Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-09-21
THOUSANDS SEE
SOLDIERS LEAVE
Streets Lined With Spectators
as Drafted Men March to
Special Train.
MAYOR HEADS PROCESSION
Band Plays Continuously as
Line Passes Down Prin-
cipal Thorofares.
MAYOR HEADS PROCESSION

Tulsa stood at attention yesterday
and with heads barred watched 165 OF
her favored sons tear themselves
from home and loved ones and march
as veterans down Main street to the
Frisco station, where they boarded a
special train on which they are speed
ing to Camp Travis, Texas to become
a part of that host of thousands who
are training for the national army.
1t was just another gift of Tulsa
mothers and daughters. The thou
sands who lined the streets ais the
men, led by band, passed in review,
were deeply moved by the tramp,
tramp of the youth, as the men who
waved back fond farewell to friends
and relatives along the line of march.
The witnesses TO this solemn spectacle
were for the most part, who are on
the record of the country as eligible
for military service. who knew but
what they might soon join these
marchers within a few short months,
perhaps weeks?
Receive Meal Tickets.
The Tulsa contingent, enrolled and
examined by the local city board, as
sembled at the city hall yesterday
morning at 1890 o'clock. At this
time they were given meal tickets and
answered roll call Again at II o'clock
they were assembled and answered TO
their names, after which they were
formed into parade formation and led
by Mayor j. II. Simmons, j. w. Ken
ton and DR.. S. DeZell Hawley, they
marched from the city hall to the cor
ner of Third and Boston, thence east
to Hotel Tulsa, where they were joined
by the Tulsa county contingent of So.
Moved by the lively tune selected by
the band, the soldiers marched to
Third and Cincinnati, south on Gin
Cincinnati to Fourth, west on Fourth
Main and north on Main to the depot.
Not even the band which headed
the procession escaped its part to play
in the draft, for with it marched Ed
gar M. Gambill one of its principal
musicians, who was--Soing 10 the
camp. 1t was Gambill to whom the
band turned for direction yesterday
and it was he who selected Dixie"
as the first piece to be played as the
men moved away from the city hall
soldiers
Bore Huge Banners.
Hardly had the men--now soldiers
reached the station, when the shrill
whistle of a train was heard, and
slowly a special pulled into the yards
cleaving a way thru the thousands of
spectators, and brought to a stop a
train of ten coaches bearing the
drafted soldiers of Nowata, Washing
ton, Rogers, Kay and Usage counties.
True to the soldier spirit, their
coaches bore huge banners, Death to
Kaiser Wilhelm-the Beast" LESS
Prussanism-More Democracy" and
kaiser, Get Busy, We're on Our
Way"
Then came the sad part of a spec
tacle such as this. There came time
to say goodbye.
To hundreds of these men who were
on their way to serve their country
with their lives, this trip appeared as
a lark, trip into some unpathed for
est, but from which they knew they
would return filled with the benefits
the forest of life would give one. To
others. as they parted from loved
ones. 1t was not all that such a part
ing should be If it were not to tear
at the hearts of the onlookers.
boy, not more than "a, pressed
his girl-wife to his bosom and kissed
her again and again. Then he lifted
from the platform beside him a lad
Of perhaps three years. Dressed I'm
cap, he was the picture of the man
his father would represent after
week in camp and uniform. "c;ood-
bye, Bobbie," the father whispered in
the lads ear. Take good care of
Mama, and when | come back You'll
have another uniform to be proud
of" Then he kissed the baby placed
another kiss on the quivering lips of
the woman in his arms, and left-to
s,1n a hAir hnn,n co fA fNr ln,
A White-Haircd Mother
While the city boys were boarding
their coaches the county board mem
bers were busily engaged in escorting
their men to the train. Out of the
ranks stepped a youth rural in ap-
pearance, who placed a sunburned
arm about the shoulders of little
woman, and then letting one arm fall
from her shoulder, ran his hand into
his overall pocket and brought out
single, shining round object. Without
a word he placed the dollar in her
withered hand, closed his fingers
over it and kissed her a goodbye.
Perhaps his last.
And so on. thruout the entire cont
pany, each with his heart heavy IL,
the departure, light at the duty 1t
called him to. An Indian answering
the call of the great White Father
stood alone. Another of the same
tribe walked up to him, spoke a few
words in Cherokee and departed.
There was no handshake, no sign of
emotion. only the words which pea.
haps meant volumes to a family ~
home or a father this son is leaving
behind.
"The luckiest guy in the regimen,
was the opinion of one drafted man
of himself. Here l am, thousand
miles from friends and relatives. they
don't know where l am and they're
not crying. Girls, don't worry about
me-" and the crowd, tho heavy
hearted, could not help but snsile ~
the spirit with which this soldier was
taking up his task.
Direct to Dallas.
After three-quarters Of an hour Of
switching and shunting Of coaches the.
train was completed and slowly 1t
moved out Of the yard. The trip will
be made direct to Dallas over the
Triscd and thin will change to the
Southern Pacific and Will proceed TO
CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR