The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1872-02-29
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Thursday of last week was to Topeka
one Of her liveliest and gayest days.
Early in tho morning tho city's streets
commenced filing with the arrival OF
squads of the old returned veterans OF
the war. The vast multitude kept pour
ing in from arriving trains from all parts
Of the State until about 2 o'clock P. n.
Nearly six thousand soldiers were upon
the streets. The forenoon was occupied
by hunting up old comrades, making
new acqua;ntainces and having qniet,
good-humored sidewalk promenades.
Occasionally the band Of the Fifth Reg
ular Infantry-which is composed Of
twenty-four instruments, and is the best
band the reporter has heard IN the West
-enlivened the scene with patriotic airs
Flags hung from ditierentwindows on
Kansas avenue and from the Capitol
building. From the First National Bank
and the Commercial College buildings,
on the corners of Kansas avenue and
Sixth street, swung q large flag, upon
which were the words, "Topeka Wei
comes Our Country's Defenders"
At half-past one o'clock the process
sion formed, or, at least, tried to form,
but upon the appearance of Col. II. d.
McCarty, about two thousand responded
to the command, Fall In" He was
assisted by Assistant Marshals of the
Day Gen. John Richie, Adjutant Gen.
eral David Whitaker and Captain B. J.
Kicker. The procession moved south
ward on Kansas avenue, headed by the
Fifth Regular band. Dense throngs
of footmcn followed the procession. The
route was Tenth avenue, Harrison street,
Fifth street, Monroe street, Sixth ave-
nue., back on Kansas avenue and then
to Costa's Opera House. The Opera
House was soon filled to overaOwing,
and the owner Of the building was COM
PEELED TO instruct the police to allow no
more to ascend the stairs, but the JOUR-
NAL reporter, being one OF the Cover
flowing" ones, secured seat on the in
side of the house, by hanging on to an
iron standard supporting the gallery.
Upon entering the room the first thing
presented TO ones view was the old tat
tered and torn battlc-fags Of our sol
dicrs, upon each was printed such words
as, Chickamaug,," "Corinth," Will
son Creek" "rrairic Grove" "Pea
RIDGE" etc, etc.
The mectin. was called to order by
the Chief Marshal, Col. II. d. McCarty.
After prayer by Rev. ca. Lovejoy, Col.
w. S. Jenkins was elected TO the chair,
who presided with dignity and credit to
himself throughout the afternoon and
evening. Col. Jenkins delivered quite
an able and lengthy address of welcome,
which received the cheers Of all present.
From the balcony Of the Opera House
several speeches were made to the crowd
in the street, by Chaplain II. ID. Fisher
Of the Fifth Kansas, Col. Hayes of the
Tenth, Captain Hanback,, Captain Geo.
T. Anthony and many others.
In the hall, Maj. W. c. Ransom fol-
lowed the chairman with an address. Sam
Wood was then called upon, and event
through" with his part ofthe programme.
He said that he was not soldier, nor
was he a politician. Col. S. A. Cobb,
Speaker OF the House, next followed,
Captain J. G. Waters read poem. Maj:
Geo. W. Smith appeared and in a speech
invited the soldiers and sailors present
to again meet at Lawrence on the fourth
of next July. Col. Richie delivered a
fine address, and upon Hon. Sidney
Clarke being called for, he came forward
to the platform and related some of his
"war record" how no was in Washing
ton when Sumpter was fired upon how
while the soldier was in battle, he was
"devising ways and means" for a sue
cessful civil war; how he was one Of q
railroad meeting; and how he got out
Lawrence the morning Quantrel made
his raid on that city in the fall Of 1868.
Dinner was then announced. Just i'm
agine three thousand soldiers moving
towards building with asingle entrance
but three feet wide, and each man trying
to be the first one through that entrance,
with eight or ten policemen and an equal
number of CIRCULARS" trying to hold
the crowd hack, then you have the
"scenc." But after quiet had been re.
stored, the writer found his way into the
room, in which the tables fairly groan
cd with tempting edibIes Gables gencr
ally groan "a: such places, though they
seldom do at home).
Dinner over, the crowd repaired to
the Opera House, where, during the
evening, speeches, "reminiscences Of the