Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-09-12
OLD VETS KEEP STEP
Grand Army Members Pass in Re-
view Before the President.
GREAT PARADE IN PHILADELPHIA.
Fully $4,000 Men In Line-President
Visits the Fleet-An Address
at Night-His Departure
for Washington.

|
Philadelphia, Sept. 6.-Tuesday was
the big day of the grand army encamp-
ment and the city was alive at an early
hour. The presence in the city of Presi-
dent Mckinley increased the interest
and his drive over the route of the
parade aroused the greatest enthusiasm
among the throngs on the streets. Adj
miral Sampson and the captains of his
fleet made formal call upon the presi-
dent before nine o'clock, Mr.. Mckinley
receiving them in the reception room
set apart for him during his stay at the
Hotel Walton.
President Given Ovation.
Afterward the presidential party, in
Guiding the admiral and the captains,
entered carriages and went over the
route of the parade. The presidents
carriage was drawn by four richly
caparisoned bay horses. With the
president were Gov. Stone of Pennsyl-
vania, Mayor Ashbridge and Gen. Louis
Wagner, chairman of the G. A. r.
executive committee.
AS the president started up Broad
street a great wave of cheering was
started that never ceased until the pres
ident had traversed the entire route of
parade and back again. The stands
along the route were crowded and their
occupants would rise en- masse and
cheer.
The presidential party drove down
Chestnut street past the historic state
house, where the nation was born, and
as he passed the president took off his
hat. A wild outburst of cheering fol-
lowed. The party reached the review
ing stand at 0:10 o'clock, and the pres
ident waited in the rooms of the direc-
tor of public works until the head of the
procession reached the stand, when he
again made his appearance.
The object in driving the president
over the route of the parade was to give
him chance to see the people and the
decorations and to give the people an
opportunity to see the president.
The Parade.
The head of the procession moved at
ten o'clock down Broad street, east side
of city hall, to Market street to Fourth,
to Chestnut, to Broad, to Pine, where
the parade was dismissed.
The distance covered was five miles.
independence hall was passed during
the march and caps were lifted and
colors dipped by the veterans. The
chorus of 5000 school children occupied
portion of the grand stand on the
north side of the city hall and sang pa
triotic airs as the veterans passed.
Post No. 1, from Rockford, ILL.,, the
oldest post in the grand army, headed
the line.
Gen. James w. Lattax, of this city,
was chief marshal.
A Venerable Relic.
Among the many relics of the civil
war which appeared in the parade was
the worn and stained flag which floated
at the head Of the line of the Illinois
division and at the right of the George
H. Thomas Post No. 5. This flag was
used at Gen. Thomas headquarters. 1t
was carried at the right of line in the
Society of the Cumberland at Chicago
at the reception of Gen. Grant on his
return from trip around the world.
Disabled veterans rode in carriages
following the department of Pennsyl-
vania at the end of the line. In order
came the departments of Illinois, Wis
consin, Ohio, New York, Connecticut,
Massachusetts,, New Jersey, Maine,
Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Yer
mont, Potomac, Virginia, North Caro-
lima, Maryland, Nebraska, Michigan,
Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Kentucky,
West Virginia, Washington, Alaska and
South Dakota. Thirty-five thousand
men were in line.
At no celebration since the centennial
has this city seen the crowds which lined
the streets along which the veterans
passed. The Avenue of Fame with its
snow-white columns and festoons Of
bunting and laurel was the favorite
view point.
Telegram to Mrs. Mckinley,
Gen. Louis Wagner, chairman of the
committee, sent the following telegram
to Mrs. Mckinley:
'Philadelphia's one million and quarter
of citizens and the one hundred thousand
strangers within her gates regret exceed
very pleasant gathering, and they Join in
greetings OF regard and Affection
President Visits the Fleet,
A visit to the feet was decided upon
Tuesday morning when Admiral Samp-
son called upon the president at the
Hotel Walton. 1t was the intention to
have the chief executive remain here
until Friday to review the naval pa
rade and visit the squadron, but the
presidents desire to return to Washing
ton caused Encouragement in the pro-
gramme. The visit of the president to
the squadron proved to be the greatest
marine spectacle ever seen here. 1t was
the intention to have Mr.. Mckinley to
visit only the New York, but he grew
SO enthusiastic over the great fighters
that he suddenly made up his mind to
inspect all of them. Accordingly he
visited the flagship New York, cruiser
Brooklyn and the battleships Indiana,
Massachusetts,. and Texas. 1t was his
intention to also visit the cruiser De-
troit, but much to his regret he was
unable to do so on account of lack of
time. There was almost a continuous
roar of guns during the ~ hours that
it took to inspect the vessels. In all
462 guns were fired by the squadron in
presidential salutes.
Notwithstanding the fact that it was
not generally known that Mr.. Mckinley
would visit the squadron, there was
great crowd at Chestnut street wharf
when he boarded the admiral's pulling
barge, manned by IL bronzed sailors
from the New York. 1t was nearly noon
when official information came to the