Republican farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1810-1920, 1918-05-03
321yOUThS
LE:AvEFOR
yAPHANk
Water Craft and Steam
Whistles Blow When
Train Moves Out.
EMBRYO HUNTERS
OF HUNS JOYOUS
Vast Throng Crowding
Depot Proves Most
Orderly.

Five thousand mothers, sis
tiers, wives and sweethearts
jammed the railroad depot and
crowded the entrances to the
train sheds this morning to give
the 1874 Bridgeport boys a fare
well and God speed as they
boarded the special train and
Joined the contingents from
Waterbury, Torrington, Naug-
atuck and Ansonia, 700 in all,
bound for Camp Upton, L. l.
AT 9:45 the heavily loaded train
began to move slowly out of the sta
ton amid the wild cheering of the
700 husky Connecticut boys on board,
whistles on factories blew, bells rang
out, and the harbor craft added a
| deeper note to the chorus with their
| sirens. Notwithstanding the indescrib-
able din, here and there in the throng
could he heard a mothers stif1ed sob,
uSInOuSlIduOn
| sorrow.
Cid men looked on dry eyed and en-
vious, mothers, while their hearts
were being hurt, looked with pride
upon their boys, as they embraced
them for the last time. Sweethearts
threw bashfulness to the four winds
as they kissed their loved ones good
| bye, ard over all there was spirit of
confidence of final victory which bodies
no good for the foe
The vast throng which fairly crowd
ed the station was orderly in the ex-
trer1e so that Captain Regain of the
First precinct and the 35 policemen
under his command had little difficult
ty in controlling the crowd. When the
men had all been entrained their rel
attves were allowed to approach the
cars and many a parting word, hand
clasp and caress was given through
the windows of the coaches.
There was only one false note in
the big chorus that sent the drafted
men on their way, and that was the
absence of anyone representing Mayor
Wilson or the city administratio
There was no farewell speech, no
music, nothing to mark the fact that
the S21 young men were sons of
Bridgeport and meant anything to the
city government.
The contingents from the other
cities marvelled at the situation, be-
cause Torrington, Waterbury, Manga
tuck and Ansonia, all gave their de-
parting sons a rousing official send
| k1zad ho OF &Ion not;
they were given an official farewell
address, while if it had not been fol-
the presence of relatives and friends
along with the representatives OF the
draft boards and the SO policemen, the
I Bridgeport contingent would have
left to serve their country as though
they were ordinary travellers.
A few Of the men who were to leave
with the Bridgeport contingent failed
to report while several will leave this
J city Monday morning to join the
party. Board number one supplied 6S
men and three transfers. They were
in charge of Charles R Walsh. Mar
tin Lucey, who was employed by the
city Charities department, was in
charge of the men from board num-
Der which sent IS men. Three 9TH
ers failed to report. Every young
man from boards 8, and were on
hand in time to be sent away with
the quota while board sent So men
Two others who were supposed to be
with the party will leave Monday.
Railroad Secretary Worthing May
lett of Derby had charge of a booth
where the young men could obtain
writing paper and cards on the train
This arrangement was made by the
z. M. C. A
Many slogans were printed in chalk
on the sides of the IL cars, among
which were: Were from Bridge
port---watch u.s." and War is hell
we're going to send the Kaiser there. 81
The men already aboard the special
when it arrived here were from Tor
rington, Waterbury, Naugatuck and
,Ansonia, Torrington sent 40 men, Wa
terbury 202, NaugatUck % and An
sonia IA.
The men assembled at their various
boards this morning at 8 O'Clock where
they were given arInlets to distin-
guish them. Yesterday the young
men appeared at the division boards
at which time they were given theil
, final Instructions and presented with
a Red Cross service kit. After being
sworn into service the men were al
lowed to return to their homes with
instructions to be on hand at the APP
pointed hour
T The first meal to be furnished the
men at the expense of Uncle San
was served on the train, the loca
s boards having made arrangements To-
: distribution of sandwiches and conet
f to stay the mems stomachs until the!
!. file in for mess tonight at camp TIT
h special train is due to arrive at CAM
q Upton early this afternoon.
The first stage of the journey t
camp for the men up state, who wer'
on the same train, had had its effect
for when they arrived in this station
! as a whole they were a happy lot
, with the exception of one here ant
there who was leaving home Tor the
b first time, his thoughts back there FOL
= the time being.