The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-21
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
PRESIDENT M'KINLEY ATTENDS THE
ANNUAL REUNION AT TROY.
He Inspects a Collar Factory, Visits
Watervliet Arsenal and Views a Pa
rade-Red Flag Pulled Down.

TROY, N. Y, Aug. 20.-The Society of the
Army of the Potomac began it's twenty
eighth annual reunion here to-day, with
President Mckinley and Secretary of War
Alger as it's chief guests. There was a
large attendance of veterans and a notable
parade in honor Of the visitors.
President Mckinley and Secretary Alger
arrived in the city at $3.50 o'clock. At the
station they were met by Adjutant General
Tillinghast and Governor Blacks military
secretary. Colonel TreadweH. There was a
crowd and plenty of cheering, but the
President refused to speak and entered
carriage and was driven at once to the
Troy House. At 10 o'clock he was taken
with his party to see a great collar factory,
with over two thousand girls and women
employees at work. Senator Edward Muir
ply accompanied the President and Secre-
tary Alger to the factory and the pro-
prietors showed them through Every one
of the two thousand employees was deco
rated with a flag and many of the ma
chimes were also adorned with the national
colors In each room, except the laundry
and machinery room, the operatives stood
up when the President entered and cheered
vociferousy. After the inspection he said:
1T was not only a novel, but to me very
wonderful sight"
At the conclusion of the inspection the
President ard escort went across the river
to the Watervliet Arsenal, where the in
teresting work of shrinking a gun jacket
upon a gun was witnessed. The national
salute was fired and the guard turned out.
President Mckinley expressed satisfaction
at the busy condition of things. AS the
party crossed the river every boat within
a mile Of the city water front blew sa-
Lutte.
There was a curious incident before the
parade of the troops. The chief of the de-
tective force, impressed with the respon-
sibility of the protection he must afford to
the President, was riding along the route
of the march when he espied a red flag
waving from a staff attached to a tree
He stopped and asked who was holding
an auction, and somebody near by shouted:
Anarchist to kill Mckinley; that's the
signal" In an instant, with visions of
Canovas and Faure, the flag was torn
down and the staff broken. Then the grand
marshal of the day appeared and with
much anger declared that the flag was a
signal to the National Guard troops to
prepare for marching salute. The flag
was restored.
The parade in honor of the President and
the Army OF the POtOm3c was one of the
largest ever seen in Troy, nearly 1850
guardsmen were in line and about 900 sur
NvOrs Of the late war. The three National
Guard companies of Troy acted as escort
to the presidential party and Governor
Frank S. Black and staff. All along the
line of march the parading column was
greeted by thousands that lined the pave
ments and filled every available point of
vantage.
The only active part that the President
took in the proceedings of the reunion was
in a visit to the Ninth Corps of which he
is a member. The corps gave him an ova-
tion and finally elected him honorary presl-
dent. The President, in a few words, ac-
cepted the honor, signed his name to the
register and left the room with the corps
badge on his breast. He stated that he was
a sergeant in the Twenty-third Ohio Regl-
ment of the Ninth Corps, under command
OF Rutherford 3. Hayes.
In the evening the President attended
the public meeting of the Army of the Po-
tomac in Music Hall. The place was
received a great ovation General Alger
was not with him. having left on o special
train at 4:30 o'clock for New York to at
tend to special business for the President
Governor Black made the opening address.
He extended, in behalf Of the State. a cor
dial welcome to the Society of the Army of
the Potomac. Mayor Mallery then made
a few appropriate remarks There was a
brief response by the president of the So
ciety, and then Maj. G. A. Woodruff, the
orator of the day, delivered an grafton.
army poem by Capt. r. W. Raymond,
United States Volunteers.
At II 80 o'clock President Mckinley and
his party took the train for Bluff Point