Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-06-06
MEMORIAL DAY, 1891.
The Graves OF Departed Comrades Made
20 Blossom With Sweet Flowers.


TO Blossom With Sweet Flowers.
Last Saturday was memorial or
decoration day, day set apart as Il
national holiday upon which the liv-
ing should pay honor TO the dead SOL
diers of the late war by holding APP
propriate services and decorating the
graves of the fallen heroes with how-
ers. Last Saturday was very much
like its predecessors, in fact there
would have been nothing new or
strange about it had 1t not been for
the circus which exhibited in our
town on the same day. This probably
increased the attendance to some ex-
tent and gave our city a more lively
appearance. -,
The large crowd present nearly all
day began TO arrive early and by lO
O'Clock, when the circus parade took
place, Military street was fairly jam
med with people. The memorial SER
vices were not begun until after din
ner. At l o'clock Baxter post No, l23
&. A. r., with large number OF VS.
Ting comrades, and Blunt camp No.
IA, S. of ", mounted, were drawn up
in line at the post hall on south Mill
tary street, and 10 the music OF the ma
tional airs played by the Baxter band,
marched north TO the Springs park,
Here it was found that the large num-
Der of seats prepared, some of which
were intended to be reserved for the
old vets, were filled and the "boys"
had to stand or take refuge on the
grass. The services began with mu'
sic by the band and song by The
choir. Then followed PRAYER by
Chaplain NJ. Dolv AMI reading of or
ders by Capt. Hugh Erwin. After
music by the choir Miss Emma Hutch
ins gave a very excellent and APP
propriate recitation. The choir gave
another choice selection after which
Rev. Frank w. Otto, the orator OF
the day, was introduced and for near
" an hour held his hearers with
marked attention in an address which
for eloquence and soul stirring patri-
otism will bear close comparison with
any delivered at any other point in
this broad land upon that day. Ii
was such all address as the old soldier
delights to listen to and many were
the favorable comments passed upon
it. We regret that our limited space
forbids the publication of the address
in full.
At the close of Mr.. Otto's speech the
members of the q. A. r. and their
friends took vehicles of various kinds
and after moving again in procession
through Military street passed on to
the national cemetery where the deco
ration services were completed. First
was the ritualistic service of the q. y.
Il. during which the old veterans
placed upon their former comrades
graves the sweetest and most beauti-
FIJI flowers of the land, of which there
was an abundance on hand. The
cemetery was literally filled with Il
mass of people and at the close of the
decoration exercises the crowd assem-
blpd about the massive monument
erected i'm memory of the victims OF
the Baxter Springs massacre and lis
tened with close attention to a gem
Grafton by Capt. Hugh Erwin of Keel
vile in which the speaker with his &C
customed eloquence did honor TO his
comrades, his country and himself,
Those who heard it say it was one OF
the very best short speeches ever de-
livered at this place.
The exercises closed with the sing
ing of "America" by the assemblage,
and the people wendell their way
homeward satisfied that the day had
been well and honorably observed.
The weather was delightful, though
"a n