The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-28
Returning Troops Given Great
Welcome in New York.
Paul III. Brown Writes of His
Homecoming.
H0B0KEN IS A LIVE PLACE
Soldiers and Sailors Anxious
To Get Their Discharges.
Every Comfort Provided al
Pelham Bay.

corded in New York harbor to ho0e-
coming men from the service is given
in a letter recently received by Mrs.
H. E. Brown of route Z, from her son,
Paul H. Brown, now at Pelham Bay
station. Brown writes that one of
the greatest thrills the war brought to
him was the welcome to the incoming
boat bringing in the men in uniform.
He spoke also in high praise of the
Red Cross.
1--WE are now in steam heated bar
racks, are getting the best chow
have had in the navy, but we don't
Gre for that. What we want is to
have some satisfaction about what
they Are going to do with US.
I'VE came into New York harbor a
few nights ago but did not dock until
the next morning. 1 turned in early
the night we came in. and it was well
o'clock the next morning and were
ready to go off the ship by 4 o'clock.
1t seems to be regulation to stand by
a day or two, SO we didn't get off I'M
til the following afternoon. We We're
all on deck before daylight and even
before lights could be seen ashore. 1t
was a mighty anxious bunch that
crowded the rail that morning to see
Liberty statue when the fog on the
river lifted enough for us to make
out the form.
Met With Cheers.
THE yells and cheers we let out
seemed to be just an announcement
to the people along the shore of the
river that a ship was in harbor with
a load of foreign service men aboard,
and we were cheered back by steam
whistles for miles up and down the
water that simply made my head
ring. 1 had no idea that such a roar
ri he Ia hut fIrp a nd o.
liner was Ginning in with all force. I
have had some great thrills since I
left. but that was one oothe most ex-
citing.
About o'clock two medical ex-
aminers came aboard. They must
have found everything o. X. for the
quarantine flag was lowered. the
anchor raised, and we started up the
river to dock. Presently a heavy
shower drove us to cover, but we were
too excited to stay in long. 1t was
nasty and freezing, but the wet cold
couldn't spoil such a grand time for
us. 1t was. good to see those old sky
scrapers loom up thru the mist as we
were towed nearer and nearer to them.
The harbor is patroled by several
fire boats which welcomed us with an
exhibit of their way of eXtinguishing
fires. There were freight boats, pas
senger boats, sailing vessels, and every
sort of a ship, and they all gave us
a greeting.
Hoboken Alive Now.
"Hoboken was a gloomy place when
we left her, but she surely is alive
now. AS we neared the pier, a group
of Red Cross women welcomed us
with their flags, and the band played
songs that made a fellows heart come
up in his mouth for the joy of it.
Even the dock hands, who tied the
big ship up to the docks seemed to be
going wild, and they pulled in those
big ropes as tho they were only cords.
The ship locked at ten, but we
+ d to stay on the old tub till two,
but when we were, finally allowed to
get off the Red Cross was there on
the pier with buns and hot coffee
and chocolate bars for us. Thank
God for the Red Cross. 1t did more
tim any other organization for the
men.
From the pier we went to Pelham
Bay up the river. When we were
about to land, the blamed old tub
caught fire, but nothing burned but
a bunch of old papers. After we
landed we had to march two miles
to the station in the rain. But they
did not know we were coming.
and had no arrangements for us, SO
we stood around in the rain with no
place to CO. and with an empty tank.
About nine o'clock we marched to a
mess hall, stormed it and ate every
thing we could find.
I'VE can buy everything we. need
here, and have lots of entertainment,
SO do not. send anything till 1 am
sure of staying here"