The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-06-18
The 6. 4. R. REUNION.
The Union Veterans Have A
Great Day
In the Beautiful Village of Allentown
Interesting Program.

A better point for day of pleasure
and patriotic demonstration could not
have been chosen. The beauty of it's
surrounding mountains, the purity
and abundance of its waters, the re-
freshing quality of its breezes, all are
singular to the place and give to it SUI
perior advantages as a picnic ground.
1t has all the natural elements calcu-
lated to elevate patriotic sentiment.
There were about three thousand
people in attendance at the reunion.
They came from all parts of the coun-
try, but large majority of them per-
haps came in over the E. T. & w. N.
G. Railroad.
The two trains which left Johnson
City early tn the forenoon were crowd
ed to their utmost capacity ere they
reached Allentown. Both ladies and
gentleman were in profuse abundance.
The E. T. & w. N. c. Railroad Com
pany had made preparations to carry
large crowd, and it is well they did.
The cars were crowded so very much
that many of the ladies were uneasy,
and begun to question about where
they would go should the train crash
through tressel. But the bridges,
which are well constructed, proved to
be equal to the occasion, and the la
dies live to be agreeably disappointed
after all.
When the trains had arrived at Al
lentown and all were off, the different
Posts represented marched to the pic
mic grounds, one half mile distant, in
the following order: Johnson City,
Hampton, Elizabethton, Mountain
City and Butler
Owing to the delay of the excursion
train from Johnson City, it was about
noon when they reached the grounds.
The band discoursed stirring music as
the.people assembled. At the conclu-
sion of the music, Maj. Cantwell, who
presided at the exercises, called Rev. T.
B. Russell to the stand, who invoked
divine blessing.
Maj. Cantwell introduced Col. 7.
H. Reeves, of Jonesboro, who greeted
the audience with a hearty welcome.
Col. Reeves, as First Vice Commander
of the department of Tennessee, spoke
in the place of Commander Gahagan,
who was unable to be present. The
Coils remarks were few but very pa
triotic and were concluded by hearty
welcome.
At the conclusion of Col. Reeves
remarks, dinner was announced.
Table cloths were spread throughout
the beautiful island park and it was
but little while until there was every
evidence that the people had come
with well filed baskets.
Happy groups were seen on every
hand enjoying the noon refreshments.
Many a chicken died that they might
be satisfied, and much nice cake had
been prepared as dessert to taper up
well rounded dinner. Some fami-
lies took upon themselves the respon-
cibility of feeding as many as fifty per-
sons, and the reporter must say that
they made good job of it, especially
was that the case with Mr.. ]. n. Car
rIger, whose hospitality the COMET
man enjoyed.
The usual amount of pleasant con
versation was passed after the dinner
was served, when the audience re-
paired to it's place about the speakers
stand.
The band played cheerful air, at the
conclusion of which Mrs. c. E. HiFst.
National President of the ladies of the
lG. A. R, delivered a short but inn
pressive address. Mrs. Hirst assumes
/ great earnestness in her delivery and
her manner is affective. She said that
1.-THE ladies of the G. A. r. included the
wives, the willows and the daughters
of union soldiers; that she was a
soldiers wife and ready to act on picket
guard or at any other point which
might be required by her order.
She said that she herself had or
gained what is known as the circle OF
the ladies of the G. A. r.
She referred in a most touching
manner to the veterans who fought
through four years of the greatest war
of modern times and served the flag Of
1.-The Union without a single star torn
| from its folds. In conclusion she urged
ladies of the Union veterans to be-
come members of the ladies circle and
tsons of the veterans to join their or
Ider.- thus to stimulate patriotism and
/ to keep green the memory OF the men
who saved the country a united whole
/ At the conclusion OF the address
| the band played Marching through
Georgia" after which Gen. j. I. Viii
der was introduced. Notwithstand
ling the General said he was unaccus
toned to public speaking, his talk was
very interesting. He said that II
man could speak anywhere it would
Ia here in this crucible of war time
n Of a lQhV "a