Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-09-05
The Hall Was Packed.
The Central Camp Fire was Largely
Attended.
Many Veterans Unable to get Inside
The Doors.
Corporal Tanner and Maj. Warner
Make Stirring Speeches in the
Absence Of Gen. sherman
and 6OY. Hoard

Gen. Sherman did not speak at the
West Side Turner ball Wednesday night,
nor did Gov. Hoard. The camp fire.
however, proved TO be a sing affair.
The crowd could not get into the building,
Men and SomeI olambered up to the edge
of the stage and warmed their backs a.
the foOtlig hts, while the air in the room
was simply sitting. The galleries we're
packed with perspiriug humanity, aud
the veterans dispensed ccnventionalties
by pulling off their coats There was a
wearisome wait, bat after half an hour a
pretty little girl came from the side of
the stage toward the center. She wore a
sash Of national colors and her golden
hair fell carelessly about her face. She
was not introduced, but her name was
ascertained TO he Miss Florence Eppene-
ter, and her age 10 years. She sang The
Star Spangled Banner" 80 we'll thss the
applause almost frightened her from the
stage.
When the song was finished, Mayor
Brown came upon the stage followed by
Col. A. G. Weissert, Maj. Warner, Cor
poral Tanner, Gen. q. B. Abbott, Col.
ldChluitgs VI tllluOlr, anu 1bls biLlhiNS
Of Colorado. col. James A. 5 xton, the
postmaster of Chicago, came in later.
Col, Weisssrt, as chairman, introduced
Major Blown, who read an address OF
Welcome. Corporal Tanner, always eio-
quent and always ready 10 speak, re-
sponded. The pension commissioners paid
golden compliments 10 Milwaukee for It's
hos pitality, and his earnestuess was not
assumed. He also touched ginRerly upon
defense of his action since holding the
pension commissionership. Corporal
Tanner said:
You may be surprised TO find so many
of Us here who for long years have been
attending these conventions of the Grand
Army of the r public, but tell you II is
knit into their bone and flesh and heart,
and we can excuse any citz7h II he fails
TO appreciate to any considerable extent
what the reunions of the Grand Army of
the Republic means TO us. Did you ever
stop and think for one moment what the
designation means: Grand Army of the
RepubhcY" Form not your judgment OF
the old comrades from much you read to-
day from men who would have You under
stand that these men in themselves aud
ia that which they represent are mer-
censry horde. tell you that when the
son can pay his mother for the agony of
his birth, then you can talk about pay
ing the men who saved this nation. APP
planse.
Milwaukee is full of men tonight who
left homes rs splendid, wives "a loving,
children as sweet as God ever blessed
man with for love OF country. They
donned the uniform of that country and
went ont and faced death on a thousand
bloody fields. Was il for payY They
would not 90 into one OF those old fields
for all the surplus IN the treasury to
night. Great applause and cries Of "Hit
them again"
said il was q Grand Army of the
Republic. Oh, on how many lines it is
grend! It was grand in the spirit that
gave it birth. In the history of the world
men have rushed to arms time and again,
for whatf For power, for greed and
perpetujty of dynssties; but in our time,
in our day and generation, the drums
have beaten and we have called over two
millions OF men TO arms simply 20 save
republic for their descendants and in or
der that liberty might not fade away
from the face of the earth. II was greud
in that spirit and it was mighty in the
lesson it taught the world. Il taught this
world the greatest lesson o. self-abnega-
ton and sacrifice since Christ went up
the Mount OF Cavalry. Applause
There was nothing personal IN what
we fought for. We fought for liberty, tor
man; not for gain, not for me, not for
our children or the children III any one
section of the country, but best and
= L III Fgy4 h. For
erty for all mankind. Applause. ItI
was grand army OF the Republic IN the
olden days when Grant stood in the chief
place, when Sherman and Logan and
Meade and the whole category Of them
were there.
Applause marked Corporal Tanners
speech at it's conclusion, and 1t seemed to
suit his audience exactly.
When it came Mai. Warmers turn TO
speakes the communicative chief of the
Grand Army did not have bis ammunition
belt with him he was supposed to reply
to a speech by Gov. Hoard, and as Wis
consin's governor did not turn up with an
Grafton Maj. Warner found himself with
ont resource. He substituted few stories
that entertained the audience for half an
hour, when Mrs Severance sang March
ing Through Georgia" and the veterans
Joined in the chorus.
Col. Mckinney, OF Illinois, was greeted
nth applause, because ne came from the
state over which Commander Martin il
said 20 preside. After Col. Mokinnie had
concluded, Col. viii d. Sapher, a German
oomedia from Philadelphia, entertained
the audience with arecifation in German
dialect untitled, "What Did the Privates
Dor" Being recalled Col. Sapher recited
a pew version of Barbara Fritcllie."
Col Simms, OF Colorado, delivered the
closing address and Col. ReddiDRfon, the
Singing Phgri M finished the evening
entertainment with D sorg.
n you wish TO do the easiest and
quickest weeks washing you eUer did,
try Dobbins Electric Soap next wash
day. Follow the directions. Ask your
grocer for it. Been on the market u
years. Take no other
Some people compute their friend
ships as they do the interests on their
dollars.
DE-. FRANK POWELL, sails from Europe