The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-29
A Memorial Denouncing the Legislature for
Its Interference with the Soldiers Or
phans' Home at Knightstown.
Complete List of officers Elected for
the Ensuing Year.
Gratifying Reports from the Officers "A
Pleasant Campfire Reunion-Ad-
dresses by Men of Prominence.
THE STATE ENCAMPMENT.
Reports of the Grand Oficers-A Most Graft
flying Showing for the Veterans.

Reports of the Grand OHcers-A Most Craft
flying Showing for the Veterans.
In the matter of attendance the annual en-
campment of the Grand Army of the Republic,
Department of Indiana, which began yesterday
morning at the Park Theater, surpassed all pre-
vious meetings Of the order in this State. During
the year over a hundred posts have been formed,
and the membership is now three times as large
as syear ago. The organization is being ex-
tended wherever sufficient number of ex-sol-
dlers can be gathered together to form post,
and as the object is chiefly social, these gather
fngs are made of extraordinary interest to the
public by the wealth of war "reminiscences
which are ELECTED in the camp-fires.
There were over $50 delegates from all parts
OF the State in attendance at the encampment
yesterday. The morning session was devoted to
hearing the reports of the department officers,
General Carnahan, the commander of the De-
partment of Indiana, submitted a very volumin-
GUS report, which spoke in a congratulatory
manner Of the work during the last year. The
organization had passed the experimental
period, he said, and it is now established as a
glorious success. Indiana now ranks with the
older departments, and another years system
attic work would give the department a
place in the national encampment next to
the oldest and best now represented"
There were only forty-six posts in the
State year ago. and now there are 155. He
urged in the strongest language the exclusion of
all questions and matters of political hue from
the post rooms. The finances having grown
during the year until the department Is no
longer in pecuniRry need, he recommended that
the per capita tax be reduced from ten cents to
eight cents per quarter, and that no per capita
assessment be made upon the posts at Aurora,
Rising Sun, Madison, Lawrenceburg. Jefferson
Vile and at other towns along the Ohio river
which were damaged by the flood. In addition,
he recommended contributions for the relief of
the comrades who suffered from the overflow of
the Ohio. In speaking of the proposed monu-
ment to the soldiers and sailors of the State, he
said that the sum necessarily would be
from s. 1000 to 800, 000 and he thought that
the work rested wholly with the survivors OF the
war He thought it u disgrace to Indiana that
no monument had been erected. In referring to
the past work, he said there was not enough
attention given to the unwritten work of the
order. He advised visiting between the posts,
and urged a large representation of the State at
the next National Encampment to be held in
Denver in August.
Ben ID. House, the adiutant-ge general, submitted
his report, showing that there had been sixty
two deaths during the year. The total receipts
were $660441. and the expenditures aggre-
gated 81 ,94l.29, leaving cash balance of
S1,663.12. The total assets amount to about
$500. During the year ITO posts had been
formed, aud there had been an increase of MEM
bership of about 4,000 making the total at the
present time, 6,038.