The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-29
MASSES OF ROSES
TOmbs of the Old Soldiers
Never So Decorated
AS They We're by the Grand
Army Today.
ALMOST BY THE TON
We're Blossoms Brought to
Deck the Graves.
The Gage Monument Hung
Thick With GarIands.

Never before in the history of Topeka
was the cemetery so Iavishly decorated
with flowers. The fine weather en-
couraged people to furnish thousands
| of roses and other kinds of flowers and
the graves look like flower gardens.
The whole cemetery blooms and never
before did it look prettier The city
school children added much to the
beauty of the decorations by furnishing
large masses of flowers for the decOra-
ton of soldiers graves. Thousands
whose relatives are buried in Topeka
cemetery went there this morning and
placed floral offerings on the graves.
There was nearly twice the number
of flower offerings this year as in any
former year.
Details from the various Grand Army
posts of the city and the auxiliary or
g'anizations met at old Music hall this
morning to receive the flowers for the
soldiers graves. There were 70 Veter-
ans from Topeka post No. II in charge
Of 0. H. Coulter, 20 from Lincoln post
No. 1 under orders of w. K. Brubaker
and five from Fort Pillow post No. 321
in charge of H. j. Lacey. In addition
there were details of 10 women from
Lincoln circle, 10 from the Relief corps
of No II and three each from the Re
lief corps and Circle of Fort Pillow
A firing squad of 12 and four buglers
from the Sons of Veterans guard under
orders of Sergeant VickerS accOnpa-
n1eQ the veteran 0GCOIdlO1Ss <AI V-oV
o'clock several wagon loads of flowers
were taken to the cemetery and the old
soldiers boarded electric cars and were
taken out At the cemetery they form
ed in line and marched to the Gage
memorial monument to the music OF the
buglers Grouping themselves in an
unbroken circle around the grass plat
enclosing the monument the rltualisuc
services of the Grand Army were held
The Gage monument was handsomely
decorated with wreaths of flowers. DR.
F. De Obert did the decorating. He
used 125 feet of wreaths in so doing.
The stately soldier on the high pedestal
was almost covered with beautiful flow
ers At the base three large boxes of
flowers were laid.
The Grand Army officers stood at the
base of the monument facing east, while
directly in front of them on the grass
plot stood the Sons of Veterans firing
SQUAD and buglars. Around all stood over
100 old soldiers and women OF the aux
iliary organizations.
Mr.. O. H. Coulter, as master of cere-
monies, asked the veterans to uncover
their heads. Then he addressed them
Comrades, the duty of today is of
impressive significance. We meet TO
honor our dead and to deepen our rev
erence for their worth; to strengthen
among ourselves the bond of fratern1-
ty by recalling the memory of expert
ences common to US all; to encourage
a more generous charity for our COM
for the destitute wards of the Grand
Army; to renew our pledge of loyalty
to our country and our flag, and to
emphasize in the minds and hearts of
all who may unite with US the privil-
ege of patriotism. 1t is expected that
throughout our services each one will
manifest the most courteous and rev
erent decOrum. Let our soldiery de-
pertinent be such that we may worth
ily honor the graves we decorate, the
memories we cherish, the flag we sa-
Lutte and the Grand Army to which we
belong"
Following this was a prayer by Chap
lain Geo. Dunn Of Post No. 1. w. E.
Brubaker. as master of the day, then
stepped forward with a large bouquet
of flowers and scattered them on the
ground in honor Of the soldier dead.
a salute of three guns was fired and
Rev. Nj. c. Long asked the benediction,
giving a fervent appeal for the old sol
diers.
stepped forward and said that as Com
rade G. G. Gage had placed the hand
some monument there to the memory
of the unknown soldier dead, that .'as
he had ministered to the old comrades
the master of all would certainly re-