The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-08-26
BLACK HAWK WAR VETERANS
GREAT REUNION OF FAMOUS
FIGHTERS OF EARLY DAYS.
Day Spent In Song and Story of the
Hard Fought Battles With the
Indian Foe.
e oecial Correspondence. !

Provo, Aug. 26.-There was all kinds OF
fun at the Provo lake resort today al
the encampment of the Black Hawk vet
Grams. 1t was the second day of the an
nual reunion and the regular programmes
OF songs and speeches by the comrades
were gwen.
Among the, $50 veterans who were pres
ent was TO be seen James Eli Ashcraf IT,
He came through this country in As and
delights in telling the story or how he
CHASED bank robbers from Kansas to Sau
perhardino, where he captured them, and
the Indians.
Colonel John L. Ivie of RichfieId was
also there. Colonel r. n. Alfred of Ches-
ter came up, too. to mingle with his old
comrades. and ]. b. Matson of Springville
though bowed down with the weight oil
many years. also managed to be present
samuel Allen of Mt. Pheasant was also
there
During the programme of the morning
many songs were sung by the old soldiers,
ana also by their descendants. that were
composed especially for this occasion.
AFTER song and prayer by Chaplain r.
n. aired, an address was delivered by
captain Jonathan Page of Payson. He
spoke OF his early experiences. enumerat-
ing MS many adventures and brushes
with the Indians. The story was full OF
fire and interesting
Miss Agnes Page of Payson recited in
very pleasing way The True Pa
Professor J.-B. Walton followed with a
poem by George Mckenzie. one of the
veterans, being a historical sketch of
Utah, telling of its growth during the
hrst fifty years of its history.
Lieutenant A. Saxey, a member of the
Grand Army of the Republic. spoke
diers present and comparing in telling
way their deeds with those or the soldiers
of the civil war
After Mr.. Saxey's address. the Peay
n
Next was a song by Captain Albert
Jones, composed by himself while on
picket duty on the Sewer river. entitled
Severe Enough
Miss Mertle Hall of Springyille delivered
a recitation. "Shun the Wine Cup
Asa Biglow of PaysoQ told in a char
acteristic and vivid way the story of the
first war with the Indians in Provo. He
told how at that time the Garden City
was but fort on the banks of the Provo;
now the inhabitants had to keep guard;
how the hard winters came and went.
with no ceasing of hostilities, and how,
after all their hardships. they conquered.
Tine morning programme was ended
with a patriotic song by the Springville
comrades.
In the afternoon another programme
was rendered. After a selection by the
martial band and q song by the Comrade
chorus, Colonel AndrIs of st. George ad-
blood of the Black Hawk wars. he said,
was spilled here in Provo. He recounted
many of his experiences with the Indians
and hardships of youth.
Miss Maggie Jones of Spanish Fork re-
cited Texas, Down on the Rio Grande.''
.Comrade George B. Matson tottered up
TO the speakers stand and added a few
remarks to those already given. He came
out to Utah in IL, and during the years
of strife that followed was in the front
in many fight. He was too weak to
speak with much force. but those who
could hear him felt the pathos of truth
and tragedy in every word.
George Harrison of Springville sang
The Charcoal Driver
Major Pierce gave a few "reminiscences.
He was in the Walker war. A boy of 10.
he heard the first gun pop in that war
and since then has been one of the piO-
neers on the frontier. He paid tribute
to the wives and mothers of the veterans,
saying that TO them belongs the glory as
much as TO the fighters. for they had TO
endure and suffer and they did IL nobly.
William McCallister of Kanab sang a
song, The Mule on the Road"
George Baker of Charleston recited
THE New State"
Major Pierce spoke again. just to add
returned from Manila. He said that to
him it was no surprise that those boys
should carry the palm of courage and be
so brave. for they are the descendants of
the hardy men and women who conquered
this rugged region.
Mayor 5. s. Jones delivered a patriotic
address that was received with enthusi-
aSm.
In the evening the people enjoy them
selves with boating and bathing and
iancing.