Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-09-12
OLD HEROES OF THE BLUE.
Grand Army Veterans Gather at
Philadelphia.
CHICAGO NEXT YEAR.
Col. Shaw Elected Commander-in-
Chief of G. A. r. Without
Opposition.

|
third national encampment of the Grand
Army OF the Republic was formally in
augurated, Col. Johnston was accom-
panied by the posts of Cincinnati and
several bands Of music.
A large reception committee, headed
| by Gen. Lewis Wagner, chairman of the
| local executive committee, met the COM
mander at the railway station and es-
corted him to his headquarters.
The Second Day.
| Philadelphia, Pa. Sept 5.-This was
| the big day OF the Grand Army encamp-
ment and the city was alive at an early
| hour. The presence III the city Of Presl-
! dent Mckinley and his drive over the
route OF the parade aroused the greatest
| enthusiasm among the throngS. Admiral
| Sampson and the captains of his fleet
| made formal call upon the President
| before o'clock, Mr.. Mckinley receiving
| them in the reception room set apart for
| him at the hotel.
Afterward the presidential party, in
Guiding the admiral and the captains, en-
tered carriages and went over the route
| of the parade. The Presidents carriage
was drawn by four rlchly-caparisoned
| bay horses. With the President were
| Gov. Stone of Pennsylvania, Mayor
| Ashbridge and Gen. Louis Wagner. chair
man of the G. A. Il. executive commit
| tee.
AS the President started up Broad
| street. a great wave of cheering was
| started that never ceased until he had
| traVersed the entire scene Of the parade.
Reviewed by Mckinley.
The Presidential party drove past the
| historic state house. AS he passed the
| President took off his hat. The party
| reached the reviewing stand at 1910
| O'Clock, and the President waited in the
rooms of the director of public works
| until the head of the procession reached
the stand. when he again made his ap-
| pearance.
The head of the procession moved at
| III clock and marched five miles. indie
| pendence hall was passed during the
march and caps were lifted and colors
! dipped by the veterans a chorus of 1000
school-children assembled at the city hall
anu sang patriotic airs as the veterans
! passed.
Post No. l, from Rockford, H., the old
/ est post in the Grand Army, headed the
| line
Gen. James w Latta of this city was
chief marshal. Among the many relies
OF the Civil war which appeared in the
| parade was the worn and stained flag
which was used at Gen. Thomas head
| quarters. It was carried at the right of
the line IN the Society Of the Cumber-
| land at Chicago at the reception of Geu
| Grant on his return from trip around
! the world
Disable veterans rode in carria ges
! following the department of Pennsyl-
vania at the end of the line In order
consin. Ohio, New York, Connecticut
Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Yer
mont. Potomac Virginia. North Caro-
| Kansas: Minnesota, Missouri. Kec
lucky, West Virginia, Washington and
| Alaska. South Dakota. Thirty-hve thou
sand men were in line.
| The Avenue of Fame with its snow
white columns and festoons of bunting
| and laurel was the fayorite view point.
The Third Day.
| Philadelphia, Pa. Sept 6.-Thc real
business Of the Grand Army gathering
began today with the assembling of the
national encampment Ill the Grand OPP
| era house.
The national encampment met in execu-
| tive session a II o'clock. The delegates did
| not hold the customary open meeting ow-
| ing to the large amount of business to be
| transacted. The encampmcnt is made up
| of 344 delegates from the various states
| and territories, $50 department officers
| Ill national officers and post commanders
| in chief and GS2 post department COM
manders the total voting strength being
| 1862.
The opening address was made by Sc
nior Nice-Commander-in- w. G.
Johnson.
In his report A. Turner. chairman Of
| the Andersonville prison board, recon-
mends that each corps contribute one
| half a cent per member for the quarter
ending March. 1900, to be devoted to
| the property.
After the reports had been read they
were appropriately referred.
The committee on resolutions was then
,IO,.
each of the forty-fve departments.
Senior Commander Johnson, as
commander-in-chicf. was elected to serve
the unexpired term of the late Col Sex
ton. Commander Johnson will continue
in office until the end of this cncamp
ment.
Daniel Ross of Wilmington. Del, jul
nior yice-commander, was elevated to the
office Of senior vice-commandcr, succeed
ing Col. Johnson.
Chicago was selected as the next place
Of meeting.
Ovation to Mckinley.
President Mckinley received a tremen-
dous ovation last evening at the Acad-
envy Of Music, where the Grand army
was officially welcomed to the city and
state By Mayor Ashbridge and Gov
Stone. An interesting event ut this cele-
bration was the meeting of President
Mckinley and Gen Sickles of New
York The general was already seated
when the President arrived. When Pres
ident Mckinley observed the veteran he
walked toward him and Gen. Sickles
arose from his seat. They shook hands
cordially while the audience, mum boring
about 5000. made the house ring with
their paudits. The President was in
troduced as "Comrade' Mckinley. He
said iii pr:
The circle is narrowing. AS years roll on,
one after another is not present at our re-
unions. but accounted for. They have gone
to Join the great majority Of our comrades
who sleep tonight beneath the low green
tent whose curtains never outward sway.
But with ii all. my comrades, | could not
but inquire as | witnessed the vast process
sion Of veterans and heard the plaudits Of
the people. | could not but ask the ques-
ton: What has endeared this vast army
TO the American peope? The answer
comes that you saved the nation. 1t was
because you did something: aye, you sacri-
feed something
Great and good deeds never die. and the
Grand Army of the Republic is to be con.
graduated tonight that the Union it saved
is stronger, better and dcarer to the Ameri-
can people today than ever before in all our
history. We are once more and forever one
people. The blue and the gray march un-
der flag.
During last year and this summer we were