St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-13
Join in Celebrating Lincoln's
Birthday at the Soldiers
Home.
GEN. FkIRCHILD PRESENT.
LEGISLATORS Make Speeches
and Ladies Help to En-
tertain.
TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
Gibbs, Feig and Jacobson Say
Veterans Shall Be Cared
For.

The observance of Lincoln's birth
dav at the Soldiers home was ap-
propriate and mutually benehclal
and pleasing to the veterans, d
large number of the members OF the
legislature participating in the ex-
ercises. About 100 members of the
legislature, ladies and others OF thiS
CITY went over on special interurtan
cars. leaving the capitol at IL O'CLOCK
Yesterday morning. The trains mace
a quick trip, it taking but little over
an hour to make the run, which IN
cIuded q circuit of the minneapolis
loop, adding nearly two miles 10
the distance. The company was I'M
der the watchful care OF Hon.
tom" Downs, of Minneapolis, and
upon reaching the famous Mime
haha park were escorted acros the
picturesque foot bridge to the beau
tifully located home, composed OF a
group of buildings. The admins
tration building was first visited.
There the company was received by
the commandment, Maj. Mcmillan, as
sisted by his wife and daughter and
Capt Castle, Capt. Huntington and
Mai. Upham, of the board Of trust
ees. The company was soon seated
in the library, whittier the veterans
who were able to leave their rooms,
and who had watched the visitors
file past the buildings in a double
row, were also soon gathered.
Gen. Lucius Fairchild, of Wiscon-
sin, lately commandments of the
G. A. R., was escorted to the library
by Capt. H. A Castle for the pur-
pose of addressing the veterans and
visitors. Capt. Castle spoke few
words of welcome to members of the
legislature, and then introduced
Gen. Fairchild, who, mounting a
chair. delivered a short speech. His
talk was directed towards the old
soldiers. He alluded to their ap-
pearance as being that of a body
of old men, grown gray, feeble and
having gone to the wall physically,
although he hoped not mentally. He
recalled his memory of the same men
as they were
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
bright, active, clipper and ready to
fight for this country, that others
might enjoy freedom. Gen. Fair
child said that he was pressed for
time, as he had an engagement
within an hour to meet in Mime
apoIis, and his speech would there
fore be very brief. He promised,
however, to return in the summer,
when the surroundings of the home
would be as beautiful as he first
saw them several decades ago. He
was glad to see the spot made beau
tiful, and that so fine a place had
been provided by the state. He al
luded to the home in Wisconsin as
the finest in the world, and it's being
open to the wife of the old soldier
as well as the veteran. He felt
proud of the fact that, when old and
helpless, he could take his wife and
find a place in such an excellent
home. He alluded to the chronic habit
of old soldiers to kick, and said he
did not blame them. He offered as
consolation the statement that the
people of the country will never al
low the old soldiers to suffer for
want of bread, and spoke in COM
plimentary terms of the regard in
which they are held by the whole
country, even the Southern people
who had been on the other side.
Capt. Castle announced that Gen.
Fairchild would be glad to meet
those who had served with him in
the army, and stated that a large
number of the inmates had been
members Of Wisconsin regiments.
Next to Minnesota comes that state
in the number of inmates in the
home. He also stated that Gen.
Fairchild would be especially glad
to meet any present who had be-
longed to the old
IRON BRIGADE.
One of the men said, Il am one of
those" and pressed forward and shook