Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-13
REUNION GOES TO LINCOLN
Enoampment of Grand Army Gets Quickly
to Business.
J. H. CULVER DEPARTMENT COMMANDER
Erhnrdt and Majors Made senior and
Junior Nicc-lmposing street
Parade Prcccdcs the OPEN
ing Session.

the Grand Army Of the Republic were hap
pier than any of their comrades from other
places at IL o'clock last night, for then it
had Just been decided that Lincoln should
be the place for holding the reunion for five
years to come. The matter was decided on
the first ballot. Hastings was at first
competitor but bent to the wind soon after,
the voting commenced and the unanimous
vote was for the capitol city. AS soon as the
result was known Lincoln delegates nocked
down the stairs for a concomitant to the
celebration Of the choice and went to the
compulsory pains of giving the password to
get back into Creighton hall again.
In the afternoon j. II. Culver had been
chosen commander Of the department, Tom
Majors. rival, Withdrawing as soon as he
found that the votes were not coming his
way, and John Erhardt. by acclamation, for
senior vice, the election of the other officers,
and the location of the reunion were matters
sufficient for the time of the session. The
choice of a place for the reunion was made
a special order for . O'clock and this is
why the voting for junior vice commander
was interrupted for only one ballot had
been taken. and this without decisive results.
The candidates were ]. n. Caseell of
Aurora, Tom Majors and Thomas l.. Hull
Of Omaha. They received out of 500 votes
an equal number. After the location OF the
reunion had been settled, another ballot was
taken and out of 404 votes, Majors received
232; Cassell SS, and Hull 112, making Majors
the choice.
feature of last evenings session of the
Grand Army veterans was the musical pro-
gram, under the direction of Thomas j.
Kelly. 1t had been intended that last even
ing should be devoted to a campfire, but the
pressure of department business, Major
Clarkson announced, necesstated the hold
Of n bnSinhSS mODOtOny
the transaction Of routine business was re-
lieved by the interspersion of a few songs by
the Elks' quartet consisting of A. j. Van
Kuran, first tenor; Edward b. Treat, second
tenor; w. S. McCune, baritone, and Joe +.
Barton, basso. Thomas ]. Kelly acted as
conductor.
1.-The Song of Thousand Years" was sung
with good effect by Mr.. Barton and the
quartet. Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, the Boys
Are Marching" by Mr.. McCune and the
quartet was received in a most enthusiastic
manner. Mr.. Van Kuran and the quartet
sang Marching Through Georgia" as an
encore and the prolonged applause of the
veterans showed their appreciation of the
patriotic song.
WITH A MILITARY ESCORT.
The first regular session of the encamp-
ment opened at Creighton hall shortly after
2 o'clock yesterday. This was preceded
by the parade in which the Second infantry
from Fort Omaha and nearly all the Grand
Second Infantry band arrived at the head
quarters at 130 and played short program
of martial melodies in the hotel rotunda.
The remainder of the regiment arrived soon
after under the command Of Colonel Bates.
The entire regiment was there with the ex-
ception of a portion of company e, which
remained on guard duty at the fort. Tho
regulars turned up Douglas street and re-
mained at parade rest while the Grand Army
men fell in in the rear. The band passed to
the head of the column and then the line Of
march was taken up on Douglas street to
Sixteenth on Sixteenth to Harvey and thence
to the hall. On Sixteenth street the regulars
were wheeled into line on one side Of the
street and presented arms while the veterans
passed.
There were nearly 900 veterans in line,
exclusive of the escort of regular troops, and
they responded with cheers to the waving
handkerchiefs that greeted them from the
windows of the business houses There was
one confederate veteran in the parade. He
wore the rebel gray and marched side by
side with a union veteran They walked
with clasped hands In significance Of the
union of north and south, and the sentiment
was caught by the crowd that lined the side
walk and greeted with frequent cheers.
1t was Just o'clock when the delegates
filed into the hall and they filed every chair.
Even then a'good deal of the standing room
was occupied and a foraging expedition for
chairs was Immediately organized. II re-
egates seated and then Department Com
mander C. e. Adams called the encAmp-
ment to order. Mayor Broatch was given
an enthusiastic reception when he was IN
troduced to formally bid the encampmcnt
welcome to Omaha He expressed the
pleasure which he experienced in welcoming
such a gathering, and in few appropriate
sentences he assured them of their Hearty
welcome and that the keys of the city were
in their hands.
Iu
Past Commander H. C, Russell of Schuyler,
after which Commander Adams delivered his
annual address as follo~a
COMMANDER ADAMS WELCOME.
Comrades; With great pleasure / welcome
you to the twentieth department encamp-
ment of Nebraska, and greet you as comrades
of the Grand Army Of the Republic. In
your wisdom you selected Omaha, the great
commercial city Of your adopted state, as the
place for holding this meeting. Many Of you
came to this state In the prime or manhood,
and have been instrumental In its growth and
development. The men who followed Old
Glory through the inclemency OF the weather,
in summers heat and winters cold, who
engaged In the weary march the camp, the
bvouac, and the battlefield, they were the
bows once they are our citizens now, and
how eventful their lives. The state Of
Nebraska has the proud distinction Of being
called the great soldier state Of this union,
and which is but the synonym OF Intelligence
and PATRIOTISM Inc Intelligence OF ner
citizenship is considerably higher than that
of any other state in the union. The soldier
always makes a good, patriotic citizen, and
should our country at any time be called
upon to assist in the enforcement OF any OF
the great doctrines that underle this
government, the Soldier State Of Nebraska"
would be found foremost in response to that
call. Anarchy can have no foothold here.
and any European power which attempts TO
extend it's system to this hemisphere. would
be repelled by not only our organization as
a unit, but by our whole citizenship as well.
The spirit of patriotism instlled by our order
is marching onward, and II will not cease
until all the land, the rivers and inland seas
Of this mighty western hemisphere shall
peacefully bow obedience to the stars and
stripes, the emblem Of our American nation
allty. and the record of our glory. And TO
you my comrades, is due the merit OF this
great era of patriotism, and well might we say,
"And TO the hero when Thy sword
Has won the battles Of the free,
THY voice sounds like Prophets word,
And In its hollow tones are heard
The thanks of millions yet to be-
'"The trying period through which we have
Just passed has been the seyerest In our his
tory, The long continued financial depres-
sion which has prevailed over our whole
country. coupled with the crop failure has
added burdens hard TO bear, and detailed
distress most narrowing in It's character
Doc n1 raIa haua OH