Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-29
Eur1ttt,g Gfrat

If tradition and the record of
events goes for anything, Harris
burg Is going to be right up to the
mark in the welcome to its soldier,
sailor and marine sons. it's welfare
workers and its army nurses, now
that almost everyone that can be
looked for is home from the war.
This community has had men in
every war from the time "our land
became a Nation" as the State song
writer sings and the folks who
stayed at home poured out their
money and their substance to back
up the fighting men. The story OF
the welcome home of the men who
were with Washington and Wayne
at Yorktown has not been written
mere, but has come down in family
tradition. 1t took place in front of
John Harris mansion on Front
street Snd a big feast with some
accompaniments that would not go
in these days of prohibition was the
feature. The Oracle, the Chronicle
and other early newspapers of the
return of General John l.. Forster's
men in 1914 and how the people
went to greet them on the last lap
of their march from York. That
we have any record, ended in Market
square. The return of Captain e.
z. Williams Harrisburg company in
the Mexican war is we'll recorded
and the close was a supper for all
hands, the populace included on the
east front of the State Capitol. There
are some In this city who remember
when the 127th and other Harri:-
burg regiments came home from tho
Civil War and how the townsfolks
welcomed them, scenes which were
repeated when the Governors Troop
and Companies d and / returned to
Harrisburg after Spanish War serv-
ice. The Troop and Company were
in the Porto Rican campaign and
Harrisburg just took the day and
night off when they returned. We
have few recollections this year of
return of overseas men, but as they
came in CONT agents we will turn
in to-day and make one big home
again greeting that will furnish the
newspaper reader of fifty years
hence an idea of the pride the State
Capital took in fighting sons and
how all united to do them honor.
People accustomed to crowds in
Harrisburg, say that the number or
persons on the Island for yester-
days ceremonies was one of the
greatest, If not the greatest, ever
gathered in one place in the city.
There have tsCen few more remark
able demonstrations and many men
long used to open-air affairs say
| that it resembled q great fair crowd.
The parade alone took up q con-
siderable part, but there were thou
sands standing on the outside of the
| ring of Boy Scouts, to say nothing of
the many in the stands and on the
bleachers. While most of Harris
burg turned out for the demonstra-
tion, there were many visitors from
nearby towns. -.
A number of veterans of overseas
| service who remained in the service
I came home for the day. Some of
them were sailors who did not get a
! chance to get in their names for
the Harrisburg medal or whose
families had failed to return the
cards to the Chamber of Commerce.
To care for them the Offices of the.
Chamber were kept open last eve
ming.
The rooms of the Dauphin County
Historical Society were open to-day
to take the data regarding service
| men for the history of Dauphin
county in the war, which is to be
printed by the State Historical Com.
mission. The society is collaborat-
ing with the Chamber of Commerce
in this work, which is quite distinct
from the commercial propositions
now under way in various parts of
the country. The records made here
will be part of the archives of the
Historical Society and be preserved
here, while coF<es will go to the
, State authorities to form the basis
of the official authoritative record.
Service men should avail them
selves of the chance to make state
ments at the rooms of the society,""
said B. M. Mead, the president, to-
| day. THAT is what it is for, and
any man unable to go to the rooms
with his data should write out and
mail it. We want the name and
record of every man in the war"
What impressed me most" said
a former Harrisburg man who came
home yesterday to see the welcome,
was the number of men Harrisburg
sent. I had no idea there was any
thing like it until 1 saw that long
| line of men, all Harrisburgers
marching on the field. 1t was won
derful. Think of city having less
than $4,000 population sending that
many men into the army or navy.
| And they were not all IN line. L
saw many men in uniform on the
streets and many men wearing the
Legion button who were not in uni
form 1t is a pity they were not
all in line. From what hear, these
are over 3,400 registered at the
Chamber of Commerce. That is
some showing for Harrisburg to talk
about in years to come"
Almost every divisional insignia in
the army seemed to be represented
yesterday at the Island. There were
marks people here had not seen,
while the Sunset and other far west
ern divisions, the Rattlesnake and
the wildcat were there with the
figure 1, the Indian head, the Marine
and other regular division marks.
The keystone, the Lorraine Cross,
the Blue Ridge and the Buffalo
| appeared to predominate.