The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-01

Days Proceedings-All the officers
Were Reelected - subscriptions
Obtained to the Fund for an Arch
Over Providence Spring In Ander-
sonville Prison.
The Union ex-Prisoners of War asso-
citation yesterday held its annual gath
ering in Music hall. There was a busi-
ness session in the afternoon, supper
beginning at o'clock and a campfire
in the evening. Music hall was the
scene of each. While the membership
is not large, in comparison with other
organizations related to the Civil war,
the association occupies a position
unique among the soldiers and nearly
all who are eligible belong to it.
The auditorium was handsomely dec
GRATED with the national colors. Two
immense flags curtained the stage and
colors were draped over the balcony
railing and at the top of it's iron sup
ports on the ceiling. Many streamers
stretched from the center of the ceiling
formed an airy canopy.
A variety of causes might have been
assigned, such as death, removals and
the recent war, but the attendance at
the business meeting in the afternoon
was not large. 1t never is, when COM
pared with the larger throng which
always attends the evening campfire,
but the business gathering OF yester-
day was smaller than at any Of the
associations gatherings in recent
years. The circumstance is probably
a new reminder OF the fact that the
Civil War soldier is disappearing and
he who remains is becoming too feeble
to participate in the affairs which dur
ing more than thirty years have per-
petuated him and his fighting in the
minds of comrades and public.
BUSINESS SESSION.
When the business session began at
3 o'clock Halscy Lathrope, the COM
mander of Peckville, presided, and
Colonel Z. II. Ripple, adjutant of
Scranton, was directing the clerical
work. The other 1898 officers of the
association were N. S. Harrison. of
Montrose, vice-commander; c. L. Mer-
cereau, Scranton, quartermaster; Rev.
DIR. S. c. Logan, Scranton, chaplain,
and e. w. Pearce and c. L. Mercereau,
Scranton, and p. II. Campbell, Wilkes
Barre, executive committee.
Among the members present were
the following:
z. l.. Buck. George S. Brock, G. M.
Brandon, n. Z. Rice, S. S. Hager, o.
A. Parsons, p. V. Welteroth, John Nc
Donough, c. II. Graham, Rev. DR.. S. c.
Logan, Perry II. Fuller, G. w. Simp-
son, Hyde Crocker I. p. Long, Andrew
Zoppe, Andrew Hilbert.
DR.. Logan, the chaplain, opened the
session with prayer. Among the COM
munications read was the formal gen.
eral orders from James AtWell, OF
Pittsburg, general commander of the
National association. In 1t he referred
TO last years national encampment at
Cincinnati and the one to be held next
September in Philadelphia.
General Commander Atwell's COM
ments upon the efforts in progress for
securing q subscription fund with
which to erect q. memorial arch over
providence Spring" in the one-time
site of the Andersonville prison pen
appealed very forcibly to the Lacka-
wanna association. No Union soldier
in the pen at the time and few Of the
public who have read of the circum-
stances will forget the appearance OF
the spring within the stockade. 1t first
opened during the night and gave forth
a large stream of pure and sparkling
water at a time when thousands OF
men were helplessly i'll or dying like
rats from drinking the polluted stuff
which ran in creek bed through the
stockade but which contained all the
revolving drainage imaginable.
SUBSCRIPTIONS.
On motion of Colonel Ripple a COM
mittee was appointed to solicit sub
scriptions toward the arch fund during
the afternoon and evening. On this
committee N. e. Rice. I. p. Long, o. A
Parsons, S. S. Hager and Perry Fuller
were appointed. When the campfire
terminated about $35 had been Sc
cured. After the appointment of the
committee. Colonel Ripple, who, in tn,
early morning when the spring made
its appearance, was among the first t,
taste its flow, related the incident yes
terday in very entertaining way.
A letter of regret and a telegram OF
the same nature were read, respective.
ly, from Major T. F. Wint, of Scranton
but who is now in st. Paul, Mimi, an6
from Harry White, of Indiana, Pa
Major Wint Is q regular army Off
Ger and a Civil War veteran. He was
with the Tenth United States cavalry
in its charge up San Juan hill and had
been expected to be at the campfire
to describe the fight in which he was
shot through the thigh.
Messrs. Hager, Parsons and Fuller
were appointed q committee on nom
inations. Their recommendation that
the 1898 officers be reelected was
adopted and action was taken accord.
ingly. The following delgates and al
ternates to the national encampment
were elected: Delegates-O. A. Par,
sons, Wilkes-Barre; Colonel f. H. Rip.
pie, Scranton; 8. 8. Hager, Gouldsboro
and q. WI Simpson, Nanticoke. Alter.
nates-N. Z. Rice, C. II. Graham and
e, w. Pearce, Scranton, and c. b
Metzar, Wilkes-Barre Mr.. Rice was
selected to represent the association as
aide on the staff of the general com.
manden
THE SUPPER.
The supper was served under tn,
direction of the Women's Relief corps
of the Grand Army of the Republic
assisted by other members of the corps
on the committee We're Mrs. Randolph
Jones, Mrs. Fred. Warner, Mrs. Fred
Amsden, Mrs. Anna Strong and Mrs
John Loomis. Their assistants wer
Mrs. Maria Allen, Mrs. Rachel u. Hall
Mrs Hattie o. Bailey, Mrs. NJ. j
Mitchell, the Misses Bristley Mrs Rost
Walters, Mrs. Annie E. Hand, Mrs