The Dickinson press., 1900-09-01
ADAY OF BUSINESS
The Grand Army asan Organ
ization Devotes Itself to
Solid Work.
Mayor Harrison's Address of
Welcome Most Happily
Received.
MANY OFFICERS REPORT
Membership Statement Shows
Decrease of Over Eleven
Thousand.
Nearly Eight Thousand Mem
bers Have Died During
the Year.

CHICAGO. Aug. 3o.-The day was, for
the G.. A. R. as an organization, strictly
q day of business. For those members
who were not burdened with the re-
sponsibilities attending the position of
delegate to the convention of the
Grand Army it was day for anything
and everything but business. From
morning to night the convention la.
bored at it's work in Studebaker hall
listening to numerous reports from off,
GERS and committees, while the vast
majority of the old soldiers went to the
parks, took boat rides upon the lake
and accepted an invitation from the
packers to visit the stock yards.
The convention opened at 1890 o'clock
with prayer by Chaplain Grimm
Mayor Harrison came to the front of
the rostrum and formally welcomed the
soldiers to Chicago. His address was
happily received. Commander.in.C Chief
Shaw replied to Mayor Harrison for the
members Of his organization, express.
ing the thanks of the army for the hos
pitality shown them. ]. M. Longe.
necker, commander of the department
Of Illinois, then greeted the visiting
veterans in behalf of the soldiers of
Illinois. He made a happy little speech
which evoked much applause. Gen.
eral Louis Wagner, who responded for
the members of the army, was no less
felicitious in his reply, expressing the
gratitude of his comrades to the men of
Illinois.
Various Officers Read Reports.
The convention SNassembled at .
o'clock in the afternoon and this time
there were no preliminaries. Action
was opened at once by General Shaw,
who read his annual report.
Following the address of General
Shaw came long list of reports SUBJ
mitted by minor officials and the yari-
GUS committees of the organization.
The reports read were those of the OK
ecutive committee, council of admins
tration, Adjutant General Stewart,
Quartermaster General Atkinson, Sur
geon General Baker, Chaplain-in.C Chief
Grimm, Judge Advocate General Tor.
renee, Senior Vice Commander.in.C Chief
Robbins, Junior Vice Commander.in-
Chief Minton, Custodian Holcomb, III
spector General Cummings, committee
on legislation Of veterans in public serv-
ice and the committee on pension leg
islation.
At the conclusion Of the reading of
the annual reports of the various officers
recess was taken until 2:30 p. IN.
when consideration of reports was re-
sumed in executive session. Many of
the delegates visited the stockyards at
the invitation of the packing interests
and were shown through the vast
buildings.
Falling or in Membership.
The report of Adjutant General
Thomas j. Stewart shows that the total
membership of the Grand Army of the
Republic in good standing June 30,
1899, was 1906 posts with a mem ber-
ship of 2s7,36s; on June 80, 1900, GIFTS
posts with membership of 276,662, a
loss for the year Of 1879.
The report of Surgeon General Will
lam H. Baker shows the number of
deaths during the year ending Dec. 81,
1899, were 1857, divided as follows:
Number who presumably died of
wounds received in the service, 1868;
number who presumably died Of disease
contracted in the service, 1926; number
who presumably died from other
causes, 5,198. The total money value
Of medical service and supplies fur
nished during the year was estimated
at $36, 199.
The committee an legislation for vet
Grams in the public service 'regretfully
reports little progress. -