St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-06-08

meeting last week, and in response to an
appeal made by Miss L. H. Chase, the
superintendent of that line, many articles
were contributed TO be sent in small
wooden boxes to the hospitals for the
army. Some of the old soldiers from the
Soldiers Home and members of the G. A.
r., made some valuable suggestions and
created some amusement by their stories.
Great was their delight in getting out OF
Andersonville and other prisons to pos
sess fine comb and obtain buttons with
what they called ''snappers" on them, so
they were not obliged to sew them on,
with common nail for thimble. They
were so ravenously hungry after their
starvation diet in prison that nine men
died soon after from over eating.
Last week three boxes of magazines
were sent to the soldiers at Chckamau-
ga, two boxes to Camp Alger, and three
boxes to DR.. Bloodgood of Brooklyn, N.
Y, for the hospitals. We give list OF
the contents of the boxes sent to the hos
pitals: jellies, canned peaches, matted
milk, cocoa, crackers in boxes, condensed
milk, beef extracts, bandages, absorbent
cotton, New Testaments, gospel and
temperance leaflets; also small comfort
bags made of strong material, contain
ing two sizes of pant buttons, two sizes
OF white buttons, rolls ofwhite tape, two
sizes of needles, Nos. and g. pin ball
filled with pins, spool of black
linen thread, a spool OF No. SO white
cotton thread, white court plaster, a
pair of scissors and other plasters. This
list was approved by the surgeons in the
navy. The society Of the D. A. R. are
actively engaged in making regulation
aprons for some of the nurses sent to the
front and 212O women have applied to the
D. A. r. war committee to go out as
nurses. We met four ladies recently who
were ordered South as nurses. Gen.
Sternburg said few weeks ago that
there had been six times as many nurses
who had applied to 60 as they could
employ but they intended to be partic-
ular and send only faithful, reliable per-
sons. The women OF the Relief Corps
and the Loyal Legion are all busy plan
ming and working and it seems that the
women are resolved not to be outdone
by the men in service.
1t is now reported that the mysterious
crafts circling round the Newfoundland
coast are vessels of the British navy in
stead of Spanish war craft, which caused
alarm on the New England coast. There
is mammoth gun under construction
a sixteenth inch rife for coast defense
being built which will be the heaviest
piece ever constructed. The gun will
weigh 125 tons when finished, be so feet
long and estimated il charged with SOC
pounds of smokeless powder it will fire g
projectle that weighs 2 ,470 pounds with
a velocity OF 1000 feet per second. Is ii
any wonder that people are beginning
to talk about the number OF pensions we
shall have if this war continues many
months? The majority favor energetic
action soon. 1t is said that the absence
OF so many men in the army will make
great difference in the coming elections
The Senate is still struggling in debate
oyer the aevenue bill We heard most
able speech by Senator Lodge of Mass
achusetts, opposing tax on saving:
banks. If another was imposed there
would be little interest left for the depos
itors with the low per cent given and &
small State tax. Savings banks are fo1
people OF limited means, not for million
aires. The war revenue Bill has brought
out considerable discussion. Mr.. DAME
of Virginia, declared that tax on banks
was just; Senator Frye insisted tina
no senator from the South knew what {
savings bank was, such as there was
in New England. 1t was largely fo
workingmen that they were established
in order to save money and help then
build homes.
Patriotism has run so high and thu
demand for flags has been so great that
there was a scarcity of them to decorate
the speakers stands on Memorial day al
the cemeteries. The Department OF the
Potomac, G. A. R. arranged as usual tt
hold memorial services in the leading
cemeteries for the patriot dead.
A great review Of troops was held May
% at Camp Alger, by the President ant
company. The National Geographic
Society went on special train on thu
Baltimore & Ohio R. r., to Harper
Ferry, West Virginia, for their annua
outing. There was a delightful part.
and the day was beautifully clear ant
cool. A ride of over SO miles through
the undulating country brought tn
party to their destination which the,
reached by walking over bridge across
the Potomac to an island, after leaving
the cars. We listened to short historical
addresses concerning the formation, ant
of the invasion during the Civil War
The party partook of either their baske
collation. or of that furnished by ca ere