Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-03-11
HUGE THRONG AT
STATION TO SEE
RETURNING BOYS
Smiles and Tears Of Joy on Faces
When Soldiers Leap From
Milwaukee Train.
SOME REACH CITY EARLIER.
Men From Fifty-fOurth Ammunition
Regiment Select Various
Routes to Get Here.

Rock Island did itself proud last
night in welcoming it's returned
soldiers.
There must have been more than
three thousand people at the Mil
waukee station, at the foot of Sew
enteenth street, when the South
west Limited pulled in at 11:10
o'clock, bringing members Of the
Fifty-fourth ammunition train,
overseas men, selectives who left
this city on the night Of April 8
last year for Fort Rosecrans, Cal,
and who yesterday were discharged
at Camp Grant,
1t was at the same station that
the boys left that night, and there
were fully as many, II not more, to
see them return as there were who
saw them leave.
And the heart throbs and sobs Of
the sorrow at their parting on that
night last year changed last night
and there were smiles and tears of
Joy as the returned boys leaped
into tho crowds which pressed to
the side OF the passenger coaches
when the train came to q stop.
While there were not moro than
40 who got off OF the train, many
having arrived earlier IN the even
ing and in the afternoon, over diff
ferent lines, the welcome was there
Just the same. No sooner was the
headlight noticed IN the east, where
the tracks bend at Nineteenth
street, than q mighty shout rent
the air. And It continued until
I long after the train came IN.
Gather Early.
The crowd began gathering at the
station early In the evening, many
anticipating there would be large
crowd at the depot and by getting
there at first hoped to hold posi-
lions Of advantage when the boys
arrived.
BY 10 o'clock Seventeenth street
between First and Second avenues
was packed with automobiles and
both sides OF the Milwaukee tracks
at the station were black with
throngs OF anxious relatives and
friends. The Augustana college
band was on the north side Of the
tracks, a band of tri-city must
clans who donated their services
was on the south side Of the tracks.
Selections were rendered during
the long wait for the train. Occa-
Bionally some hastily gotten togeth-
er quartet would sing some popular
piece, and It surely was a happy
crowd who waited for the boys with
the tin helmets.
Eager faces turned toward the
east waiting for the first glimpse Of
the headlight. OF course, the prac-
teal jokers were there to spread
false alarms about Here she
comes!" When finally the head
light was seen there was a shout
Of welcome that lasted for many
minutes. 1t was so loud and so
long that the music from the two
bands was totally drowned.
BSeause of the large crowd there
vas much confusion when the boys
began to get off the train. Rela-
tives made a rush for the steps of
the coaches and it was some time
before many a soldier found those
who had come from his family to
welcome him.
Was Hearty Welcome.
Although the number who re-
turned over the Milwaukee was not
as large as was expected, others
having arrived earlier in the day,
the enthusiasm of the crowd was
no less great and a more hearty
welcome than the ammunition
train boys received could not be
pictured.
Many Of the soldiers arrived at
5 O'clock in the evening, going from
Rockford to Clinton. Iowa, over the
Northwestern, and taking the inter
urban from that city to Davenport.
Others came in over the Burlington
at 7:10 in the evening.
Il W. L. Franks, chairman of the
%zlcome home committee of the
homo service section of the Rock
Island chapter Of the American
Red Cross, which arranged for the
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