho
days of 81 were now united in trying
to overcome a common enemy. Thew
charged the members of Co. G with
their responsibility and told them thai
they represented the ideas Of 10000.
900 people. ~
! Outside upon the streets there was
no less enthusiasm and excitement
The crowds continued to throng uu
and. down until late hour of thu
night. Men were haranguing little
groups Of listeners and many Of them
were making up their minds to enlist
IN the company. When the COMPANY
reappeared upon the street it was re-
ceived with the same outbursts as be-
fore and had difficulty in making if,
way back to the armorv