Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-02-07
GRAND ARMY ENCAMPMENT.

GRAND ARMY ENCArIPMENT. The First Days Session-Reports of the
 Affairs Read.
 About 400 Grand Army men, delegates to the twenty-frst annual Encampment of the Department of Connecticut assembled at Odd Fellows Hall at 7 P. m. to-day. Department Commander Taintor of Hart ford presided The only business this af- noon was the hearing of reports. Depart ment Commander Taintor in his report | says: a highly satisfactory condition. One year ago we had on hand $7S1. .68 in cash and sire. .O3 in supplies: there is now in the treasury S1, ,349 52, and the supplies on hand amount to s186.O4; gain of s577,- 85. While the aim has been to keep the expenses as low as possible, it is believed that the interests of the department have not suffered by any false economy There has been no material change in the amount of post funds; but the relief funds show a net gain of S14, ,199. .S5, there being on hand S52, 722, ,99 as against $39, ,52304 year ago." A noticeable improvement in Pitches Soldiers Home at Noroton and a. fattering condition of the affairs of the Woman's Relief Corps and l Sons of Veterans are noted. Answers have l been received from most of the posts in the | State favoring the passage of a law similar to that i'll Ohio under which fund for the relief of indigent soldiers, sailors, and marines, and the indigent widows, wives, and minor children of such soldiers, sailors, and marines, is raised by taxation not to exceed certain per cent The law also 1 provides for the disbursement of the fund | through proper officials"
 Concerning the exemption law the report says: "The protest of the encampment against the repeal of the law of 1886, ex- empting the proprty of soldiers from taxation to the amount of S1 ,OOO, was pre- sented to the general assembly. The law was not repealed but was somewhat modi- fled; it now provides that to secure the ex- emption application must be made to the Board of Relief ,and also that no exemption shall be allowed, except in that town where | the person entitled to such exemption re- sides. This last provision works a hard l ship in those cases where soldiers pro- perty is not situated in the town where he resides, and would recommend that the incoming Department Commander be re- quested to secure, if possible, such change as shall remedy this particurar defect"
 Assistant Adjutant General John H. Thacher, in his annual report, says that during the year there was gain in mem- bership of 1 ,020 and loss of 442, making net gain of 57S. There was loss of membership by death of 76,
 According to the assistant quarter mas ter generals report the expenditures were S2,969.19, and the receipts $3, 537. CA. The assets amount to S1 ,550.57.
 Department Inspector Keller says in his annual report "There has nothing further come to my special notice in the condition l lof% %1o fc cir %In i,, spring, and I think that can say, :All's well along the line and the pickets are on guard think it is proper to mention the Womans Relief Corps, auxiliary to the G. A. R., who are a jealous set of ladies, ever ready to do good. There were 21 corps and an aggregate membership of 1,080 reported to me last spring, and an expenditure of $1, ,202. .45 for charitable purposes. The department will be p,oud of the ladies who are ever ready to teach and exercise the three great principles of our Order, F., o., and L. A great deal of interest also seems to be manifested by the comrades of the department in the organi- zation of the Sons of Veterans. Although not officially recognized by the G. A. R., they are doing grand work, and the inter est taken by them in the exercises of Memorial Day and adherence to our prin- ciples is highly to be commended"
 The banquet to be given at the Armory tonight will take place at 8 o'clock and will be confined to the Grand Army. The coupons issued with the military ball tick cts only entitle the holder to an admission. Dept Com Taintor will preside and Maj F. A. Spencer will act as toast master. The following toasts will be drunk: ''The Grand Army of the Republic" Command CT Chief John P. Req; "The president of the United States" Col A. H. Fenn; Department of Connecticut" Dept Com H. D. Taintor: ''The Volunteer Soldier , Chaplain-in-Chie Anderson; "The Citizens During the War;" Gen s. w. Kellogg; ''The State of Connecticut" His Excellency, Gov P. c. Lounsbury; 'fThe Women of the War;" Rev L. w. Bacon; HSons of Veter- ans," Lucien F. Burpee, Past Colonel Conn Dep; ''The Women's Relief Corps," J. Vice y Com w. H. Pierpont. The American band will be present and discourse music.
 The session will be resumed tomorrow morning when the committee reports will be heard and officers elected for the ensu- ' ing year.