Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-03-06

large enough IoT dn afnOry, that WI
be rented moderately, and certainl
there is no better parade ground il
/ the country, Or finer site for practic
: in the school of the soldier. = TIL
same company could perform the du
ties of a fire company Necessity ,tha
cannot be overlooked. The town i
growing rapidly, buildings going or
} chiefly of lumber. In casess2a fir
started in any Gone house and reache,
much headway it is doomed. Th
J fact that buildings are not connectet
and consequently no danger except t.
the building where syEae fire originated
is a poor apology.
| Pardon the depression aIr. Edito
and permit me to continue. the wheel
OF in other words, to inform YOU
readers OF some pleasureable incident
connected with the subject here mar
rated, the 18th March in Alaska
i It was evident to us all in 1870 tha
the military department in Alaska
would be reckoned among the thing.
that were IN very short time. The
period of enlistment of great many
of the soldiers had expired, and
among our members as befora~stated
were good many of the brave Ger
mans who fought NIT Sigel in The
war. Some of those young men had
graduated in the Universities in the
Faderland, and had considerable cor
responcence with the "old folks al
home" [ had many friends in their
number and one day one of the
students came up to say goodbye, at
the same time showing me a letter he
received from home ~ '1
| The Alaska Club Social and militia
ry met for the last time early in
| March. The funds in. the hands of
the secretary were considerable and
as the 18th Of ireland was at hand all
the members voted that we celebrate
the day, and devote all the funds and
SO much more as may be needed for
the occasion. .e
| The club room was decorated tri-
| umphal arches erected IN front. form
ed from everything grann in the for
est, Chinese lanterns lined the arch
way and everywhere the eye rested on
some emblem recalling the beauty of
''Erines green isle"
The Alaska Times got out a thous-
and cards Of invitation. The james
town and all United States vessels in
the port received a complimentary in
vitat1on. The officers of the United
States navy and the ''web-feet." as
President Lincoln loved to call the
sailors, attended. in great numbers.
The chairman on the occasion was
Gen. Jefferson G. Davis, vice chair
John IL. Kinkead, since governor Of
Nevada and Alaska, Capt Mitchell
an:} his ships came en-masse, and to
tga1d room large enough became per
picking, .- s' ~
The gallant soldier commanding the
the post, Col. George K. Brady, kind
ly placed at our disposal the dining
room and the quarters attached there
to Of his own company. All the Off
GERS and prominent citizens lent us
tableware, some, of the most valuable
kind. Sergeant John Ochse, the best
of cooks and caterers, superintended
the cuisne department. It was Job
to get dinner for about four hundred,
but everybody was willing to help.
and Delmonico could not have done
better than they did. Dinner was to
be at six o'clock, and surely it was. a
sight to enter that great hall and see
''big John,' as the boys called him,
sweeting and blowing Ikea s::porpus'
with some twenty-five or thirty young
men in white aprons attendance on
him. In the club room kegs of beer,
boxes of cigars, and some 'sold rye"
for the initiated, lined the shelving
and tables At six o'clock Gen. Davis
accompanied by his staff and the local
authorities, entered the club room.
A ringing cheer went up from soldiers,
sailors, and citizens that might have.
been heard in the British possessions,
and the band playing, The conquer
ing hero comes
After dinner speech making began
in due form. The President of the
United States was toasted, all standing.
the mayor Of the town responded.
the Army, Col. Brady, the Navy, Com
modore Mitchell, the day we celebrate.
and Kelly Of the Alaska Times. It
was expected and set down on the
programme that Connolly would re-
spond as there was no one SO we'll
qualified OF SO capable, but Gen. Dav-
is expressed a wish in favor of the for
mer who could not very we'll decline.
During his remarks the speaker elicit
edscheers and laughter When refer
sno Ia ina.danfr af tho uo. 4ba Tr;.I,