Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 September 1898 — GRANDARMYREUNION [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GRANDARMYREUNION

NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT HELD AT CINCINNATI. Number of People Present Is Larger than Ever—Elaborate Decoration of the City—All Things Conducive to Comfort of the Veterans. The thirty-second annual encampment of the G. A. R. at Cincinnati was a success so far as attendance was concerned, even for those national events, which are phenomenal for crowds. The opening day surpassed expectations. The posts arrived in bodies and were escorted to their quarters by local posts. The special trains arrived faster than they could be handled at the terminals in the early hours, and the crush continued so that later trains were stopped at Camp Sherman and other suburban points, where street cars and other transportation had been provided. There were over 200,000 strangers in the city, and in the evening the sidewalks were almost impassable, while the streets were crowded with bands, drum corps and marching delegations. There was a capacity of 15,000 in the tents of Camp Sherman, and it was well filled, as well as the smaller camps. The decorations were unusually elaborate, the electric light desigus in the public squares and at street intersections surpassing even the finest structures of expositions, and the entertainment was equally lavish. Monday was mainly devoted to the naval veterans, aud in the morning the exercises in connection with the dedication of their “harbor” in horticultural hall of the exposition buildings were held. Commander in Chief Gobin .came from Camp Alger via Camp Meade and had a leave of absence for six days only, so that' he was compelled to get back to Camp Meade by Saturday. Gen. Gobin and staff arrived while the big Labor Day parade was in progress, and he was most enthusiastically received all along the line from the Pennsylvania depot to the Grand Hotel. Commander-in-Chief Gobin and staff visited Camp Sherman in the afternoon, when the camp in charge of Captain Byrne was formally turned over to him. The official salute was fired upon the arrival of the commander-in-ehief, after which the bands rendered concerts. Prayer was offered by Rev. David H. Moore,

editor of the Western Christian Advocate, who was a colonel in the civil war; Major Joseph W. Wilshire, chairman of the committee on camps, made the presentation speech and Gen. J. P. S. Gobin responded in an eloquent address of acceptance. The ceremonies attending the raising of the flag were in charge of Captain J. B. Sampson, after which there was a concert, with other festivities. In the evening the streets were densely packed with people to witness the illumination and dedication of the triumphal arches. These separate ceremonies drew the throngs to different points and thus relieved Government Square and the neighborhood of the general headquarters. The parade of Tuesday was under command of Grand Marshal M. L. Hawkins, The afternoon was given over to river excursions and the evening was filled with receptions—at the Scottish Rite Cathedral to visiting ladies; at the Lincoln Club by the Ohio commandery of the Loyal Legion to visiting veterans without regard to the organization to which they belong; at the Grand Hotel by the Woman’s ' Relief Corps and the Ladies of the G. A. R. These various social functions were patronized by uncounted thousands. Tuesday evening Music Hall was packed denser than ever for a political meeting, the occasion being the second of the camp fires, where addresses were made by many. A letter was received during the day from President McKinley, stating that public business would prevent him and Mrs. McKinley from attending the encampment. Crowds See the Parade. The annual parade of the veterans, Which took place Wednesday, strung out for miles, and when the first division had finished the march the last was still waiting to get in line. Enthusiasm was never greater. The events of the past yeay have intensified the love in the American heart -for the defenders of the nation. - Strains of martial music filled the air, and from to the end of the march the streets were densely packed with people. The enthusiastic ripple of applause which started at Central avenue swelled into a roar of patriotic cheers before the head of the column had gone half a dozen squares. Thence, to the end of the march, past the Reviewing stands, through tines of windows filled with patriotic women and sidewalks crowded to the curbs, it was one grand ovation for the nation’s old fighting men. It was a typical American scene. It was at the same time a welcome to the old soldiers and a peace celebration. Veterans of the Spanish war npngled with veterans of ’6l, and their cheers for the old flag seemed stronger and more loyal. They offered their lives in the defense of their country, and their presence among the older veterans was because the fortunes of war fell its their flavor. A spirit of Americanism people felicitated each other because of American vnlor,* that ValorWb lib* makes the American -private soldier the pride of the nation and the wory. * Cdrbett saysthai McCoy acted* vesy manfully concerning the postponement of their engagement.

G. A. R. PARADE PASSING GRAND TRIUMPHAL ARCH IN CINCINNATI.