The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-09-07
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. II.
who yesterday marched in parade, turned
their attention to matters of business.
The annual meeting was formally called
TO order at 1880 o'clock by Commander
in-Chlef Shaw. The hour originally set
for the meeung was 10 o'clock but so
many of the old so.-lers were late in an
swering the roll call that 1t was found
impossible to commence on time.
Gen. Shaw announced that the meeting
would be opened with prayer by Chaplain
Granin. 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
to Chicago. His address which was hap
PLY received, was in part as follows:
II esteem 1t n high privilege to be per-
mitted in behalf of the city of Chicago to
extend its official greeting to the Grand
Army of the Republic and in its name
to 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 to the stranger within its gates
be always warm hearted and spontaneous,
what must 1t be when that guest is the
great organization of men who for four
long years braved all the dangers of dis
ease, wounds and death, and all from a
pure, unselfsh devotion to the best inter-
ests Of our common country.
~. T..,,s pN...a. IL,
devotion to the fatherland has led to
splendid acts of herosm and the display
of lofty patriotism, but, nowhere can we
find a counterpart to the record of this
nation during those days of civil strife,
when an almost countless army of pat
riots forsook home and flreside, 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 Illinois-the state that gave to
the Union 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
again been blessed. And so today / can
speak for all our citizens in voicing 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-
ton, 1t receives equal reverence and de-
yotion.
1.-The people of Chicago in common with
all the nations, appreciative of your SER
vices. bid you a welcome so hearty and
So warm that If the thanks of 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
Army, replied to Mayor Harrison for the
members of his organization, expressing
the thanks of the army for the hospital
ity shown them. His address was an
eloquent one.
AS Gen. Shaw resumed his seat ]. A. |
Lcngnecker, commander of the depart |
rent of Illinois, rose TO greet the veterans
in behalf of the soldiers of Illinois He
made little speech which evoked no lit
tie applause. Gen. Wagner, who respond !
ed for the members of the army, was no |
less felicitious in his reply, expressing
the gratitude OF his comrades to the men
Of Illinois. This closed the meeting of
The morning as Immediately after Cen
Wagner's address Mr.. Longnecker,
Mayor Harrison and Gen. Shaw held an
|
The convention reassembled at o'clock
md this time there We're no preliminaries.
The action was opened at once by Gen
Shaw who read his annual report.
Following the address of Gen. Shaw
,ame long list of reports submitted by
he minor officials and the various COM
nittees of organization. The reports read
we're those of the executive committee,
oGncil of administration, Adjutant Gem
raj Stewart, Quartermaster General At
,inson, Surgeon General Baker, Chaplain
n Chief Grimm, Judge Advocate General
Torrance, Senior Vice-Commander-in-
,hief Robbins, Junior Vice Commander
n-Chief Mnton, Custodian Holcolmb, In
pector General Cummins. Committee on
legislation veterans public service and
he Committee on pension legislation.
One OF the features of the encamp-
nent which attracted much attention was
he veterans bicycle road race, In which
wenty-nine old soldiers started. The
course was from Halstead street straight
west to Garfield Park, and once around
he park, total distance of five miles
rhe winner was ]. Patterson 81 years of
age, OF Greenfield, Ind Patterson COW
,red the distance in 1873, taking the time
prize also.
NJ Hammerly, 65 years of age finished
second In 2l;5s
NJ. +. Shook of Chicago, while riding,
,ollided with another rider and was
hrown and badly but not dangerously
bruised. OF the twenty nine starters in
he race, twenty-six finished.