Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-10
VIM OF THE VETERANS.
Three Thousand People Welcome De-
partment Commander Boyer.
GROWTH OF TIE KEYSTONE G. A. R.
Efforts Being Made to Induce Every Soldier
to Join the Order.
A NUMBER OF INTERESTING SPEECHES

Three thousand persons gathered in Old
City Hall last night, being members of the
Grand Army of the Republic and ladies and
friends of the old soldiers The occasion
was a reception rendered by the veterans of
Allegheny county to Department Com
mander George Boyer, of the Department
of Pennsylvania, and his staff. The hall
was profusely and tastefullv decorated with
American flags, streamers and bunting. A
warlike appearance was presented on the
stage, in the center of which was erected
tent with stand of arms on either side.
To the rear of the end sat the Department
Commander and his staff, the County Ex-
ecutive Committee of the G. A. r., post
commanders and several other prominent
members. The speakers of the evening
were Commander Boyer, Assistant Adju-
tant General Towne, OF the Department of
Pennsylvania: L. II. Long, of Denver, Col;
John W. Moreland, of Post 151 Past Com
mander Brown, of Post 12S, and DIR. ". G.
Brian, colored, of st. Louis, Mo. The ad-
dresses were interspersed with music by the
G. A. r. Band, solos by Miss Annie Orr
and Miss Clara Terante; songs by quartettes
from Posts 1913 and 157, and a trombone solo
by j. Montgomery.
The Boys Did the Fighting.
The meeting was called to order by Com
rade w. H. Russell. Department Com
madder Boyer, after returning thanks for
the cordial welcome extended him, said he
would indulge in some retrospection- He
asked who fought the war, and answered
that it was the boys. He reviewed list of
those who were majo generals at SO. Gus
ter was a brigadier general at 26. Miles
was drummer boy at the breaking out of
the war, and in two years was general, at
the age of %. Garfield was major gen.
eral at 80. 1t was the striplings who COM
posed the army.
At the close of the war, he continued,
the whole world wondered what would
become of that great army. Coming from
four years Of carnage, bloodshed and de-
struction of property it was feared they
would continue in that line of work. But
in few months they had all settled down
to peaceabe vocations. In a year the
Grand Army was founded and it has ad-
vanced until to-day it numbers 500,0 900
members. The department of Pennsylvania
alone has 45, 900 members and 600 posts.
He addressed himself particularly to those
H.
He reviewed the work that has been done
by the organization. Last year in Penn
sylvania $40, 900 was expended in charity.
Men have been saved from drunkenness,
wretchedness and crime by the helping
hand of comrades, and the syndicate en-
riching themselves out of the Soldiers
Orphans Schools, had been cleaned out and,
the schools made perfect.
Approach of the Inevitable
These schools, however, he said. will soon
be no more. When the G.. A. r. Committee
took hold of the schools in 1886 there were
], 800 children in the schools. Now there are
less than 800. The soldiers were getting
old, and the work would soon have to be
turned over to the Sons of Veterans. AT
present they wanted the soldiers not in the
ranks to come in and lend their assistance
and fellowship.
jutant General of the Department of Penn
sylvania, was the next speaker He said
that the department is in as good condition
now as it has been at any time in the last
ten years. Ten new posts were established
last year. He urged old soldiers
to join the G. A. r., and remarked that 90
per cent of those assisted were not men,
bers of the organization, showing that it did
not lack in charity. 1t is instrumental, he
said, by canpfres. reunions, ETC., in keep
ing alive the spirit of loyalty and the love
of liberty. The children were taught it and
the work of the G. A. r. will fall to the
Sons of Veterans.
Comrade l.. H. Long, of George G.
Meade Post, of Denver, Col, an old Pitts
burger, also spoke. Comrade John w.
Moreland, of Post 151, told of the historical
associations connected with the hall they
were in. Commander Brown, of Post 128,
made short address referring to the fra
terral feeling of the old soldiers of the
North and South for each other, instead of
the animosity said by many to exist. DR..
W. G. Brian, colored, of st. Louis, Mo-.
was the last speaker.