The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-11
Thousands of Visitors to the
Great Blue Grass
Metropolis.
PARADE OF THE NAVAL MEN
Then They Held the Annual Con-
Vention Of the National ASsocia-
ton Of Ex-TarS.

fullest extent the legion OF the GranQ
Army visitors enjoyed Kentucky hospital
ity to-day and right royalty it flowed upon
them.
Business men generally, especially in
the wholesale districts, left their estab-
lishments for the day and gave themselves
and their time to fraternizing with the
delegates and State posts, while society
women by the hundred deserted their
homes and worked untiringly to make
things pleasant for their sisters from
abroad. For the ride to which the visiting
women were treated this afternoon no less
than 200 swell turnouts of all descriptions
were loaned by their owners and the list
of guides and chaperones represented the
bluest pages in the bluebook. Tie num-
Der of strangers here tonight is nominally
estimated. but official figures are in the
neighborhood of LIS, 000 and at least So
600 more will be brought in during the
night and morning in time for the great
parade tomorrow. The inpour to-day
was incessant and the streets for miles
were uncomfortably crowded with pedes-
trians, vehicles and marching delegations.
There are reports tonight that several
trains from distants points are in block
ade with slight chance of reaching here in
time for to-morrow's demonstrations,
while passengers on trains arriving from
Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio and this State
say that at every station people were left
behind through inability 10 get even stand
ing-room in the coaches.
Outside of the naval veterans parade,
the only event of the day was the presen-
tation to Commander-in-Chi Lawler by
his staff and aids, representing every
State and Territory of America, of dia
mond badge, and the reception rendered
the same official and his staff at the Gait
House by the National officers of the
Women's Relief Corps. This was bril-
liant function participated in by 1000
representative citizens and visitors. Sec
rotary of State Palmer of New York, Gov
child and General Wallace were also the
recipients of the women's welcome.
Denver is in the lead for the next en-
campment but the women are working
hard for st. Paul.
The heat to-day was in tense and many
old soldiers were Frustrated. None of the
cases are serious. The leading feature of
the day was the annual reunion and parade
of the ex-sailors. An additional interest at
tached to the event from the fact that it is
probably the last time that Jack-tars will be
seen at a Grand Army encampment here,
sentiment in the organization favoring the
holding of future conventions in the East
at dates best suiting the majority of the
mem bers.
Chief Marshal J. w. Hammond and his
staff headed the column, with the Michi-
gan City Indiana) band and the Louisville
Legion drum and bugle corps to announce
the approach of the first division. This was
composed of two companies of Indiana in
fantry and battery, followed by six COM
panies of the Louisville Legion. Next in
the line were several lodges of the Uni
formed Knights of Pythias of this city and
New Albany, Jacksonville and other In
diana cities. The juvenile drill corps and
two companies of the Uniformed Knights
of Honor led the ex-prisoners of war and
the ram-feet veterans, while division
composed of Sons of Veterans, who are en-
route to their National encampment at
Knoxville, acted as escort to the naval
veterans. The latter turned out in fair
mum ers, and in their loose trousers, blue
jackets with broad, white shoulder collars
and fiat naval caps, presented picturesque
appearance.
The local associations represented and
the order in which they filed along was:
Gideon Wells of Connecticut; Farragut of
New York; Farragut of Providence; Kear-
sarge of Boston; Kearsarge of Portsmouth;
Monitor of Brooklyn; Farragut of Phila-
delphia; the Naval Veterans Association
and the Grand Army naval post, both of
the Quaker City; Blue Herrick Association,
GAINESVILLE, Ohio; D. D. Porter Post, Co.
lumbus, Ohio; Cincinnati Naval Veterans
Association; Michigan Association of De-
troit; Lake Superior of Detroit; Farragut
of Chicago; Rock River of Rock Island,
ILL.,, and the Minnesota Naval Veterans.
After the parade had disbanded and the
old tars had devoted an hour to rest and
refreshment, the annual convention of the
National Association of Naval Veterans
opened in the Circuit Court room of the
Courthouse. Francis B. Allen of Hart
ford, Conn.,, rear-admiral commanding,
presided, and 200 delegates responded to
the rollcall. In his annual address Rear
Admiral Allen said that the association
now numbered 1000 ex-sailors in good
standing, an increase of Is per cent during
the year. New local associations had been
brought into existence at Marquette,
Mich, Los Angeles, CAL, Portsmouth, Va,
and ST. Louis, Mo. No local associations
had withdrawn or disbanded, and peace
and harmony universally prevailed. The
speaker went on to say:
1.-THE organization of the Naval Vet
erans' Association has already been pro-
ductive of great good, and is likely in the
near future to do even more in removing
many unjust determinations against the
sailor, so that he may stand equitably be-
fore the law alongside his comrade of the
army and receive equal consideration.
lowing to circumstances of environ
ments it has been much more difficult to
obtain pension for deserving shipmate
of the navy than for his fellow-patriot, the
comrade of the army, for it will be remem-
bered the enlisted men of the navy
shipped at some seaport and were sent
from there to the nearest receiving ship
and taken from there as vessels needed
crews and put among officers and men
they never saw before, and the survivors
are difficult to trace. The army comrade,
on the contrary, ordinarily joined COM
pany formed at or near his home and as