, 1884-05-20
MAKINc PREPARATIONS.
Meeting Last Evening Of the Various
Memorial Day Committees

a meeting of the G.. \. II. c~oTreJ1ee,
together with committees from some Of
the fire companies and other organlZa-
tons that propose to participate in the
grand exercises to be held on Memorial
day, was held last evening at the City
hall for the purpose of taking into CON
sideration some of the matters pertaining
to a proper observance of the occasion.
j. X. Jeffrey was called to the chair, but
as the meeting was somewhat of an
informal character there appeared to be
no especial necessity for a secretary. Mr..
Jeffrey explained that a majority of the
Grand Army were present and that the
committees from the various other organi-
cations had been invited to be in attend
ance in order to obtain their views and
suggestions as to what ought to be done.
Mr.. Oakley said he would like to hear
from some of the Grand Army men us to
what it was proposed to do on that day,
and wanted to learn something as to the
programme. Mr.. Jeffrey suggested that
as one of the fire companies had not as
yet appointed its committee it might be
well to wait until after the meeting of
the whole Fire Department which
is to be held tomorrow night.
Some discussion here took place in refer
ence to the matter in hand in which
Messrs. Jeffrey, Oakley, O'Brien, Golf
man and others participated. Mr.. JEFF
rey stated that arrangements had already
been made by one of the Grand Army
subcommittee in reference To the mill
ltary band and that it would be procured
for the occasion by the John +. Reynolds
post. 1t was thought, however, that the
City band also ought to be secured. Nh.
Jeffrey thought so too and so did Mr..
O'Brien, but they both had understood
that the Fire Department proposed to Sc
cure their services. Messrs. Oakley,
Coffman and Rogers were of the same
opinion in regard to that matter and fin
ally Mr.. Oakley moved that a committee
of three be appointed to interview the
City Council and ascertain whether the
city would not be willing to pay for the
City band for the occasion. Mr.. Jeffrey
thought it more properly belonged
to the Fire Department to attend
to. Mr.. Oakley withdrew his mo
ton. Considerable discussion ensued as
to the necessity of urging upon the bus
mess men the propriety of closing up
their places of business during a part of
the day at least, and N. j. O'Brien was
emphatically of the opinion that
they ought to do this. The
soldiers who had fought through
the rebellion did not hesitate 10
close up their business, shoulder arms and
march when the wal broke out, and he
thought that now, when the survivors
gathered together to decorate the graves
of their dead comrades, the business men,
who had, to some extent at least, reaped
the benefit of the sacrifice that had been
made, would not hesitate to pay this slight
mark Of respect to the day and occasion.
Others were substantially of the sane
opinion, and all of those present were add
monished to urge upon the business men
the propriety of doing this. Some dis
cussion of a general nature ensued, in
which Messrs. Coffman, Rogers, O'Brien,
Oakley, Jeffrey, Julian and others partici-
pated, after which the composite commit
tee adjourned subject to the call of the
chairman.