The Portland daily press., 1899-05-31
THE PROCESSION.
IL Was Not as Long as Usual but Many
Veterans Participated.

Contrary to indications on Monday,
Msmorial Day dawned bright and fair
and all nature seemed to smile on the ex-
ercises commemorative Of the dead whose
graves were decorated with flowers. Dur
ing the forenoon delegations from the
Grand Army posts and Shepley camp.
Sons of Veterans, placed flowers on the
graves in the Eastern, Western and Cal
vary CEN eteries and decorated the Gar.
field and Lincoln trees. In the afternoon
there was short parade, the Soldiers and
Sailors monument was decorated and
the graves In Evergreen cemetary visited
By the veterans.
The parade which formed on Free street
at half past.one O'Clock was not q long
or as imposing as 1t has been In years
past This was owing to the fact thai
the National Guard organisations have
not been equipped with uniforms or arms
since the war and were In no condition
to Iarticipate in the exercises as body.
The route Of the procession was much
shorter than usual too and in fact year by
year the route is shortened as the vete-
rams grow older ana less able to make the
long marches. The procession was formed
| as follows:
Platoon of police under the command of
Officer Heath.
Chief Marshal Leroy H. Tobie.
Staff of the Chief Marshal as follows ::
q. o. d. Soule of Thatcher post
chief of staff; aids, Albert h. Purin-
ton of Bosworth post, Capt. Harry Nj.
;oka IF SONG nj
Veterans. and Lieut. Harold Nj. Stev-
ems of the battalion of High School
cadets Capt. Edwin A. Merritt of
Shspley camp, color bearer; Carroll
II. Chaplin Of the High school cadees
busaer.
UhandIsr's Full Military Band.
The Signal corps, NJ. N. G. Capt. But
Ter commanding.
The Battalion of High School cadets,
Major Gaien ri. Harris. commanding.
Ellsworth post, No 2. q. A. e., Herbert
r. Sargent, commander.
Tn atcher post, No. i'll, q. A. r., John
Q. Ross, commander.
Shepley camp, Sons of Veterans W. L.
Harris, captain, commanding.
Com mittees from Veterans OF the Spanish
war.
Carriages containing disabled veterans
and ladies carrying wreaths for the
monument.
After marching up Free street to High
and thence down Congress to Monument
square the procession formed In hollow
square and while the band PLAYED dirge
the wreaths were placed ct the base Of the
m nument These exercises are always
very impressive and this ear were more
so than ever.
The procession then marched down
Federal to Temple street and there dis
banded while the veterans and those hav-
ing graves to decorate took the electrics
for Evergreen cemetery where the usual
ceremonies were observed.
This year the national guard companies
hnd graves of their own to decorate and
committees from each company took
"a part on the parade and afterwards az
| tended to their sad duties.
Ths marching of the signal corps and
High School cadets, the only armed
bodies In the parade were especially tine
and these organizations received many
compliments on all sides for their fine ap.
pesrancs.
| The streets were carefully policed and
| Monument Square where the crowd was
the largest the police arrangements were
first class and the exercises passed of as
smoothly as could be desired.
| All over the city the flags on public
buildings and private residences Ware dis
played at half mast in honor of tho day
| and the same was true of the vessels IN
| the harbor.
| Chambers band was led by Walker and
Butterneld, two drum majors who did
as fine work in handling the baton IA has
been seen IN long time. They executed
the double pass while on the street, a