The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-30
AT CAMP MILES.
The Crowd at the Camp Greater Thar
Ever Before in the Fairgrounds

The Crowd at the Camp Greater Than
Ever Before in the Fairgrounds
Thousands of people surged back and
forth at Camp Miles today. 1t was the
largest crowd of the week and the
largest ever seen in the fair grounds.
Adjutant Niles was helpless and the
members of the Committee of Fifteen
were everywhere trying to provide a
place for every one that came
The widest hopes of the committee
seem about to be realized, and it begins
to look as if the largest crowd ever seen
at the fair grounds will be there tomOr-
row. They are coming from every
where. The trains from St. Joe, Atchi-
son, Kansas City and LeavenWorth all
brought hundreds of people.
The grand stand was full of people
watching the inspection of the regular
troops who are in camp in Topeka,
thousands of people stood around the
little knoll where the band contests
were in progress and many more were
in the auditorium. where the women
were having a campfire.
The rest of the crowd swarmed up
and down Grant avenue, stopping to
listen to some eloquent fakir or to a
campaign button vendor.
The campfire was in charge of J. K.
Rankin, officer of the day, and he made
a neat little speech introducing Mrs.
Emma B. Wall. the department COM
mander of the Ladies of the G. A. r.
Tt is the inestimable privilege
said she, "Of the Ladies of the
G. A r. to turn to the men who pre-
served for US a united government and
an unblemished national life. and say,
my father, my husband, my brother,
my son, was member of that grand
army who fought to make our nation
just and free, who broke the Shackles
of the slave. who freed the masters of
the south and their allies of the north.
The Ladies of the Grand Army come
from the homes and firesides of the men
who gave US a natlOn-a republic with
out a slave-a republic that is sovereign
and to whose will every citizen will
bow We come from the homes of the
men who gave us a union of states no
earthly power, no combination of men
can dissolve
In closing Mrs. Wall said: Ere long
there will be no response here when the
rol lis called, and all these old soldiers
VIII be 'tent1ng on fame s eternal camp
ing ground the memory of their glOr-
iOuS achievements rich with the incense
of a nations gratitude will enable the
young with the highest ideals of citi-
zenship and patriotic self sacrifice"
Commander w. c. Whitney of the G.
A. r. responded and said nice things
about the women and welcomed them
to the camp.
Glen Jones, a son of the senior vice
commander spoke for the Sons of Vet
Grams and recited an grafton He is a
fine appearing boy and spoke well
the speeches with their inspiring music.
Mother Bickerdyke, the veteran
army nurse was introduced With gray
hair and Withered features she stood
rOusing reception. I haven't much to
say boys" said she L want my boys
to be well balanced don't want to
see them leave the Republican party.
Nothing worries me so much as to see
one of my boys a Populist."
Even she is talking politics." said
one of the ladies.
Mother Bickerdyke is a privileged
character. She can talk anything she
pleases,' interpOsed some one
Mrs. Julia A Chase, president of the
Wonan's Relief corps spoke briefly.
Pedro NIeyreIles of the Soldiers Home
band sat just behind the hospital tent.
His black piercing eyes on a piece of
music. In front of the tent and out of
his sight a band was playing. He is
the judge of the band contest and was
trying to discern the fine points in the
music.
There are eight bands in the contest
but there are but two entries in the
first and second classes and those were
the only ones heard today
ManifOId's band of BelOit and the
First regiment band of Kansas City
contested for in the frst-class for the
$500 cash prize. The Emporia and
Larned bands contested in the second
elias for a prize of 5000. sTOmOrrOw Cot
tOnWOOd Falls Meriden, the Pence and
Ellsworth bands will contest in the
third class for d prize of 500. The
judge will announce the result of to-
days contests tomorrow.
This was inspection day and the reg
uIars were in their best clothes all
drawn up on the quarter stretch They
passed in review before Col. Wheaton,
the commanding officer and then Au-
jutant McCasky made a minute inspec-
ton of the arms and ACCOMPLISHMENTS of
the troops. There were marches and
countre- marches and one of the best
display drills seen this week.