The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-09-08

ing this gaiety. when some tear-stained
mother or father pressed forward and
grasped his hands.
The three day celebration which will
come TO an end with a monster parade
and review OF the first division We'd
nesday began at dawn this morning
when a fleet OF boats. bearing dis
tinguished personages and a flotilla OF
airplanes went down the bay to give the
hrst greeting to the homecoming hero.
An aeroplane flew over the Leviathan
the transport which brought the gen
eral back TO his homeland-just at day
break and dropped a message from
Mayor Hylan extending a formal invi-
tation TO New York City
The weather was warm. foggy and
humid but the sun was making a sturdy
effort to push through the clouds. There
was sea breeze down the bay that
stiffened the flags on the ships in the
harbor but in the city the banners and
bunting dropped from the stats in limp
folds.
welcome home. General Pershing. "
was the electric current that pulsed
through the whole city. 1t spoke in the
roaring salutes Of the gun down the bay;
IN the crash OF brass band music on
harbor craft while the LeViathan was
steaming slowly by the statue Of liberty
and in the cheers and staccato toots or
sirens while the giant transport was
warping into her pier.
The transport passed Sandy Hook at
7:12 o'clock. steaming very slowly
through the thiGz misty weather. She
slowed down waiting for the tide. but
was soon under way again.
The first welcoming committee to
come up with the Pershing ship was
that representing the United States
army 1t was closely followed by the
municipal steamer Correction. bearing
Mayor Hylan and committee. the COM
mitee of prominent citizens representing
President Wilson and Secretary of War
Bakers party. There was a tumultuous
scene when the Leviathan passed the
statue of liberty at twenty minutes TO
eight The fotilla of boats that was
escorting the big troopship then cut
loose with their whistles and sirens in
earnest causing a deafening din over
the upper bay. Battery Park. despite
the earliness of the hour. was crowded
and thousands of persons en- loyed in Of
flee buildings overlooking the harbor and
North River got TO work ahead OF time
to watch the incoming transport from
the windows.
At ten minutes Of eight the Leviathan
swept by Battery Park. turning north
ward into North River on the hnal leg
Of her long and historic journey from
Brest
General Pershing. standing on the
deck proudly erect at the noble picture
before his eyes showed visible emotion.
Il am happy to be home" said he
simply to friends standing at hts side
He looked again at the towering sky
light. gaunt and majesty in the gray
mist of the morning and added;
1T is a glad moment"
In the meanwhile the whistles on
shore had taken up the serenade. The
water-craft bells were tolled Those
who had equipped themselves with horns
and other noise-making devices Joined
the chorus. Cheers rolled along the wa
ter-front And as a background. deep
and booming and rumbling was the
great siren which had been set up dur
ing the war to warn the city Of any
attempted German afraid.
While New York was the stage for
the drama. the glory OF the moment be-
longed to the whole nation. In the
crowds which hIled Battery Park and
the water front and which damned the
streets about Pier No. A. in Hoboken and
crammed the streets OF New York City
were people from California. Maine.
Texas. Minnesota, Louisiana. Montana
and-but one might go on until the
whole As states were named. It was a
national welcome-a welcome in which
the country's heart went out
Thousands Of doughboys joined in the
greeting Everywhere the khaki was in
evidence They yelled and cheered and
showed generally by the volume Of their
noise that they were all mighty glad to
have their old leader safe back home
again.