Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-03-06
THE ALASKA SOCIAL CLUB.
WRITTEN FcR TIE TRIBUNE.

WRITTEN EGA TaE TRIBUNE
This club was organized by Prof
/ Dawson Of Col Brady's command
! the writer and a few others in ST. Il
a short time we: counted fifty mem
bers. It would be difficult to find il
any city OF the Union, an equal mum
| her of young men raised from the va
ried ranks Of life, possessing SO mucl
intelligence. In every sense the clul
was cosmopolitan, composed o
Americans, Germans, Irish, Russians
Finlanders and Swedes. In large
measure it became an educational in
stitution. Prof. Dawson, the presi
dent, was young man of fine abili
ties and high moral training. Ton
Conually, the vice-president, was 6
son of the postmaster of Rondont
New York, and John Philpot Cunan
the brother o. an esteemed clergyman
Of California, secretary. z4s
The German element was strong in
numbers and equally SO in force OF
character, all of them were fine music
ians, excellent singers, well educated
cordial and social, consequently very
popular In the formation Of ia con
stitution and bylaws, there appeared
to be as much serious and impressive
responsibility resting on the commit
tee of four as on the Commanding
General
The rules were stringent, profane
or unbecoming language was punish
able by fine the first offense; a much
heavier fine the second, and expulsion
from the club the third, and not to be
re-admitted. A Acommodious building
was given for the use Of the club by
the able and efficient commanding Of
ficer Col. George K. Brady, of the
23rd infantry. Among the members
were to be found carpenters, painters,
and jacks of all trades who at once
set to work and in short time had
the rooms furnished and decorated in
manner not inferior to the Golden
club of1'New York. Tables, chairs,
chandeliers, refectors, a good stove
and abundance of wood were of the
initial proceedings.
At the first meeting motion was
made. to form a library, and vote
taken on the magazines and newspa-
pers throughout the country, each
member having the privalege Of Sc
lecting from his own native locality
or the entire. nation. In this way
every satisfaction was offered. The
books and papers were in charge of
Of the librarian, and under no clrcum-
stances to be taken from the club
room. A marshal was appointed to
exclude all persons except members
Of the club. but any member was priv
legged to admit personal friends in
limited numbers --4-
An initiation fec paid All Incidental
expenses, Each member paid into
the treasury - per month, and the
fines for Infringement Of the rules
amounted to considerable. adding
largely tosthe funds of the treasury.
Maps, globes, charts, science, histo-
ry and political economy became the
chief study, two nights in each week
were set apart for the debates. such
subjects as who was our greatest gen
eral, Mcclellan, Grant, Sherman.
Thomas, Mcpherson, Hancock, Meade,
Hooker, Burnside, Butler, Logan and
others were discussed according to
the partiality of the contestants. On
such occasions a great many of the
military authorities became attentive
listeners. Tom Connal1y was the
Henry Clay Of the club He had serv-
ed with distinction in the army Of the
Patomac. and possessed a mass of in
formation derived from staff ap-
pointment. It is needless to say
like every soldier of the grand army,
he was an out and out Mcclellan
man.
Prof. Davidson was dubbed the
Daniel Webster of debates. He was
q fine scholar, we'll up in facts and
figures, but slow, heavy and ponder
ous, yet very impressive. At a dis
tance OF Is years it creates pleasur-
able feeling to recall those two gladi-
ators intellectual combat. I can well
remember the grave and solemn dig
nifty of the Professor in bringing
down he'gravel, the infringement Of
the rules and pronouncement of the
fnes-"Mr Secretary record it,
Gen. Jefferson G. Davis, Gen. G.
Tompkins, Col. Brady, Judge Store,
William Sumner Dodge, Thomas
and Lawyer Wood contribu-
ted freelyIto maintain the college
such it eyently become. Young men
grown up to be 81 to 25 years of age
who could not write their own names
sought admission and at the end OF a