The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-09-01


by the Woman's Relief Corps.
St Paul, Mimi. Aug. 31.-Today was
an northwestern day, with just enough
breeze to watt a welcome TO the incom-
ing thousands. Innumerable flags and
banners fiuttered from every house and
Office building. From sunrise the evil
dence OF the coming hosts became hour
ly more apparent until the streets were
crowded long before the noon hour, and
the strains OF martial music from bands
and drum corps could be heard on ev-
cry hand With fifteen or more regular
trains from all parts or the compass,
and thirty-three special trains during
the morning. the union depot was the
scene of great activity ON the first day
OF the grand army encampment.
Completest preparations had been
made by the railroads for handling the
crowds, and there was no jam, al
though the crowd was an the time very
great. Commander-in-ChiefI ]. n. Walk
er and staff were expected on an early
train and the local posts, accompanied
by a band, were at the depot 10 greet the
train, but it was delayed and not until
noon were the veterans able to welcome
their chief He was at once escorted TO
the Ryan hotel, where headquarters
were at once established, becoming the
center OF G. A r activities.
WALKERS PARTY.
There was nothing in the program for
the day besides uhe reception of Com
mander-in-Chief Walker and staff,
which was formal. but very simple and
consisted in the SORTING OF the party
to their headquarters. Commander-in-
Chief /. n. Walker and Adjutant Gen.
eral Irving Robbins OF indianapolis
General A. ]. Burbank, quartermaster
general, and Colonel II. S. DIETRICH,
chief Of staff, Chicago; Captain William
H Armstrong, member OF executive
committee, Indianapolis; Captain j. L
Bennett. assistant adjutant general,
Chicago; Captain d. T. Allen, member
of staff, Frankfort, Indiana, General
Sam c. Compton, Indianapolis; Quarter
master General William II. Ketcham,
delegate-at-large Michigan City, Indi-
ana; Captain T. j. Charlton, delegate,
Plainfeld, Indiana; Sam T. Lang and
j. L. Nelson of Indianapolis and ]. B.
Essington Of Noblesville, Indiana. Mrs
Walker and several other ladies accom-
panied the party.
CARING FOR THE CROWDS.
Arrangements for each department
arriving had been made in advance and
the local aide in charge Of them was
promptly on hand to escort the veterans
TO their quarters and see that hey were
housed and cared for. The
trains were nearly all delayed and the
rush was thereby scattered throughout
the day more than would have been 9TH
erwise possible.
As fast as one train discharged its
load, another took its place and the
stream Of visitors passing through the
big union depot seemed endless. Every
where present were the whlte-capped
boys of the information brigade, which |
did much to steer the crowd IN the right |
direction and save blocking of the |
stretes. The earliest arrivals were those |
from Minnesota and the adjoining states |
and nearly every post in the state was /
1ut in almost full force, with crowds OF |
friends.
Pittshurg posts and prominent men |
rom that section arrived on the Burling-
on at noon. A Minneapolis and St |
louis special early in the day brought |
n the Iowa department headquarters.
The Omaha alone had twenty-five spe-
dals today from different directions. !
The trains. with those from more dis
ant points, came in during the after
loon and by tonight when the big re-
option TO the commander-in-chiefw was
aven the city was pretty well flied.
The Woman's Relief corps also held a
eception tonight, those two receptions
'eing the only events of the night