The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-01
CITYS LAST NOTE.


collected around the units. This
number was added to by hundreds
who seemed to come from the four
points of the wind, and five minutes
after the men were told to stand Eat
ease on the siding a crowd, larger
than has ever been gathered at rail-
road station in Topeka to welcome any
celebrity. national or international,
had congregated to say farewell to
the Topeka troops. Nj!
1t was a. jostling, pushing, shouting
cheering crowd, the members of
which slapped the men on the back
and bid them all the good1luck in the
world. Wives and mothers were
and fathers grouped about their toy
and formed little knots of humanity
that buffeted the surging mass.
All Had Friends.
Last farewells were said on the
depot platform. There wasn't an
officer or enlisted man who dill not
have friends or relatives to cheer him
on his way. The section Of the train
bearing the guns and other equipment
of the battery swung down the curve,
a string of coaches were coupled on
behind and the men of the headquar-
tiers company, the medical corps and
the band swung aboard. There were
cheers and then after a brief interval
the train-a special--began to move.
A deathlille hush settled over the
great crowd. There was not cheer
Women sobbed and waved tear-stained
handkerchiefs to the men who leaned
mother breathed a prayer, and not
few men swore to force back the
Jumps that arose in the throat.
On theftrain bearing the three units
were Maj. w. A. Pattison, Capt. Clar-
ence Grimes and Capt. Martin C.
Pennekamp, the latter two battalion
adiutants, who are accompanying the
artillery contingents to Fort Sill. All
three are Topeka men, and all have
previously been connected with the
battery.
Little knots. detached themselves
passed from sight. They were those
who had watched that train carry
away men for whom a Vacant chair
was left beside their firesides.
Battery Special Off.
A reduction in the size of the
crowd, however. could hardly be no.
ticed The roof of the station was
crowded and a viaduct near the plat
form was lined with men and women.
AS the second Specialize one that
would carry the men of the battery
away-pulled into the siding, the surg
ing of the crowd grew more unset
Atled; a part of the knaki-cIad men
with friends and relatives the last or
der. The order was not long in COM
ing AS the special pulled down in
the yards to clean q crossing the men
were ordered to attention. They lined
up resembling a thin brown sandwich
filling between the countless . .senlblJ
/ of civilians.
A long wailing whistle was a signal
! that again brought silence To the
civilians on the platform. The IAN
began to move and there was a feeble
attempt to cheer but it wasn't a sue
cess. Women stood motionleSS; their
| eyes red and with one arm uplifted
waving a dazed, mechanic farewell.
| They stood this way, some of them,
until the special had been long out
of sight Brides of a few days, a few
weeks or a few months leaned on the
arms of friends and relatives and
sobbed.
Departure of the troop trains car
ried every unit of Topeka state troops
that had, up until Saturday morning
been left in the city. Military camps
| that. a few weeks ago, sprung up as
if by magic. have disappeared almost