The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-02-02
COMPANY H WELL RECEIVED
BY THE CITIZENS
Parade, and Lunch Served at krmorY
The Dual Oath That Must Be Taken;
St. Peter Man to Remain As Captain
Of Contingent For the Present, At
Least; Banquet to Be Served Tonight
From Thursdays Daily.

of Company H than was accorded by
the spontaneous outpouring of Man
kato people of all ages and conditions
when the soldiers came back yester-
day afternoon. The day was by no
means as mild as are some January
days, and it was really hardship to
stand and wait in the cold. Yet the
throng that filled the Milwaukee pass
enger depot and platform, the plat
forms of the Milwaukee and Great
Western freight depots, and surged in
and out of these depots themselves,
besides filling the alley and streets
adjacent, cannot be estimated with
any reasonable degree of accuracy
Even the great snow-pile in the
Milwaukee park was used as an ad-
vantageous point of view.
1t was nearly four o'clock when the
first sound of the siren whistle at the
pumping station announced the near
approach of the afternoon Milwaukee
train, bringing back the lads who had
braved the chances of actual warfare
for the security Of other Americans,
who lived many hundreds of miles
away and whom they did not even
know. At the time when the whistle
was first sounded, the train was at
Cleveland. The siren whistle sounded
again when the train came in sight of
the pumping station and at 4:40, amid
toots of whistles in many directions,
and a general shout from the assem-
bled throng around the depot, the
train slowly pulled onto the platform.
Here the strains of the band, which
played "The Star Spangled Banner"
could be heard above all the other
din and commotion At the same
time the choral. society of sixty voices,
men and women, sang the same song.
Band Played For Soldiers.
The band was composed of many
of the best-known players in the city,
and it is understood that this is con-
sidered the nucleus of what will be
the regular municipal band if the plans
of the Retail Merchants association
are carried out Those who played
included the following: Comets,
Harry Sandon, VIII Sontag. William
Neill, c. F. Marshall and Glen Trean-
or; tubas, Sam Sandon, and o. F.
Morrow; trombones, Cash Sandon and
George Scherer; baritone, William
Sandon; clarionets, Oscar Anderson
Glen Burlison, George Schwickert and
Earl Treanor; altos, Ernest Skoog.
Weber and Roy Lusk; drum, Stuart
Johnson. Before going to the depot,
the band assembled in front of the
Fisher clothing store and played ''The
Stars and Stripes Forever" During
the parade from the depot to the
armory, the tune played was "The
Show Boy" Few people realize the
difficulties under which some of the
boys labored on account of the cold
weather freezing the wind instru-
ments. The music, however. was a
complete success. Some Of the boys
obviated the difficulty of the freezing
by having alcohol in their instru-
ments.
During the hour and half that the
great gathering waited in eagerness
to see the boys alight from the car
the policemen present were busy men
AS is always the case on such &C.
casions, it was job to keep the
crowd back and out of danger. Chief
of Police Klugherz, and Officers e
V. Waters, Charles Bell and Frank
Bienapf were, busily engaged every
moment, yet the chief afterwards de-
clared that he hardly knew what he
would have done had it not been fol
the line of high school cadets, thai
stood in uniform along the track ant
held back the over enthusiastic. The
boys certainly did excellent work.
Committees Were Busy.
Other busy people were J. e. Regar
and members of his committee, having
in charge the parade. This committee
included Fred Otto, John Macbeth
C. J. Holbrook and Charles Wagon
M. F. Sullivan, chairman of the com.
mittee on general arrangements. ant
his committeeman are entitled tt
much credit for the success of the
welcome that was given the boys. l.
L. Champlin, chairman of the com.
mittee on decoration, and those whc
worked under his direction, had thu
pleasure of seeing that feature of the
preparations we'll taken care of, TO
the line of march was profusel!
adorned with flags and buntirSg.
The banquet committee was an
other very busy body of people TIL
moment that the soldiers in thei
khaki uniforms aIighted from thu
train, ladies were right on hand witt
big supplies of doughnuts, hot coffe
and sandwiches. There were two com
panies on hand, Companies H and Z
the latter of Fairmont. The visitini
company was as warmly greeted a
the home company, yet the Compan
E boys could not leave their train yer
far. There was no time to do that.
The parade was formed yer
quickly. The boys had scarcely ha
their lunch, when the march begar
Colonel George w. Meade, conspicu
GUS on horseback, was the marshal G
the day. In front of the fire depart
ment marched the police. The fireme
had out both of their gorgeous aut
trucks, and on them rode both reeu
lars and volunteers, Chief Philli
Leas. Captain William Funk and
number of others.
Old Soldiers Were There.
After this body rode six autos frol
the Dillner & Holbrook, the ID. c.. til
oEckman and Clements garages. TIL
solons of the CITY councils quite
number of the old soldiers, member
of the choral society and others VIII
took part in the festivities rode
these. After these marched the boy
q Company H, the honored guests