The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-09-05
VETS OF THE
CIVIL WAR
Their Encampment at
Chicago.
A DAY OF SPEECHMAK|NG
Gray Haired Campaigners Vary the
Business Program With a
Lively Bicycle Race.

CHICAGO. Aug 29.-In Studebaker Hall
this morning the veterans of the G.. A. r.
who yesterday marched in parade, turned
their attention to matters of business. ;
The annual meeting was formally called
10 order at 1890 o'clock by Commander
for the meeung was 10 o'clock but so
many of the old so.-.ers were late in an |
swering the roll call that it was found
impossible to commence on time.
Gen. Shaw announced that the meeting
would be opened with prayer by Chaplain |
Gtann. The audience rose and remained
standing during the prayer. Mayor Har-
rison then came to the front of the
rostrum to formally welcome the soldiers
- Chicago. His address which was hap
: PLY received. was in part as follows:
! II esteem il a high privilege to be per-
mitted In behalf of the city of Chicago to
extend it's official greeting to the Grand
Army of the Republic and in it's name
70 welcome each and every member of
your historic association to our hearts.
our homes and our hearth. Chicago is
at all times a hospitable city, and If her
greeting 10 the stranger within, its gates
be always warm hearted and spontaneous
what must X be when that guest is the
great organization of men who for four
-ng years braved all the dangers of dis
ease. wounds md death. anti>sli from
pure uusehisn desotion to the best inter-
ests Of our common country.
since the dawn of civilization, patriotic
devotion TO the fatherland has led TO
splendid acts OF heroism and the display
of lofty patriotism, but. nowhere can we
find a counterpart to the record of this
ma ation during those days of civil strife.
when an almost countless army of pat
riots forsook home and fireside, that
government Of free men. the first in all
the history of the world, might remain
mighty and intact. The people of Chi
cago, being part and parcel of the great
state of Hlinois-the state that gave TO
the Union a Lincoln and a Douglass.
. Grant and a Logan. could not be other
than patriotic as they were.
Nothing so inspires as high example
and with such Illinois has again and
I again been blessed. And so today 1 can
speak for all our citizens in volcing their
thanks for the services of the Grand
Army, as well as their congratulations on
the success that has attended your ef-
, forts. In every corner of our land the
flag stands for one and the same idea,
: in city and hamlet, on farm and planta-
tion, II receives equal reverence and de-
yotion
THE people of Chicago in common with
all the nations, appreciative of your ser
vices, bid you a welcome so hearty and
50 warm that II the thanks of a grateful
community count for anything you may
feel in some measure repaid for the trials,
: the dangers and the sufferings of the
past. Chicago is yours not only for to-
day. but for all days"
: Commander-in-Chief Shaw OF the Grand
x Army. replied to Mayor Harrison for the
> members of his organization. expressing
the thanks of the army for the hospital
e ity shown them. His address was al
y eloquent one.
u As Gen. Shaw resumed his seat, ]. A
ILcngnecker. commander of the depart
rent of Illinois, rose 10 greet the veterans
:. in behalf of the soldiers of Illinois. He
a made little speech which evoked no lit
: tie applause. Gen. Wagner, who respond
:; ed for the members of the army, was NJ
- less felicitious in his reply, expressing
- the gratitude OF his comrades TO the mel
= of Illinois This closed the meeting o
= the morning as Immediately after Gen
~ Wagners address Mr. Longnecker
Mayor Harrison and Gen. Shaw held al
informal reception lasting half an hour
The convention reassembled at 2 o'clocl
: and this time there were no preliminaries
The action was opened at once by Gen
Shaw who read his annual report.
n Following the address of Gen. Shaw
J. came a long list of reports submitted b,
re the minor officials and the various com
al mittees of organization. The reports rea
al We're those of the executive committee
council Of administration, Adjutant Gen
n eral Stewart, Quartermaster General Al
n kinson, Surgeon General Baker, Chaplai
u in Chief Grimm, Judge Advocate Genera
D. Torrance, Senior ce-Commander-in
Chief Robbins. Junior Vice-Commander
". in-Chief Minton. Custodian Holcolmb. IT
s. spector General Cummins. Committee o
of Legislation veterans public service an
ed the Committee on pension legislation
One of the features of the encamT
he ment which attracted much attention wa
ne the veterans bicycle road race, in whic
20. ltwenty-nine old soldiers started tn
IS lcourse was from Halstead street straigf
he west to Garfield Park. and once aroun
n the park. a total distance of five mile
"a: lThe winner was j. Patterson. 81 years {
nd age, Of Greenfield. Ind. Patterson COY
ty lered the distance In 1888. taking the tim
ID. lprize also.
It's NJ. Hammerly. 60 years Of age. fnishe
nd second In 2i.5s
IT. NJ. =. Shook of Chicago. while ridinl
Wy oollided with another rider and Wa
thrown and badly hut not dangerousl
Ii bruised. OF the twenty-nine starters
-e- the race. twenty-six finished.
IS