Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1917-02-22
CITY OPENS ARMS
TO COMPANY f.
SPECIAL ARRIVED AT MIDNIGHT
1900 CHEERING PEOPLE
GREET COMPANY E
BOYS WENT, MEN RETURN

W1DE-OPEN WELCOME EVERY.
WHERE--GLAD TO BE HOME
BUT VALUE EXPERIENCE
Williston has never witnessed
more inspiring scene than that pre-
sented when the Soldiers Special roll
ed into the station at 1890 last Fri
day morning. Two thousand people
or more had waited patiently for the
arrival of the train, which had been
marked up to arrive soon after ten
o'clock. Fortunately the night was
very sAild.
An army of small boys had been
loaded with all the fireworks to Ee
found in local stocks, and they knew
what to do with them. When the
boys of Company E and few local
members of other companies poured
out of the cars, pandemonium broke
loose. The soldiers were literally en-
gulfed in the crowd. Everyone tried
to shake hands with all of them and
friend sought for friend. The band
played, the crowd cheered, and rock
cts made the night red.
March to ArmOry
The plan Of forming procession
to march to the Armory was for a
time impossible, but later was car
ried out. With the band at the head,
Spanish war veterans, city officials
and citizens following in two lines,
and Company E coming next followed
and fanked by a throng that filled
the street. the triumphal journey to
the <Armory was made An advance
guard of small boys filled the air
with such a glare of fireworks that
the inspiring words ooh, Say Can
You See" were brought to mind,
and indeed they could see, for from
every roof and in every window the
Stars and Stripes were displayed.
Only small portion Of the crowd
could enter the Armory and these
formed a large hollow square. After
disposing of some of their trappings,
the company with Sergeant Erick-
son at the head, came from the Cap
tain7s room and marched single file
around within the hollow square. Pro-
longed applause greeted them. The
boys looked fine, in the pink of physi-
cal condition, larger, straighter, more
soldierly than when they left for the
border, they swung along with the
stride that marks the trained soldier.
The hour was too late for any extend
ed reception, and after receiving in
structions from Captain Evans to re-
port at the Armory at ten o'clock and
to wear their uniforms all day Fri
day, Seargeant Erickson took the
company, and after the customary
movements, dismissed them.
Dined Friday Evening
Friday evening the Company were
the guests of the ladies of the var
ious orders of the city at a six o'clock
dinner served in, the dining room Of
OdG Fellows Hail. Friends and rela-
tives gathered in the main hall for
an informal reception. At the con-
clusion of the dinner, Reverend Bat
ten, Reverend Monson, Revered Har-
riss, J. w. jackson and W. G. Owens
made brief addresses Of welcome in
their happiest vein. Captain Evans
responded for the Company and feel
ingly voiced the appreciation of his
boys. "Some of you gentlemen have
said how glad you were to have Us
back. I want to say for myself and
my boys that compared to US, you
do not and cannot know the meaning
of Che word glad" said the Captain.
Later in the evening the soldiers
were etertained at the Lyceum course
number at the Armory. Following
the concert, program by the Chicago
Male Quartet, the floor was cleared
and all joined in and thoroughly en-
joyed a season Of dancing, with On
stad's orchestra furnishing the ex-
cellent music.
Monday evening the militiamen
were the guests of the Williston Band
at their second masquerade ball.
While very glad to be home again,
the boys without exception insist that
as whole they enjoyed their Border
life and consider it a valuable exper-
ience. For some time after their
a good deal disgusted as their equip
had to eat their meals in the open,
when mess houses had been built, the
camp site cleared, the camp made
comfortable and sanitary, they found
the life much more congenial. Just
after the arrival of the militia at the
Border, that portion of Texas exper-
fenced the rainiest season it has had
in years. There had been scarcely
anv rain for eleven months and when
it began there was more or less rain
every day for many weeks.
In Old Positions
All but few of the men are back
in their old positions. Eight went to
their homes in Mckenzie county, sew
efa1 have returned to farm homes in
This vicinity and the rest have re-
turned to their former positions or
Found new employment within the
:itv. As mentioned in another place,
! few have not yet found employ
nent. but It is believed that they viii
Ioon.s
First Sergeant Herbert Metzger,
Who was transferred from Company
3 to Company NJ Of Grand Forks,
'eturned on the special.