Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1918-07-25
THOUSANDS COME
TO SAY FAREWELL
LARGEST CROWD IN HISTORY OF
CITY CAME TO DO HONOR TO
THE DEPARTING SOLDIERS

Thousands of persons came from
all parts of Audubon county Tues
day afternoon to visit with the 156
soldier boys who were drafted into
service and were to leave for camp
the following morning. A patriO-
tic program had been arranged and
other entertainment and amuse-
ment prepared for the boys and
their relatives.
The 1876 men answered to roll call
in front of the court house prompt
ly at 1880. They were given their
instructions and after receiving
their ribbons, spent the afternoon
visiting friends until 400 O'Clock,
when all of them marched in body
to the chautauQua tent where a
program was carried out.
The Norby orchestra from Kim
ballton came to furnish music and to
assist the Audubon band. The Will
liams Jubilee singers furnished
some patriotic music that was time
ly and good. H. J. Mantz acted as
chairman and Rev. Lang was called
on for the invocation.
The speaker for the afternoon
was ex-governor, G.. w. Clark, of
Des Moines. He made a wonderful
talk and one that will not soon be
forgotten. It was forceful and log
ical and inspired the young men
with new zeal.
Following selection by the band
and a song by Mrs. George Scott,
Miss Harriet Bilharz presented
each of the young men with a COM
II hA
how anxious the people of the COM
munity were for their welfare, and
how the women as we'll as the men
would do their full duty at home
while they were on the firing line.
At the close of the exercises at
the big tent the young men went to
the Methodist church where sup
per was served. During the supper
hour the Norby orchestra furnish
ed the music.
Wednesday morning the parade
formed in front of the court house
headed by the band, the G. A. RS
w. r. C's the Boy Scouts and Red
Cross workers led the line of march
Thousands of persons were in the
procession to the Rock Island de-
pot. Many thousands more crowd
ed both sides of the street. BY the
time the train pulled in the crowd
extended back from the depot as far
as the Martinsen garage. 1t was
thought to be the largest crowd that
was ever in Audubon. 1t made a
4th of July crowd look small. In
fact it was equal to the largest
crowd that was ever on the fair
early hour in the morning. the
ground. Had it not been for the
crowd would have been still larger.
At 4:30 the people from the
country began coming in and con-
tinued until six o'clock Every
available space was utilized by the
automobiles.
AS the train pulled out and the
departing soldier boys looked up
the street. they could not help but
be impressed with the interest the
home folks were taking in them.
They have every assurance that the
home fires will be kept burning
while they are away, and on their
return home they will be greeted
by crowd ten times as large.
The relatives and friends at the
depot hid their sorrow very sue
cessfully. They tried to make the
boys feel cheerful, though it was a
hard task. The boys themselves
acted like real men. Scarcely tear
was shed. They were feeling
t. ,ir best and each and every one
OF them determined to do his part
to bring this war to a speedy and
victorious conclusion. May God
bless our noble men and bring them
safe home agagin.