New-York tribune., 1919-05-11
$4,000 March
I'm I sarade for
T atlne1' Duffy
Pageant in Bronx Splashes
Through Deluge and Hun
dreds of Thousands More
Tnrn Out to Applaud

The entire municipal welcoming or
ganization and $4,000 volunteer march
ers, men, women and children, turned
out in the rain yesterday in token of
the honor and affection with which the
city regards Father Francis P. Duffy,
who was chaplain of the 165th In
fantry
Soldiers of the New York Guard, Red
Cross nurses, Salvation Army workers,
school children, religious, civic and
social organizations of The Bronx,
clergymen of all denominations and
representatives of the Young Mems
Christian Association, the Young Mems
Hebrew Association and the Knights of
Columbus, marched up the Grand Con-
course from 161st Street to Kings
bridge Road with the beloved Father
Duffy leading the way in an automo-
bile
All along the boulevard stood sodden
but patiently expcctant throngs, and
the automobile left <wave Of cheers
behind on either side. Borough, coun-
ty, city, state and church dignitaries
were in the reviewing stand, and there
they were joined, as soon as he had
travcrsed the route of the parade, by
Father Duffy himself
Business Suspended
The day was gwen over to welcoming
home the chaplain whose brave and
unselfsh services on French firing lines
have made his name known the coun-
try over. Business houses were closed,
public and parochial schools emptied
their classrooms into the streets and
the steady downpour Of rain was for
gotten, except as subject for jcsts.
Practically every religious organiza-
ton in the borough every political
party and neariy every civic body was
represented in the line of marchers
Never before had such a cosmopolitan
gathering been brought together to do
honor to a hero Of The Bronx, or the
entire city, for that matter.
high wind was blowing and a
steady downpour Of rain cut the faces
Of those who braved it when, at ex
actly 9 o'clock in the afternoon, Grand
Marshal Francis Martin. District At
torney Of The Bronx, and his mill
tary staff moved up the Grand Con-
course from 1e5th Street The flags
that had been placed upon specially
erected poles at intervals of fifty feet
a nj ,,,l.i
out straight and the water was wruny
from them as the parade approached.
School Children Sing
Half u dozen military bands, an equal
number of civilian bodies and the city
police band attempted, by Offering their
best Irish airs, TO make the spccta-
tors forget the clouds and RAIN. Lines
Of school children lifted their voices
In patriotic songs and appeared to
enjoy the novelty Of standing in the
rain without drawing reprmands from
their teachers.
There was less of the military de-
corum Of earlier welcome home pa
rades in this demonstration Marchers
wiped riyuletS Of water from their
faces as they answered tho good
naturcd gibes OF the more fortunate
men and women who stood under the
protection OF umbrellas and news
papers.
where's Father Duffy?" "Are you
hiding the parade from usy" were
questions that followed the leaders Of
the parade up the concourse.
The question usually was answered
by the wave Of cheering that could be
heard blocks away, preceding the auto
mobile In which the amiling chaplain
service cap shedding streams Of water
into his eyes, rode with Borough Presi-
dent Henry Bruckner on his right and
the Rev. r. j. prunty on his left. In
many cases the crowds were mysteri-
ously invisible until the cheering an
Continued ON Dn0e ten