Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-09-07
RANKS.
Boys in Blue Are Leaving the
Hoosier Capital.
ENCAMPMENT WORK WE'LL ALONG.

jack Adams, of Massachusetts, Chosen
Commander in Chief, With Senior
Vice From Indiana and a Junior From
Texas-The New Chiefs Record-Pftts-
burg Selected for Next Meeting-The
Brilliant Pageantry Parade-Incidents
of the Reunion.
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 7-The Grand Army
people will probably finish their business
and leave for home by this evening. AL
ready the jam at the Union station of peo-
pie leaving has begun. Seven train loads
were taken out within half an hour with
out making hole in the crowd The en-
campment proper shows a disposition to
rush through with its business rapidly
The election of officers was brought up
yesterday, and the three following were
elected practically without opposition:
John J. b. Adams, of Massachusetts, com
mander-in- chief; Colonel l. n. Walker, of
Indiana, senior vice commander; and J. c.
Bigger, of Texas, junior vice commander.
Sketch of the New Chief. -
The new commandcr-in-chief, John J.
B. Adams or Jack" Adams, as he is call
| ed at home, is one of the most popular
III
has been identified with the Grand Army
as one of the most active and influential
members of the department of Massachu-
sets. No considerable assembly of the
Grand Army is complete without him.
Above all things he has record that any
man may be proud Of In 1861, before he
was 20 years of age, he enlisted as private
| in the battalion which became the nucleus
of the Nineteenth Massachusetts. He
served through the war, raising step by
step to the rank of captain. When not
disabled by wounds he participated in
every march and in every battle of the
army of the Potomac in which his regi-
ment took part.
Seems To Be the Right Stuff.
At Fredericksburg he saved the regi-
mental colors from capture after eight
color bearers bad been shot down. He
was severely wounded in the second DAYS
fight at Gettysburg, and a second time
before st. Petersburg where he was cap
tured and suffered the horrors of a south
ern prison. Not infrequently the old
wounds took hini to a bed of pain for DAYS
at time. He is a member of Lander
post, of Lynn, Mass, the second in mem
bership in the country. At the campfire
rs well as at the council Comrade Adams
has no superior in New England, Moth
ing has been too good in Massachusetts
Tor Jack Adams and Jack in turn has met
the expectations of his supporters.
Congress Catches a Going Over.
Welcoming speeches at Tomlinson hall
were made by Governor Matthews for the
state, Mayor Sullivan for the CITY and
others, and the response by Commander
Weissert The special committee on legis-
lation. made a report, in which it scored
both houses of congress for neglect of the
interests of the soldiers, especially with
reference to the law requiring service in
the army to be several points in favor of
an applicant for office. 1t was urged that
the Grand Army keep up the attack per
sistently and vigorously as the only man
ner in which success could he assured
Commander Weissert's Report
Commander Weissert in his report re-
viewed the progress of the order during
the past year and made appropriate al
fusion to the death during that time of two
illustrious comrades, Rutherford B. Hayes
and Benjamin +. Butler. He said the
Grand Army had lost by death last year
I,OO2, and the loss among veterans not
members was estimated at 800. The to-
tai membership of the Grand Army of the
Republic is 443 554, of which 397, ,223 are in
good standing; suspended, Al ,66l; by de-
linquent reports, 4,67O. The gain by mus
| ter during the past year is 24,954. Regard
ing the policy of the pension bureau under
Lochren Weissert vigorously denounced
the suspension of Il pension before soldier
had been proved to be drawing the same
illegally.
When the question of locating the next
encampment came up there was but one
applicant, and that was Pittsburg. 1t was
consequently chosen unanimously
During the day the Woman Relief Corps
and the Ladies of the Grand Army held
meetings and transacted a good deal of
business.