The Butler weekly times., 1883-08-22
GREAT GATHERINGS.
Grand Assemblage of Ex-Confeder-
ates at Xearney, Clay County
aAn Unusual Attendance.
The Preliminary Steps Toward Pur.
chasing Cemetery for the Con-
federate Dead.

largest number of people that ever
assembled IN Clay county congregat-
ed at Kearney to-day, the occasion
beng meeting OF ex-confederate
and union soldiers to take the pre-
I,minary steps toward purchasing a
cemetery and erecting monuments to
the confederate dead.
At an early hour the people be-
gan to gather, Notwithstanding the
heavy rain of the night previous and
the threatening aspect of the early
morning hours. The tram from the
east was crowded, and brought with
it the Cameron cornet band, and the
one from Kansas City when it left
Liberty did not have an extra inch of
standing room within the cars, and
the platforms were equally as crowd
ed. Every road leading INTO the
city was lined with every description
of vehicle, and thousands of people,
old and young, in birthday attire,
were gathering to celebrate the day
and do honor to the peoples dead.
Among the number were many
union soldiers who met the foes of
twenty years ago and were side hv
side to the grounds north of the city,
where old stories were recounted
and battles, in words, fought over
again.
On arriving at the banks of Clear
creek the first team, one filled with
supplies belonging to Samuel Pence,
went up TO their neck's into the
stream, and the goods and wagon
bed went careening to the far, tar
east. Tlc horses were rescued, but
the wagon and stock was Il total
wreck. The procession was then
headed toward the railroad track, and
thousands of people walked over
mile to the grounds, crossing the
stream on the railroad bridge, the
result of the small streams getting up
was the immense number of people
were divided, some three or four
thousand remaining in and about
Kearney, and six to eight thousand
celebrating on the opposite grounds
on the porth size of Clear creek,
where stands and booths had been
erected and speeches were made.
CALLED TO ORDER.
The prsiedent of the Clay county
ASSOCIATION, DIR. J. M. Allen, about
II O'Clock called the meeting to or
der, and an organization was imme-
diately effected tor the purpose of
raising funds to improve and heauti-
fy the confederate burial grounds at
Springfield. and to gather together
IN thus one place the heroic dead now
lying where they fell throughout the
state and on southern battle fields.
Hon. 7. T. Chandler, after briefly
stating the object of the meeting, and
paving tribute to the heroes who
had been engaged in the conflict on
both sides, introduced Hon. T. F.
Campbell, who resided at the be-
ginning of the war at Liberty, and
who has since been until recently
president of the Christian college of
the state of Oregon. He was en-
thuslastic in his praise of Clay coun-
y, and the gallan.rv OF Missourians
who fought on both sides in the late
war, and especially OF the sons of
Clay county.
DIR. NJ. Allen of liberty follow
ed and reviewed with much feel
ing the services, battles. victories
and defeats of Missouri soldiery on
the many fields OF battle, and especi-
ally those fought on Missouri soil.
lie spoke OF the duty each eN-con
federate owed to his dead compan
ions now strewn all over Missour;
and the southern states to keep fra
grant their memories by coming tor
ward and protecting their graves.
hon. John I. Chandler then urg-
Gu all to give what they felt it to be
'neir duty IN forwarding the useful
oolect, and a large number, inclu-