The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-09-13

Pittsburg, Pa, Sept. 12.--While 100000
persons have left the city since yester-
day, there are still 100000 strangers in
town.
The national encampment of the G.
A R. opened this morning in the new
grand opera house. The delegates were
welcomed on behalf of the citizens ex-
iecutive board by Chairman Daniel G..
Ripley and w. C. Quincy.
Governor Pattison welcomed them on
ibehalf of the state; Mayor Mckenna,
Iof Pittsburg, and Mayor Kennedy, OF
Allegheny, on behalf of the cities.
The election of commandments
will not be held until tomorrow. Since
the withdrawal of Judge Charles d.
Long. of Michigan. the opinion is rap
idly growing that Colonel 1. N. Walker.
of Indiana. will secure the coveted
nonor.
The Woman's Relief corps of ladies'
lof the G.. A. R., and Daughters of Vet
ierans, are also holding conventions. The
|staff of Captain Jack Adams, relieving
commander-in-chief, presented him and
his wife, last night, with diamond SOU
'venirs Mrs. Adams was honored by
being elected honorary member OF the
staff. She is the second woman to re-
|ceive such a compliment, the wife of
General Alger being the first
Annual Reports.
The annual reports of the national
officers were read. Commander-in-Ch
Adams reported & total membership OF
369. 1854 against 397,223 year ago. Each
succeeding year, he said VIII snow a
decrease The interest in the order,
however, has grown stronger. When
the last comrade is mustered out the
10. A. r. should cease to exist, but the
Sons of Veterans would carry on its
work. The pension department of the
order had investigated all cases OF al
legged pension frauds. Very few frauds
were discovered and they were the
work of dishonest agents.
Adams complained that the pension
office, in violation of the intended lib
crafty Of the act of June q. 1880. re-
iected every claim about which there
was the slightest doubt.
The committee on legislation reported
that the greatest Indifference seems to
be shown on the part of our national
toward the veterans and
urged the G. a. r. members to use
their influence with their senators and
to give preference in
every public employment to survivors
of the war.
Major A. H. Birchfield, on behalf of
the citizens, presented the commander
in-chief with a gavel made of wood
from Fort Sumpter, AppomattoX, Get
tysburg and Libby prison, and bound
with metal from historic cannon.
A reception was given to General
Daniel E. Sickles by members of his
old corps, the Third.
Duty of Old Soldiers.
General Charles H. T. Collins, of
New York, in a brief speech. said it
was the duty of the old soldiers and
sailors to conserve the safety of the
nation, and they should train their sons
to carry on the work. Then he referred
to the alleged armor plate frauds and
insisted that the investigation should
not be allowed to drop, and Il the au-
thorities failed to act the veterans
should take such action at the next
election as would remove the delinquent
officials and put more Jealous and pa
triotic men in their places.
General Collins presented the matter
in the form of a resolution. 1t was de-
clared out of order The last parade of
the encampment occurred this afternoon
when the Union ex-prisoners of war
turned out 10000 strong, every state in
the Union having one representative or
more in their ranks. John H. Hancock
was the marshal.
Louisville, KY, was unanimously Sc
lected as the place for meeting of the
next G. A. r. encampment.
wntterson's Welcome.
Henry Watterson was introduced to
the delegates and in presenting the
claims of Louisville, for the next en-
campment he said:
II have come with a message from
your eountrymen who dwell on what
was once the other side of the line, but
whose hearts beat in ready response to
your hearts and who bid me tell you
that they want to see you. Candor
compels me to say that there was a
time when thav did not want to see