Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-02-05
THE CAMP FIRE.
A Grand Time at Granite Hall
Last Evening.

A Grand Time at Granite Hal
/ Last Evening.
1 Feast Of Wit and Wisdom From Elo
] Quent Speakers.
An Immense Audience Present at tn,
Closing Exercises OF tho Encamp
meut
At $50 p. NJ. the doors Of Granite Hal
we're swung open to give admittance to the
thronss Of people who had been wxitins
outside many minutes for opportunity Il
enter. No sooner had they dled in and
illed the galleries to their utmost. than the
doors next the stage were hung open, ad-
mittins the gentlemen for whom places had
been assigned at the table running the
entire width of the ball and in front Of the
stage. Mayor Lane Was in advance, then
GERS of Seth Williams Post: Gen Alger,
Governor Burleiah, Hon. Hannibal Hsmlin,
Gen. Stephenson, Department Commander
Anderson, Gen. Selden Connor and other
distinguished guests.
When the places at the head table had
| been allied, the gentlemen remained stan /
ing while the doors in the rear Of the hall
were thrown open and the veterans in a
body, who had formed by twos at Union
Hall at 80 p NJ and marched In line to
the hall entered and filed up the hall to
their seats by the long tables.
Blessing W" asked by the Rev. Mr.
Sou,hard, whom Commander McDavid of
Seth Williams Post, extended the hos pitsl-
tiles of the occasion in few well chosen
words.
The orchestra from the Soldiers Nation
al Home. which was seated on the stage,
struck up lively air and charge all along
the line WAS made on the appetzing burden
of the tables. Let us look down from the
galleries on the festive scene below. The
eye is first attracted to the head Of the hall
where sit
Tho Distinguished Quests
of the evening.
The post of honor is occupied by Gen
eral Alger, Comma nder in Chief of the
Grand Army of the Republic. To his
right are Mayor Lane, Governor Stephen.
son of the Soldiers Home, Col. Dyer of
Skowhegsn, Hon. 0. d. Baker, and Mai.
P. NJ Fogler.
To the left of Gen. Alger sat the toast
master, Major Michaelis, and Gov. Bur
leigh. Just to the left of the governor one
sees the ven nerable head of Hon. Hannibal
Hamlin, and by his side Ex-Governor Gen. |
Selden Connor, Department Commander
Anderson, Past Department Commander
Drew, Hon Herbert NJ. Heath, Assistant
Adjutant General Millken, Mai V. M.
Brown, Commissary A. l.. Smith of Togus. |
Among gentlemen who occupied seats on
the other side of the table were Gen. Cilley |
Gen. Murray. Past Commander Gaiely,
Gen. Mattocks, Chaplain Southard, Col
Howard, DR.. Hsmlin, and others.
Beseiging tho Tables.
No sooner had men taken their seats than
forty-two white capped, white-aproned
young ladies armed with trays came forth |
from behind the scenes, and a pretty |
feature they made, too, one to awaken
pride in the breasts of the Augusta citizens.
Rut a prettier sight they made when with |
those same trays heaped to overfowing with |
the good things they tripped down between
the long lines OF hungry men. And while |
they are eating and the music is playing
soft and sweet the gala ap pearance of the
the stage front large flags meet, draping off |
to the wings. while hanging from the apex |
is the Sixth Corps cross. red on a white |
nag, badge of that gallant corps with a
history Of loyal deeds. Above the flags in |
gilt letters on blue background was the |
word "Welc ome." On the stage sat quite
number of ladies' and gentlemen. Among
the ladies were Mrs. General Alger and |
Mrs. Governor Burleigh, Mrs Wiuen-
meyer, President of the Woman's Relief |
Corps, Mrs. Col. F. NJ. Drew and others
Over the rear gallery was placed an i'm
mense portrait of Gen. Logan with flags
about the foreground. a most significsn'
part of the decorations to the assembled |
veterans. From the central chandelier |
and running to the four corners of the hall |
were stresmers OF red white and blue
Along the entire front of the balconies
were the G A r. shields 90 winch wert
inscrib ID these names: Cbannlly, Grove
ton, Fair Oaks, Wilderness, CJld Hsroor
Appomsttox. Port HUDSON, Antetam, Glen
dale, Gettysburg. Malvern Hill, Chsucel
lorsville, Spotsylvania. Manassas. Fred
ericksburg and Petersburg.
But the principal decorations were those
which caterer Weaver and his skilled as
sistants had placed on nine long tables
running the entire length of the hall, and
one across the head Of it. There were
cold meats. turkey, chicken ham, tongues
salads, baked beans, fsnked with brown
bread, rolls, pilot bread, pickles, olives,
celery, apples, oranges, bananas, ices, cake
and coffee. About the tables and in little
inches all over the hall were tiny flags.
the whole presenting an appearance such as
never before was seen in the city. Well
Allied contentment was on every face by
the time speeches were in order.
THE SPEECHES.
Eloquent Words from Distinguished
Men,