Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-31

GRAVES KEPT GREEN
And Memories of the War Revived
BY Thousands in and About
Pittsburg, Yesterday.
SHOWERS SPOIL SOME TEMPERS,
But the DauntleSS Old Warriors Pay Their
Tribute to the Dead, in Spite Of
the Weather.
SHOWERS SPOIL SOME TEMPERS,
PRETTY FLOWERS IN GREAT PROPULSION
Programmes Of Music Prayer and oratOry al the
Various Cemeteries

wars hardships and thought little of march
ing all day in heavy storms, are changed
now. Time has told on their constitutions,
and a damp Decoration Day is anything but
pleasant to them. When the rain began to
fall many a white-haired veteran forgot the
beautiful mission of the day and grumbled.
Cemeteries in wet weather are far from at
traetive places. even on an occasion when
patriotism is at its height and tribute is be-
ing paid to the dead comrades of the war.
The effect was somewhat depressing on
the distributors of flowers and tokens.
Brilliant effusions of oratory, telling over
again the oft-told tales of battle, the sweet
est music to the ears of hoary warriors, could
not entirely revive their dropping spirits. As
aresult, some of the programmes were cut,
and the ceremonies hurried through with
more rapidity than was intended.
Extensive Preparations Made.
.Preparations for the days doings had
been made with special care, and there was
every indication of one of the greatest
Memorial DAYS ever celebratedin Pittsburg,
but the weather put new phase on the sit
nation. Nevertheless the veterans could
not be entirely downed. There was enough
of the old time spirit that decided Gettys-
burg to make the day a success, even under
the most adverse circumstances, and the
glorious old colors blazed in profusion
enough to partially counteract the gloom of
dark clouds.
The school children were not frightened
bv the weather, but turned out in large
numbers Their part of the exercises was
not an insignificant one by any means.
Thirty thousand potted plants were con-
tributed by them, as well as a great guam
titv of cut flowers, for the use of the various
G. A r. posts. Hundreds of them attended
the various cemeteries and assisted in the
programmes with their voices. Scenes at
the different burying grounds surpassed all
previous ones in the profusiou of flowers.
Floral decorations of all kinds were every
where, and the graves of the dead were
almost hidden under buds and blossoms.
ADay Devoted to Amusements.
A notable feature of the day was the
great numbe: of people in search of amuse-
ments. Sports were plentiful, and all avail
able grounds around the city were used for
ball games, athletic contests and races.
These were more or less interfered with by
the rain, but managed to draw good crowds
and paid well An unusual feature for a
holiday was til; comparatively small num-
Der of peopl. on the streets. Downtown
sidewalks had even less than their usual
Saturday crowds, and there was no crush of
vehicles on the thoroughfares. Many peo-
pie who did not attend the services at the
cemeteries took advantage of excursions by
rail or water and left the city. On the
other hand there was a less number OF
visitors from neighboring towns than usual
Exercises at the graves were carried out
according to the programme printed in THE
DISPATCH yesterday. That at the Allie
gheny Cemetery was particularly impressive.
Colonel o. H. Rippey Post, General Alex.
HAYS Post No. 3, Colonel James c. Hull
Post No. 157, Colonel r. G. Shaw Post No.
DOG, Colonel j. H. Childs Post No. go, Du-
ouesne Post No. 259 and the school children
from the Twelfth, Fifteenth and Seventeenth
wards met opposite the Arsenal. As the
procession marched along Butler street
toward the cemetery gate the United States
troops fired a salute.
AT the cemetery the school children
opened ranks and allowed the line to march
TO the u A r. plot, where the stand was
erected for the speakers. Near the plot is
the recently erected monument to "Pap"
Burrows, the aged color bearer of Post Al,
and the ceremony of uneveiling it was gone
through with impressiyeness.
Exercises at Remembered Graves.
The spot where the grand stand was
erected is in the valley close by the plot
which was last week donated to the Grand
Army by the directors of the cemetery.
After reaching the stand the band of Post
3 PLAYED a dirge, and the choir of Post 3,
assisted by the school children, rendered
"America" Adiutant General W. H. Lam
bert read the orders 'Tenting Tonight"
was sung by the choir. and Com
rade j. S. Lambie, of Post 3, made
41, oII or
things the said: eve are surrounded by
the ruins of mortality. Other summers arc
dead. Fair and fragrant flowers of former
wears have perished. The vacant places in
our own ranks, these lowly mounds, these
white tombstOnes, remind us of the fact
that death has been in our midst and claimed
for his own the brave, the loyal and the
true, and we have nothing left but these
mounds and memories We seem to have
Just awakened from dream. A short time
since thev were of the living. Yesterday,
they shared with you the duty and dangers,
pleasures and sorrows of life. And now
memory and these lowly mounds, Neither
fraternity to comrades, charity to the suffer-
ing and sorrowing, or loyalty to country,
could save them. To-day they are numbered
with the dead and we with the living
Following this was prayer by Chaplain
Rev. J. A1cD. Hervey, after which Rev. H.
n. Whitmarsh read an original poem. Com
rade NJ. b. Riddle then made an address,
closing with the following words: ''By
these graves, with these flowers and music
and tributes, we testify our belief that the
average American is loyal to his country;
willing to suffer on her behalf. If new
dangers threaten US let us believe that the
same spirit lives in our children. Facing
the past with loving memories, let us on
this Decoration Day look forward with
hope and confidence to the future. Our
land is the best land the sun ever shone on.
God keep it so, and may He give us grace
to do our part to preserve it free, united
nation for generations yet unborn"
A Friends Grave Not Forgotten.
Then the children sang a song and the
flowers were placed on the graves by Posts
go, 2O6, Al and 3. Among the noticeable
graves was that of the late William Thaw,
who. though not a soldier, was a staunch
friend to the defenders of the Union. A
magnificent floral tribute, a G. A. r. star,
was sent by Post 157, and as it lay near the
monument of the late philanthropist, the
thousands of visitors viewed it with pride.
The firing squad of Post Al paid respect to
the dead with the usual salute and benedie-
tiOn was pronounced. The committee ofcom-
rades then visited st. Mary's Cemetery and
decorated the graves of the Grand Army
men there. After the conclusion of the
ceremonies the ladies of o. H. Rippey Post
Al entertained the comrades in Turner Hall
Seven hundred sat down to a tempting
lunch. This was under the supervision of
Mrs. Sarah A Gangwish and several asso-
ciates.
In the ceremonies at Oakland Cemetery
Post M 127 uas oseietad hv horf d00 nhi1