The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-05-31
Veterans Stand Beside the
Resting Places of
Their Comrades.
CEREMONIES AT. THE SCHOOLS
Young and Old Unite to Accom-
plish the Solemn Duties Of
Decoration Day.
1t was morning.

1t was morning
Jersey City's streets blossomed with
signs of holiday. Every dozen steps
you met group of old or young hurrying
to some rendezvous. Here was party OF
school children, resplendent with patri.
otic colors, bearing late contributions OF
potted plants destined to do honor to the
memory of the nations dead. There was
a party of boys bent on having whole
day of sport. But the feature of the
scene everywhere was the veterans.
Clad in the blue in which they
fought for their country a quarter Of a
century ago, they were assembling to
make their annual pilgrimage to the
graves of comrades who had fallen in the
field Their locks are turning gray, and
from gray to white; their eyes are not as
bright as they were in the dark days OF
the early sixties, and their step is not as
firm as when they first set out on their
march to the front, but yesterday OF all
days in the year, their hearts were as
patriotic as ever. A look at their counten-
ances, glimpse of their soldierlike bear
ing, proved this.
VETERANS AND SONS OF VETERANS.
They were happy, too, in knowing that
the example they set has not been thrown
away. They feel assured that when they
answer the last roll call there will be
those left who will do honor to them.
They have taught lesson to their sons,
who will remember it. The sharp note of
the fife, and the boom of the drum are
heard as band of Sons of Veterans sweeps
into view The veterans look with pride
on the youngsters.
Still the crowds gather. Still the horse
cars are jammed. From every fiagpole
and from every apology for fiagpole the
Stars and Stripes hutter in the strong
wind. The sun, too, futters in and out of
the clouds in way which makes those
little girls in white dresses feel very anx-
ious as they wonder whether or not it will
rain.
Noon has come.
The veterans have marched through the
streets, and many a memory of sacrifice
sand danger and sorrow and triumph has
been awakened by those tattered banners,
now more hardly used by time than by the
shot of the enemy At the cemeteries
they are reverently performing the solemn
duty Of the day.
THE PARADEs.
There was no general Decoration Day
parade in Jersey City. The posts of the
Grand Army of the Republic, single, or
in combination, assembled and marched
to the graves of their comrades. Down
town Henry Wilson and Van Houten
Posts united and went to New York Bay
Cemetery where. they listened to an ora
tion by ex-Assemblyman Frank Cole.
1t was on the Hill that the most striking
celebration was held George II. Thomas
Post turned out in full force, and it's
lax yopiOr unh fn a
flowers provided by the pupils was a ver-
liable march of triumph. Hundreds and
hundreds of children awaited them at
School No z, where the most elaborate
exercises took place, and a splendid lesson
of patriotism was taught.
Hoboken had good deal of parade.
Major Woener Post and Stevens Naval
Post, of the Grand Army, together with
the Sons of Veterans, We're escorted
through the city by the Second Regiment
of the National Guard and the police.
Afterwards they decorated graves in the
Van Buskirk Post paraded in Bayonne.
SPORTS OF THE DAY.
The duties of the day having been ac-
complished, everyone gave himself up to
enjoyment of the holiday. Wherever
there was vacant space in the city or the
suburbs ball game or athletic sports oc-
cured. The p HI. O'Neil Association
had games at Caledonian Park, at which
petitors and spectators. The Scottish
American Athletes tested their strength,
skill, and speed at Schuetzen Park
The Jersey City ball team raised the
hopes of its admirers by beating Newark
in this city in the morning and disap-
pointed them by getting whipped at New.
amateur teams played ball morning.
afternoon and evening, as long as they