Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-06-14
WISCONSIN WARRIORS
OF A QUARTER OF A CENTURY AGO
Meet in Mineral Point and Have Big
Blowout.

NJ
Very early last Wednes day morning
train of FIVE or six COACHES pulled out
from the Lancarter depot bound for
the reunion ut Mineral Point. On
board were the Lancaster CCrnet Band
and the following veterans: James
Woodhouse, A. G.. Morse, John Lane.
p. j. Schloesser, Miner Hickok, Pitt
Cox, Thos lockwood, Daniel Decker,
Reuben Ward, Burt Sumner, Richard
Huftill, Z. Whitmore. VIM. Dyer, 9.
n. Holford, and mayhap another or two
we did not recognize. Capt. {. IL.
Baxter failed to catch the train, but
drove down to Platteville and joined
the boys there. At Fennimore a delega-
ton of veterans, too many to mention,
from Fennimore, Nit. Hope, Woodman
and Millville, got aboard. At Montfort
few more were picked up; among
them were John A. Thomas and John
Kendrick; but most of the Montfort
people went across by team. At Living
ston that well known Mt. Hope veteran,
Lou Better, was found. What he had
been doing there was mystery.
At Platteville very large number OF
persons were waiting and more coach
es were added. Again the train sped
away over high prairie. and down to the
Pecatonica at Calamine, up the lovely
valley of that stream, reaching Mineral
Point about II O. clock.
The decorations in the city were q
surprise to all the eXcursionists. Half
q dozen lofty arches spanned the street,
bright with bunting, fluttering with flags
aud covered with decorations of every
style. Every business house and most
of the dwellings were deliberately dec
GRATED, and the stars and stripes were
everywhere The band stand on the
main street was a grand one. 1t con-
sisted of two arches, springing from the
four corners formed by two cross streets
and meeting at the top in stand nearly
thirty feet above the street. 1t was
plofusely decorated with flags, bunting,
notices, portraits, etc.
Some $4,000 was spent in public dec
orations, fireworks, etc.
The veterans registered, and at noon
such of them as wished to marched to
4bo ,,,o., boll ond bod n d;puor Of broad
and butter, sandwiches, baked beans
and coffee These meals were furnished
free by the citizens all through the re-
union.
The display of fireworks at night was
highly creditable. A procession of
about 500 men marched up and down
the length of the principal street, each
man in it carrying Roman candles.
The grand band stand, mentioned be-
fore, girted with row upon row of Chi
nese lanterns, sometimes with a lurid
crown of red fire and at other times
swathed in a swirling cloud of brilliant
corruscations from scores of Roman
candles and rockets, made spectacle
probably never before equaled in this
part of the state. All the business
houses and many private dwellings
were brilliantly illuminated with can
dies and Chinese lanterns.
After the fireworks campfire" was
held. A speakers stand and seats for
the audience had been erected on the
east side of the court house. Capt.
Baxter, President of the Association,
called to order, aud made few intro
ductory remarks bat said he was not
prepared to make a speech, but would
call on others. The Monroe band was
on the stand and gave some fine music.
Marching through Georgia was sung.
Hon. Geo. and Richard Carter sang the
praises of the. Estate of lllinoy,' at the
end of which DIR. Byers, of Monroe,
made diversion by singing verse or
two in praise of the state "just north
of Illinois"
In the early part of the exercises q
part of the stand, which was crowded,
broke down with great crash. From
the cries and groans which arose from
under the fallen planks. it seemed that