The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-31
ARE STREWN WITH ROSES
GRAVES OF THE DEAD HEROES
ARE AGAIN DECORATED

At Each of the Cemeteries Appro-
pirate Exercises and the Annual
Custom of Placing Flowers and
Flags Over the Resting Places of
the Old Soldiers Is ReverentiaIIy
Repeated-Large Crowds.
The down town streets of st. Paul were
quiet, yesterday morning, for the GUS
tom or visiting the cemeteries and the
graves of departed fathers, husbands
and brothers has not been SO generally
observed for several years. With the
coming OF each Memorial day there are
feWer veterans to perform the loving
work or decorating the graves of the
dead heroes with flags and flowers, but
each year the work is given more and
more attention by the sons and daugh-
ters
The perfect weather Of yesterday took
many to the cemeteries, but undoubt-
edly the day had an especial signifi-
canoe this year, since every one was
mindful Of the fact that there are now
thousands and thousands Of soldiers in
the Held ready and willing to die, if
need be, for their country.
The exodus to the cemeteries began
In the early morning hours, and the
street cars were crowded with men,
women and children carrying baskets
and punches Of flowers and ported
plants to place on the graves of loved
ones. One of the most noticeable things
IN which this Memorial day differed
from past years, was the observing of
the request of the committee that the
day be regarded as a day Of prayer
ind retro-spectlon.
AT OAKLAND CEMETERY.
The crowd at Oakland was larger
than for number Of years on similar
OCCASIONS. The detachment from Acker,
Garfield and Ord posts assigned to go
to Oakland, appeared very promptly at
the cemetery at o'clock The detadh-
ment from Acker post was in COM
mand of Senior Vice Commander Pat
rick Henry. Past Department Com
mander r. A. Becker was also in the
line. The detachment from Garfield
post was commanded by Commander
George O. Austin. The Minnesota
Naval Veterans association was repre-
scented by Lieutenant Commander M.
L. Brigham, of the national organiza-
ton.
hundred school children, many of
them periodically dressed, were on
hand, and were used by the veterans
to carry flowers from the general rem
devious to the graves of the dead SOL
dlers. The detachment broke up into
squads, each headed by group of Oh l.
dren, bearing the garlands. At each
grave the usual ceremony Of laying
the floral tributes and kneeling with
uncovered head was gone through with.
A total of 260 graves were reverentially
decorated.
Reassembling at 10 o'clock at Soldiers
Rest, Bugler c. E. easier sounded "As-
sembly," and the different posts and
ladies' auxiliary societies of different
branches. assembled around the graves
at Soldiers Rest. The 1000 people in
the form of a square, in the center of
which were the leading officers Of all
the organizations, with the color bear
ers, and detachment of Sons of Vet
Grams under Capt. Eben Cakes. The
colOrs and the officers were photograph
ed kneeling at the graves.
Aeolian Ladies' quartette sang the
touching song, always repeated on
these occasions, 1.-THE Vacant Chair
wagon, was backed up to the scene,
and, on the tailboard Of this the ladies
took their stand.
An invocation by Rev. Alexander Nc
Gregor was one of thanksgiving for
the past victories, of conservation for
the lives OF those departed and present,
and of prayer for the future.
The reading of the general Memorial
day orders and the address Of Presi-
dent Lincoln, at Gettysburg, always a
part of Memorial day ceremonies. fol-
lowed. Capt. Becker read the orders
and Oscar Hallam the address of Pres
1dent Lincoln. Impressive portions of
the service was the decoration of the
soldiers cross with wreaths, dedicated
to different heroes. AS each wreath
was passed to Comrade Henry the lat
ter read the name of the hero or the
post to whom it was dedicated
A wreath dedicated to the crew of
the Maine was presented. Up to this
time there had been absolute silence,
but now Subdued cheer was heard,
and many o~&ped their hands An
other demonstration, subdued but very
evident, occurred soon after when an
other wreath for the Maine was sent
up. Wreaths were hung upon the
cross in memory of dead department
prisoners of war, naval veterans, and
many others. Owing to the illness of
Commander w. H. Burns, of Acker
post, the address to have been deliv-
cred by him was read by Comrade
Henry. The address was short but elo-
quent.
1--WE are here for the dual purposes
of honoring the dead and their noble
achievements. To renew our pledges
of loyalty to our country, and to re-
mind all of the duties of patriotism. 1t
is festival for the dead
The address referred to the desolate
homes and prayed comfort would come
to the afflicted. LET us recall the toll.
the fidelity in battle, in the hospital, in
the prison pen, and let US not forget
the country which they fought for
An address by Capt. E. E. Woodman
followed. He said that when we could
look back with pride that the origin of
this nation was through the sword, ard
its preservation was through the
sword, we ought not to disparage the
sword as a medium to accomplish such
great ends. The war spirit has greatly
decreased the last 300 years, yet for
every treaty Of peace made since that
time, there has been two wars. War
had piled the world high with debt vet
it could not be called an unmitigated
evil for the reason that it had achieved
noble ends. 1t had been a great thing
for America. Before the Civil war,
there was not a European ruler or
writer who would dare say that there
was any military power in a republic.
America, he said, had been plunged
from the sunshine of peace into the
gloom Of war in a day, and he was
proud to say that scores of those who
were at the front, were sons Of those
who lay dead before them He be-
lieved the sons would return soon and
hang their swords by the side of the
fathers sword, both to have places of
perpetual honor.
The audience sang America" lead
by the quartette. The squad Of Sons
Of Veterans fired the salute for the
dead. The bugle sounded taps and the
dead left to their rest until another
year shall have rolled around.