The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-03
Patriotic Songs by a Living.
Flag Chorus of Two Thou
sand Children.
CHEERS GIVEN FOR M'KINLEY
Sixteen Thousand Men in the Parade.
The Contest for Commander.
in.Chief.

ST. PAUL, MINI, Sept. ITO the
strains of "Rally Round the Flag"
Marching Through Georgia." "HaiI
Colum bia, - 1.-THE Star-spangled Banner
and other patriotic music the veterans of
the war, 16, 600 strong, made their annual
parade to-day. at sunrise the salute of
the Union of forty-fve guns was fired
from Camp Mason and was followed at
$3.50 by National Presidential salute of
twenty-one guns. The various divisions
began to form at $3.50 and the column
moved an hour later. The departments
marched in the order of seniority and in
columns of platoons at half distances in
single and double rank.
There were eight divisions. In the first
were the veteran signal corps, depart
ments Of Illinois, Wisconsin and Pennsyl-
yania; second division-Ohio and New
York; third-Connecticut, Massachusetts,
New Jersey, Maine, California, Rhode
Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Poto-
mac, Virginia and North Carolina; fourth
Maryland, Nebraska, Michigan, Iowa,
Indiana; fifth-Colorado, Wyoming, Kan
sas, Delaware, Missouri, Oregon; sixth
Kentucky, West Virginia, South Dakota,
Washington, Alaska, Arkansas, New Mex
leo, Utah and Tennessee. In the seventh
division were the departments of Louisi-
ara, Mississippi, Florida, Montana, Texas.
Idaho, Arizona, Georgia, Alabama, North
Dakota, Oklahoma and Indian Territory.
The eighth division was composed entirely
of posts of the Minnesota department.
Many old battle-fags were carried in the
line. There was but one carriage, this
being occupied by Department Com
mander Shakespeare of Michigan, whose
80 l.
his comrades. The route was short, and
over a fine asphalt road. TIE streets were
packed with spectators, and the veterans
were given a royal reception.
mmander-in-Chief Walker, with his
staff and 1000 distinguished guests, re-
viewed the parade from a stand at Smith
Park.
The ''boys" marched to the music of
wartimes-the music to which the Union
soldiers and the Southern foe went forth IN
battle to defeat and victory. They
marched with age-bent heads and proud
bearing, striving 10 keep erect and in mill
tary step and line, conscious OF the fact
that death, their only enemy now, might
60 claim them before another grand parade.
The route was purposely made less than
two miles long and over asphalt pavement
all the way, but many old soldiers were
physically unequal TO the task, and con-
tented themselves with viewing their COM
rades along the line.
The abundance of excellent brass bands
and fife and drum corps music was fea-
ture of the patriotic spectacle. Tie start
was at Dayton and Western avenues, in
the vicinity of which were thronged TO- 600
sightseers in all conceivable places from
which view of the marching could be OBJ
tanned. The procession swung into Sixth
street. which descends toward the bust
ness center of the city, affording the tens
of thousands on that thoroughfare q SUI
perb view of the great column. Every
large vacant space on Sixth street was
filled with tiers of seats for spectators.
Between the street curb and the build
ing was wedged a solid mass of humanity
along the entire route. Above them in
every window, were crowded thousands
more. The reviewing stand, where the
commander-in-chief proudly stood for
three hours receiving the salutes of his
comrades, was bnilt at Smith Park, near
the foot of Sixth street, which marked the
enc of the march.
A pretty picture at the starting point
was made by lot OF little girls, stationed
at the Kittson residence, the ladies' head
quarters, scattering flowers upon and in
the path OF the veterans as they passed by.
On an immense platform in the rear of the
partly completed Federal building was
''living-hag" chorus of 1000 public school
children, trained by Professor Congdon
and staff. When the veterans passed bv
breeze, the band music ceased.
From the Threats of the little folk, so ar
ranged in red, white and blue and star
dresses as to form the National flag, came
an anthem of patriotism, including the
old soldiers favorites, Marching Through
Georgia" "Starspangled Banner and
"My Country lis of Thee"
AS the lnsplriting vocal music fell on
the war patriots ears his steps became
more elastic and he cheered his thanks to
the new generation of patriotic Ameri-
cans.
In the reviewing stand on either side of
the commander and back of him were
grouped his staff and National officers.
All the notable mem bers of the affiliated
woman's organizations were there. There
was frequent cheering for Mckinley all
along the line by veterans and spectators.
a North Dakota veteran shouted, Hard
wheat, hard money and Mckinley
Louisiana and Mississippi combined
carrying at shoulder arms a sugar-cane
tipped with cotton balls. Every post had
band, and none of them played badly
General Mason. u. S. A., president of the
citizens committee, rode with the last
division, which was composed OF 1900 Min
nesota veterans. headed by the Third In
fanIry band from Fort Smelling.
At midnight the commandership fight
seemed to be narrowed down to Clarkson
OF Omaha and Liuehan of New Hamp-
shire. New York, which was the main
stay of Meade, has gone over to the New
Hampshire comrade, and New England
is solid for him.
Six thousand people attended camp
fire at the Auditorium tonight. Addresses
were made by Governor Upham of Wis
consin, General Brooke, U. S. A., Mrs.
John A. Logan and General Alger