The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-04-30
CROWD OF 1000
GREETS THE BOYS
Sixty or More Discharged
Soldiers Arrive by
Train and Auto
STORES TO CLOSE
TOMORROW AT1P. M.
Factories to Be Closed Throughout Aft
ernoon on Account of Big Parade and
Other Features of Welcome-Plans
for $50 at Banquet.

other Features of Welcome-Plans
for $50 at Banquet.
Thoughts of home and a desire to get
back among friends and relatives over
came any suggestion that may have been
made to the Brattleboro and Windham
county soldiers at Camp Devens that they
all return here together yesterday AS
fast as they were discharged, which proc
ess was going on all day, they started for
the first train that would bring them
back to Vermont, and nobody can blame
them In fact many of them did not
wait for trains, but hired automobiles to
land them in Brattleboro.
The result was that the boys were re-
turning home all the afternoon and even
ing, and while 60 or 20 of them came at
different times II was the largest number
to come ON any one train. Consequently |
| it was difficult for the board of trade
committee to find out just where the boys
were or when they would return. 1t was
/ impossible to carry out the prearranged
plans according to schedule but the best
possible was done and nobody could have
done any better The band failed to con.
meet, but The Reformer is assured that
the band will be on hand tomorrow
Shortly before o'clock in the evening
it was learned that a number of the boys
| were on the train which would arrive at
9.l5. The fire alarm was sounded imme-
diateiy, and while it had been announced
that the alarm would be given am hour
Ibefore the time of the arrival of the boys
several hundred persons were at the rail-
road station when the 9.l5 train pulled
in. It. brought II soldiers, all but three
of whom left the train and were swal-
lowed up quickly by the surging crowd,
A while red fire Illuminated the scene.
This proved to be the largest delega-
tion of soldiers, but the fire alarm at 0
O'Clock served a useful purpose as it sent
other hundreds of persons to the 1912
train, which brought 10 more soldiers,
: nearly all Brattleboro boys.
A crowd of more than 1000 persons was
on hand when this train arrived and they
too were quickly lost in the crowd as
they sought out relatives and friends for
happy reunions, while more red fire was
burned
Some OF the boys visited the Red Cross
Al
! but most of them started for their homes,
which they had not seen in a year and
a half
, Many of the boys and their relatives
were taken home in automobiles provided
. for that purpose by the automobile com,
, mittee, of which Dennison Cowles was
J chairman. One car made trip to Hins
. dale with soldier.
Early in the evening three automobiles
!. filed with soldiers came by way Of North
field and Hinsdale. Another car came
;, from Greenfield in the AFTERNOON, and
! each of the afternoon and evening train:
!, brought few IN addition to those ar
= irving at 9.l5 and 1912
: All stores and offices will close at
: O'Clock tomorrow in order to give theil
i employees an opportunity to take part il
: the big parade which will start from tn,
common at o'clock. Factories will clos,
at noon. All the organizations which arr
to take part III the parade should as
sembie at the common and report to til,
s marshal as soon after 8 o'clock as pos
sible but not later than $50, as the par
ade will start promptly at the scheduled
n hour
t. Every young man who has been or
rs in any branch of the service and who
" in town is asked to appear in uniform
r and report to Lieut. Col. Walter o. Cool
t. ey at the armory at .. 2.45 o'clock, and joi
in the short parade and take part in tn
festivities which follow There will b
continuous concert after the parade uf
til time for the banquet. Persons wi
be allowed to dance in the street if the
SO desire
y Two large flood light welcoming sign
have been erected ,-one over Whetston
y brook between the Wilder building an
the Park building and another at til
: town hall building, and everyone is aske
to illuminate his home, offices or stol
window during the evening At 3 o'cloc
tomorrow 10 strokes of the fire alarm wi
ct be sounded and at the same hour chure
les and school bells in West Bratteboro wi
lg. be rung, while the church, school an
.er fire department bells will be sounded
zee the East village at $50 o'clock.
At o'clock all the boys who have bee
loo giving service in the government will |
+ served banquet in Festival hall, whel
~ covers will be laid for $50. Each win
yes entitled to one guest ticket, the guests
occupy the balcony during the banque
]. The menu, aside from other and bigg
~ ~ things, will include home made brea
'oo home made pies and home made cak
The hall will be decorated attractive
lar and while the banquet is being serve
there will be instrumental and vocal m
ell sic by a colored orchestra and eapar
i'd dancer from Boston, The supper will
IRE -
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