Evening star., 1924-12-15
THOUSANDS LINE ROUTE.
Funeral Train Leaves st. Louis for
Capital.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ST. LOUIS, Mo, December 15.--The
train bearing the body of Samuel
Gompers to Washington, where 1t
Will lie in state until burial Wednes-
day at New York. paused here from
early morning until noon today after
journey marked by outpourings Of
those who wished to pay their re-
spects at all stations from San
Antonio, Tex, where the president OF
the American Federation of Labor
died Saturday.
The schedule from st. Louis called
for the funeral train to reach VIM
cennes, Ind, at $3.50 o'clock this after
noon, Cincinnati at S:55 pm. and
Midland City. Ohio. at 1o:4s pm. !:
Parkersburg. w. Va. will be reached
at $40 o'clock tomorrow morning.
Cumberland. Nd, at 1880 am, with
arrival at Washington scheduled for
2:45 pm.
Thousands Pay Honors.
Last night the train kept to schedule
when it stopped at various stations
for thousands of persons to file past
the great hag-covered bronze casket.
The floral tributes which covered the
coffin when the train left San Antonio
were added to By the wagonload as
the train rolled North. = 100
At a number of towns Along the
route those who wished to look upon
the face Of the fallen leader hAd to
be turned away because the train
could not walt long enough. At Nc
Alester, Okla, the train had to be
halted again to put of some who had
fingered too long.
A vast concourse greeted the train
as 1t pulled into the Union Station
here. The CONN was taken from its
lk-cloaked catafalque and trans
ferred to another observation coach
attached to a Baltimore Il Ohio train
for Washington. This train Is due
to depart at 1905 pm. ----.-,-a
ing the final funeral rites for Mr..
Gompers had not been definitely de-
termined by the executive council
members aboard the train. The ad-
visibility Of postponing the time
from Wednesday evening as origi.
nally planned. to Thursday morning
in New York, was advanced last
night. This again underwent q
change when it was suggested to
have a great public funeral in Madi-
son Square Garden. New York, Wed
broadcast by radio. This was to be
determined at q meeting Of officials
in the travelling party to be held here
this morning.
Party Stands Trip Well.
All members of the party were in
good health on arrival, but all were
secretary of the federation, upon
whose shoulders has for the time
devolved the work Of chief executive
Of the organization, together with
James Duncan, Matthew Woll and
Martin e. Ryan, vice presidents, and
John z. Giles, Chester NJ. Wright,
Thomas McQuade, William D. Mahon,
w. c.. Roberts, Edward ]. Tracy.
Joseph Lynch, all officials, besides
their duties of planning for the
funeral, have received and escorted
persons since the coffin left San
Antonio.
The women of, the party. the secre-
taries to the officials, also have been
constantly on duty. Miss Mathilde
May Of New York, Mr.. Gompers' nurse,
and Miss Florence c. Thorne, his Sec
retary, have taken to themselves the
care and arrangement OF the flowers.
which, growing in volume at every
station, filled the compartment where
the body lay, covered the casket and
and on the walls.
At noon and in the dead of night,
the floral tributes, expressing the
sentiments OF the workers both high
and low, came forth in an unendine
stream. One OF the largest offerings
came on late last night from the
Sedaliat Mo-, liberation. An ex-Con-
gressmAn sent a design Of roses
which arrived quite late and were still
fresh on the great bronze coffin as
the first tints of Missouris dawn
touched the eastern skies.
There were three outstanding Incl
dents on the trip which. besides the
great crowds, touched the hearts Of
Mr. Gompers' comrades most. One was
the little band which played a soft
dtrge at Austin, Tex, in the quiet Of
the night. This wasf the hrst stop
out of San Antonio. A little group Of
faithful followers huddled at the step
OF the funeral car as the muted tones
seemed to caress Mr.. Gompers as he
slipped by on his way home.
Indian Pays Tribute.
Then there was the Indian chief
tain, in tribal blanket and stalwart
mien, who uttered tho Indian prayer
for the dead at little station just
over the Texas border In Oklahpma:
He stood over the CONN. looking down
into the face Of the man he did not
know, asking the Great Chief above
to be kind to the white chief in the
happy hunting ground.
Very early In the morning came. two
old Irishwomen at st. Charles, No.,
80 miles out Of ST. Louis. Daylight
had not yet opened the eyes OF most
OF the party on board when these two,
in aprons. evidently just out Of bed,
came Knocking at the funeral car.
They had no flowers, their rough