Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-02-19
THE ENCAMpMENT.
IMMENSE GATHERING OF GRAND
ARMY VETERANS.
Synopsis Of the First Days Proceed.
ings-EIection of Commander
Woman's Relief Corps.

Nineteenth Annual Encampment Of the
Grand Army of the Republic, Department
OF California. The sessions are being held
at Odd Fellows Temple, and a very large
number of delegates from all parts of the
State and the portion of the coast included
in this Department are present. The halls
are full of the honored veterans, and finer
looking body of men never graced the cap
ital city. This is a noticeable feature of the
gathering, and one which is generally re-
marked. Every train arriving here yester-
day brought additional delegations, and
still more will arrive during to-day
The first regular session of the Encamp-
ment was held in the afternoon, commenc-
ing at ? o'clock. Department Commander
R. H. Warfield delivered an address OF
welcome. and made brief statement OF
the years work. He said the Department
had prospered, and now numbers fifty-two
| Posts and $500 comrades. No Post had
surrendered its charter and none had been
dropped nor suspended. He spoke of the
coming event of the National En-
campment, at San Francisco, and said il
would be the grandest gathering OF
Union soldiers since the review near
! Washington at the close of the war
The last Encampment reduced the per
capita tax 20 per cent, and the department
has been able to run on the income realized
the more easily this year on account of the
increase in profit from the sale of supplies
For the coming administration, and in
view of the Encampment, it is suggested as
wise to increase the per capita to the old
rate, viz: so cents instead OF 40 cents, pay-
able 10 cents per capita the first and second
quarters, and 10 cents per capita the third
and fourth quarters. The Woman's Relief
Corps has been fraternally encouraged
upon every appropriate occasion by the
J Department Commander and staff, and
comrades throughout the department are
beginning to acknowledge their valuable
services, and to desire their womanlv and
! sisterly cooperation. The Veterans Home
has 100 inmates. More are seeking admis-
sion, but the funds of the Association are
insufficient to provide for them, and there
is no hope of permanent and adequate sup
! port for the many worthy veterans on this
coast who need help of this kind, save in
the bountiful care of the Federal Govern
ment. There are fully 10000 ex-soldiers
west of the Rocky mountains, of whom
about 500 are in need of this aid As age
comes on and immigrants arrive, the num-
Der will increase. They are not natives OF
the Pacific States. They come from all the
older States, and as they were soldiers and
sailors of the Union army and navy. it is
eminently proper that the treasury OF
| the Union should provide for them. The
Homes receipts for the year were S12.-
500 II, and the disbursements S13, ass 50.
showing an apparent deficit of $55S GA. To
offset this overdraft there is due from the
State for the months of October, November
and December, 1885, the sum of 50, $50 06.
There are bills unpaid amounting TO
S1,364 90, which added TO the $55S Ga makes
81, 923 62. This deducted from the s., 75O
leaves 81 ,S26 So to the credit of the Home.
There are no other debts, except tax bill
of S424, which it is understood that the
county of Napa will see is paid
The report of the Assistant Adjutant-
General. w. II. Smedberg, was submitted.
which shows gain of 1872 in member
ship during the past year. The losses by
death, discharge etc, 995-net gain, S47.
Assistant Quartermaster-G General r. II.
Or;on's report shows total receipts for the
year from all sources, SAIL Ii; total dis
bursements, S3,72 50; balance on hand,
S6l4 as. The amount contributed from
the various Posts for the Grant Monument
fund is to date S341. The amount set apart
by the Encampment for the relief fund was
Sl35 02; expended, $50; balance on hand.
$50 OF.
The report of the Mastering Officer. l..
f. Finigan, shows the work of the past
year 10 have been Whole number of
Posts mustered, q, located as follows: In
California, %; Nevada, .; Arizona Terri
tory, }. Total charter membership, 4l3
highest number mustered in one Post. 81 /;
lowest rod in. D. a .
average number charter members 10 Posts,
100. 1t will be seen from the above report
that there have been more Posts mustered
during the past year than during any
previous year since the organization of
this Department.
The report of the Committee on Man
agement recites the full history by which
an appropriation of $3.50 was secured
from the last Legislature to induce the
National Convention to meet in California
IN 1856. 1t recites the organization OF the
Committee of Management to prepare for
the assembling of the National Eneamp-
ment. 1t consists of Chairman Samuel w.
Backus, J. w. Staples, Stuart Taylor, C.
Solomon, ID. NJ. Cashin, w. O. Gould. John
Lynch, I. X. Noble, J. NJ. Davis, II. T.
Hobbert, Jerome Deasy, W. II. Holmes,
r. L. Houghton, s. J. Corbett, r. II. Orion,
Horace Wilson, c. w. Beach, c. II. Stevens,
W. Il. Hooper, J. I. Cutting, L. L. Dorr,
Charles L. Wilson and w. H. Wharf,
The report gives a long list of sub COM
mIttees appointed to aid in the work, "a in
all, with a membership of about 200. II
recites also the steps taken to secure low
transportation rates. 1t asks that $4,000
be raised to supplement the legislative fund.
1t concludes with a few details as to the
place of meeting in San Francisco and the
work before the committee
The Inspectors report shows 67 Posts.
with 1916 members, in the Department of
gain of 1,007 members in
year. There are 8 Posts uniformed and
equipped; 26 Posts own their muskets;
nearly all Posts pay sick benefits for char
liable purposes in the past nine months
there was disbursed S2,373 go, and there
was in the relief fund of SO Posts 81, 81
September BOTH
The Judge Advocates report is brief, and
not of public importance. Only one appeal
was referred to him. The records of three
Courts-martial were referred to him in the
year, tor examination as to regularity.
The Chaplain's report relates wholly to
matters regarding records of deaths, Mem
oral Day observances, and social visit to
the Veterans Home.
ton with the Encampment, and upon which
all interest centers, is the election of Com
mander. According to the rules, the cleo
ton of officers should take place on the last
day of the Encampment, but this is not al
ways done. 1t is quite probable that the
election of Commander will be reached to-
day. The candidates are Stuart NJ. TAYLOR
w. K. Smedberg, w. H. L. Barnes and ].
ID. Barbour, OF San Jose. Governor Stone
man is also very strongly talked of by
portion of the delegates. The center
of the contest last evening was between
Taylor and Smedberg. with so strong par
tisans and ranks for each that the prospect
may be said to be in favor of some other
candidate, or perhaps a dark horse. Gen.
barnes has some warm supporters, and his
friends claim he is surely the growing man.
The San Jose and Santa Cruz delegates are
a unity for Barbour, and when they find
he cannot get it, will sit BY and
watch to see who they prefer to have
the honors, for the balance of power
is conceded to rest with them. The Strong
probability is that they will, if Barbour
fails to come to the front, finally turn their
support to Governor Stoneman. The entire
contest is warm one, and is waged with
almost as much zeal and determination as
the veterans evinced in the field twenty odd
years ago.
There are nIlmerous candidates for tba