The Portland daily press., 1897-08-28
A THING OF THE PAST
Is the Great G. A. r. Encampment Of
1897.

Is the Great g. A. r. Encampment Of
1897.
1t Adjourned Yesterday Afternoon ne
ing Elected Minor Officers and r,..a
acted Other Business.
Buffalo, August 27.-Night finds the
Grand Army in retreat from RnYa1o
The encampment of 1897 is over and ~.
comrades are leaving town as faet as
the railroads can carry them. Rand
ter ba nd folio wed by weary men trndg-
ing to the railroad stations, passed down
the streets at intervals during the eve
ming. "Home Sweet Home'' was tho
usual selection and the crowds which
still fill the streets shouted good bye after
the departing comrades.
The last function on the long nro.
gra1nme of events was reception Of
officers and chairman of the women,s
citizens committee at Women's head.
quarters at 8 o'clock.
The commander-in-chiefs Headquarters
was closed at 9 O'Clock and by 9. 80 the ad .
jutant generals office was dark. The
bugler of the encampment might we'll
have sounded flights out"
1 Buffalo, N. Y, August 72.-The second
days session of the Grand ARMY en-
campment was opened at 9.15 O'Clock.
General Clarkson presided.
The session, like. that of yesterday.
was strictly private. Guards with mus
kets were at the doors and only G. AIR.
men with the countersign were admitted.
The election of officers from senior vice
commander down was taken up under the
order of business. Alfred Lythe of Bid
we'll Wilson Post, of Buffalo, was unani-
mously elected senior vice commander.
Major Al. Smith. of his post, present
ed his name to the convention The notni-
nation was seconded by Col. Shaw, COM
nander of the department. of New York
The adjutant general was instructed to
cast the vote of the encampment'f for Mr..
Lythe.
When the nominations for Junior vice
comander-in chief had been declared Con
gresham Picker of South Dakotas who
was chairman of the committee OH pen
slons at the last Congress, rose and en-
deavored to put up man from his state.
Commandment in Chief Clarkson ruled
that he was out of order, but Mr.. Pick Ter
persisted. On a vote the ruling of the
commander in chief was sustained. MIR.
Picker yielded with great reluctance.
The usual courtesy OF the encampment
was extended to the Woman's Relief
Corps, and committee was admitted to
the floor to make the report of the auxili-
AIRY organization. The committee consist
ed Of Mrs. Bagley of Ohio, national trea-
surer; Miss Bross Of Illinois, past nation
al secretary. and Mrs. Clara Burleigh of
Massachusetts,, past department. president
of Massachusetts. The report consisted
Of a synopsis of the work done by the
Woman's Relief Corps and its submission
occurred between the nominations for
Junior vice-commander and the speeches
seconding the nominations.
At 1.25 O'Clock DR.. David Mackay, a
practicing physician of Dallas, Tex, Was
elected unanimously surgeon general of
the Grand Army.
The first ballot for junior vice comman-
der did not result in choice, but later
the adjutant general was instructed to
cast the vote OF the encampment for
Francis B, Allen of Hartford
The commander n-chief of the depart
ment of New York, offered q resolutian
providing that the last Sunday in May,
be observed as Memorial day and spoke
at great length in support OF it, Sllbse-
quently the resolution was defeated.
Rev. Frank g. Brunder, pastor of the
First Methodist church of Chicago, was
unanimously elected chaplain of the
Grand Army.
The newly elected officers were then
installed and the encampment adjourned
at 40 to meet in Cincinnati next year.
Isl
Among the reports receiving favorable
consideration in the executive session of
the encampment was that of the pension
committee. 1t recommended readiust.
ment of widows pensions and presented o
form of proof and application in pension
claims substantially the same as that EN-
bodied IN the Picker bill which has
passed the national House of Representa-
tives, but has not passed the senate. The
report stated that the present commits
sloner of pensions had consented to adopt
new rules substantially the same as those
in force during the Harrison administra-
ton. The report also recommended that
the Congress pass pension law to apply
to all veterans who have reached the age
OF OF years. The report of the COMMITTEES
having in charge the memorializing of
Congress to purchase several of the most
important battle fields about Fredericks
burg, Va. and connect them by govern
ment roads, was adopted.
Another committee reported fayorably
the proposition to establish national parks
at the battletields of Vicksburg. Stony
Rlyer and Appomatonax.
The report of the committee on text
books used in the public schools was
adopted. The report deals severely with
some of the histories used in the South
charging that they misstate tho facts as
to the cause of the rebellion and present
them from southern point Of view. The
report closed with this recommendation.
That this encampment urge the con.
tlnued agitation of the question of i'm
proved text, books in our schools that re
late to the history of the United States
especially as to the events of the War Of
the Rebellion
Portland Man Among Them.
Following is the new Council Of Adj
ministration of the G. A R.: Alabama
W. Ackerson; Arizona, d. NJ Moore Ar,
kansas. 6. W. Clark; California and No.
vada, Major Charles A. Woodruff. IT 6
A.; Colorado and Wyoming, B. L. Carr.
NNrar