Friday, December 28, 2012

More About General Jones's Army

This report about the suffragettes' journey to Albany appeared, a hundred years ago this evening, in the Ithaca Evening News. (Aren't we lucky to be free of all those hybrid gender-specific terms?)

General Rosalie Jones, Lieutenant-Colonel Jessie Hardy Stubbs, Colonel Ida Craft

PILGRIMETTES NEAR END OF THEIR JOURNEY

VALATIE, N.Y., Dec. 28This was the day for the triumphal entry of Gen. Rosalie Jones and her suffragist army into Albany, where they will present a petition asking for equal rights to Governor Sulzer. The little army, which has hiked all the way from New York, set out from here this morning, planning to reach Albany, eighteen miles distant, during the afternoon, unless detained by bad roads. Scouts reported that the Albany road was in bad condition from floods and rain.

There will be an echo of Biblical history when the party reaches the state capital. "We will do as the army of the people did at Jericho," said General Jones. "We will march around the state capitol several times, just as the ancients marched around the temple in Jericho several times, and we will raise a mighty shout, although ours will be a shout of 'Votes for women.'"

Today the army planned to have luncheon in East Greenbush, three and one-half miles out of Albany. There a delegation of 50 women was to meet them with a brass band to escort them into Albany. It was hoped to make the entrance by daylight. The pilgrims have arranged to make the Hampton House their headquarters in Albany while awaiting the arrival of the governor-elect, for whom they have their message ready.

By road maps, counting detours, they will have walked 169 miles in thirteen days, and their average will be thirteen miles per day. Five pilgrims who have done all the way on foot, from 24th Street, New York, will march into Albany. They are Gen. Rosalie Jones, Col. Ida Craft, Surgeon Lavinia Dock, Pilgrim Katherine Stiles and Pilgrim Sybil Wilbur. They will carry their stores and wear their knapsacks and will not shed their pilgrim garb until they have made their triumphal march into Albany. 

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