Philippines War Veterans
The News Examiner, Wednesday, 5 July 1899, page 49
THEY ARE HOME
Hundreds of People Gather at the Depot to Welcome the Six Manilla
Heroes
JAMES JENSEN, of Montpelier, Hyrum JENSEN, of Montpelier, James RICH, of Paris, Orson C WIXOM of Liberty, Jacob SMITH of Dingle and Elmer COLLETT, Bennington
These are the names of the Bear Lake boys who have helped to make Idaho's name famous in the army of Uncle Sam in the Philippines. These are some of the boys, whom a general in watching the Idaho regiment make a charge said, "Let them go! All hell wont stop them!"
After being feted and honored all the way from San Francisco these boys, except Mr. Smith and Mr. Callett, who arrived Monday stepped from No 9 Saturday morning, right into the arms of hundreds of friends from all over the valley, who had been impatiently waiting for the train from the early hours of morning. The blowing of whistles announced their arrival at the depot. As soon as the first greeting was had, an improvised procession headed by the boys brigade of the Presbyterian church and Judge Underwood with a handsome silk flag, started up the street for the Hotel Burgoyne, where Mayors Redman of this city and Shepherd of Paris, had provided breakfast.
After breakfast the boys were kept busy shaking hands with hundreds of friends and admirers. "Excuse us boys, we must go out to the old home now," said James Jensen, as he and his brother got into a carriage, shortly after their arrival Saturday morning, and started for the old homestead about a mile from town. The sentiment expressed shows the kind of stuff American boys are made of. Through all their welcoming they never once lost sight of the home that they were reared in and they were anxious to see it and the old folks therein.
If all the soldier boys of Uncle Sam's army have the magnificent bearing shown by the Bear Lake volunteers, they must have made an imposing spectacle. James and Hyrum Jensen, both six footers, were said to be the finest looking soldiers in the Idaho regiment. Messrs. Rich, Wixom, Smith and Collett were fine looking soldier boys too. And the beauty about them all is, that they can fight as well.