Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-07-30
THE GRAND ARMY.
The Monster and Successful Meet
ing at Minneapolis.
The Largest Meeting of the Noble Or
ganizatiOn Ever Held.
Extracts from Commander Beath's Ad-
dress-The New Officers.

Au0 Iu1 reports or the minneapolis ana
St Paul papers tell not the half. A thou
sand shorthand reporters could not give
complete report of such a gathering. 1t
Is a low estimate to say that there were
100000 visitors to the beautiful and more
than hospitable city on Wednesday. In
the following we quote from st. Paul and
Minneapolis papers:
Measured by comparison with the peo-
pie who were in the city at the time of
the Willard Northern Pacific demonstra-
ton, the crowd was considerably larger.
Then the full display made in parade was
observable only on two or three streets,
and on these the people were packed in
solid mass. The opportunities for wit
Messing yesterdays demonstration were
equally good for the entire three miles of
the line of march, and for that distance
there was mass of humanity and a sea
of faces. A modest estimate fixes the
number of people, therefore, from out of
town, at,100.000. The outgoing trains last
evening bore many of them to their
homes, and although there is to be no
end of the reunion before Friday night,
the crowd has begun to diminish. Very
many of the visitors propose to extend
their visit into next week, but the crush
that has been gathering reached its eli
max yesterday It exceeded, as was
predicted, everything that has been
known during the history of the Grand
Army; and it is very much questioned
whether the like will again be witnessed.
The crowd now includes a great many
weary people, but they are none the less
an exceptionally good-natured crowd,
who lind something to serve up in the
prevailing excitement.
ALONG THE LINE OF MARCH
On the line of march as advertised, the
crowds began to gather as early as s
o'clock, long before even the advance
guard of the procession had begun to
form. Many a house top was crowded
with people anxious to witness the grand
spectacle, and the brilliancy of the deco
rations of the buildings was enhanced by
their windows which were crowded with
visions of beautiful faces, in settings of
nebulous lace and creamy muslin. The
crowd on the streets can't be described.
1t is to be remembered that not only was
there the ten thousand which are to be
seen on Minneapolis streets every day but
it was augmented by the outpouring of
all the employees of the stores, most of
which suspended business during the
possession. Not only these but also the
thousands of women and children who
had come with their fathers, husbands
and brothers, who came to attend the re-
union from posts in all parts of the coun-
try. Not only these-all the morning
trains from st. Paul, Saltwater, Anoka and
every point within fifty miles-all had ex-
ira cars, and all were loaded to overflow
ing with more people than ever came be-
fore to Minneapolis in one day.
GETTING TO THE CITY.
The regular morning trains from st.
Paul were heightened from three to fif-
teen cars each, and even then extra trains
were run TO accommodate the people
who wanted to see the veterans march
The number of the crowd that resulted
from this vast increasement to the popula-
ton of Minneapolis cannot be computed,
and is best expressed in the comprehen-
sive phase of scriptural statistician,
Ten thousand times ten thousand and
thousands of thousands" Many of those
that walked have wooden legs, many or
them are walking lead mines, and not
few Of them were shot literally full of
holes. Such conditions are not salubri-
Gus. and, in Difference to the decrepitude
of large number of the veterans, the
line of march was confined to three miles,
this even being too long forsome of them.
On the sidewalks, then, of this contracted
line were compressed the hordes already
spoken of, the result being a squeeze,
jam, and pressure, which only steam
guage of the highest test could measure
The human river could not be confined
to the sidewalks. but surged over into the
roadways, while it's waves dashed against
all projecting obstacles, and receding left
drops of humanity clinging to ratings,
widow sills and on the arms of telegraph
poles
THE ENTHUSIASM.
The size of the crowd was only equal
led by its enthusiasm The atmosphere
was charged with it as with electricity.
and citizens and comrades were alike af-
fected by it. 1t is not so with the cam
araderie that exists in most orders. When
the Knights Templar or the Odd Fellows
or the Knights of Pythias have demon
stration the crowd on the street. most of
whom have no conception of jubilio, ju-
bilia, jubilum, look on and admire the
uniforms, the music and the regular or
der, but feel no other sentiment than
that of admiration. But with the Grand
Army, while it may be called secret or
der, its methods are perfectly open to the
world, and the tie that binds it together
also surrounds the heart of every citizen,
male and female, who lives in the coun-
try preserved by their blood and sweat.
1t is no wonder, then, that the citizens all
combined to do honor to these heroes
and We'd with each other to see who
should do the most shouting as they pass
ed along. The enthusiasm rose and fell
as the waters of the sea. The section
that Logan was in could be followed about
the city by the thunders and shouting
that followed it everywhere. The old
Minnesota battle flags were another fea-
ture that set the crowd roaring, likewise
the remnant of the First Minnesota vol |
unteers.
SONGS AND SHOUTS.
The singing of some of the clubs and |
the shouts of the people along the line of
march, added zest and enthusiasm to the |
occasion. At the base of the electric mast |
on Bridge square, where the parade |
countermarched, there had been arranged |
pyramid of seats on which Prof. Bird |
sells chorus of children had a place and |
added their songs to the volume Of mer-
riment The procession had not finished |
crossing Washington avenue or Hennepin,
when the front reached Washington and
First avenue south, where the depart
ment commanders, Gen. Logan, Gen.