The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-06
FLORIDA GRAND ARMY.
Sixteenth Annual Encampment at
SandfOrd on Friday.

Sanford, Fla. March 5 - Gen Har-
ney Post No. 16, G. A r.,
of this city, is to entertain
sixteenth annual encampment on Friday
next. Adjt D. L. Way of this post is
past department commander, and has had
some experience in the matter of enter
tanning, the department encampment be-
ing held here several years ago, at which
time he was honored by an election as
department. commander. Sanford then did
herself proud" in most generous hos
pitality, while the fine appearance and
good conduct of the Union veteran soldiers
won the hearty respect of their entertain
crs.
1t is quite probable that the coming en-
eampment will not be largely attended nor
very encouraging in the way of good re-
ports from department officials, as it has
been ''om year. for the organization
as a whole, as well as for the scattered
posts of which ii is composed. These re-
ports will show a loss in the number of
posts, in the membership of the remain
ing posts, in the finances of the depart
ment and a lack of interest in the organ
ization by old soldier generally. with
traced to the heavy losses that have dome
TO Grand Army men who lost their groves
or employment. through the severe freezes
of the past few years. Before the big
freeze the department of Florida had a
steady increase in both new posts and
membership in posts already tablished
The big freeze was a turning point in its
career and now steady decrease i'm both
posts and membership which makes the
future outlook rather gloomy for the faith
full few whom fortune has so favored that
they can hold on to and help keep up the
organization.
The most favorable report will proba-
bly, come from Col. S. Herbert Lancey.
the special aid on the staff of the COM
mander-in-c chief in charge of military in
struction and patriotism in the public
schools of the department, who will show
that the Stars and Stripes now wave over
MANY school houses in the state, and that
Washington's birthday was more general
ly observed this year than ever before
since the war largely owing to the fer
vent patriotism growing out of a reunited
people in the Spansh-American war;
where the Blue and the Gray battled va
llantly under the Old Flag. Il is a singu-
lar fact however, that so far as known
only one Grand Army post in this depart
ment-IT. S. Grant Post of Orlando, of
which Col. Lancey is commander respond
ed to the order from national headquarters
and celebrated Washington's birthday in
due form The Daughters of the Ameri-
can Revolution were the inspiration of a
great many of the celebrations in Florida.
No annual encampment has ever been
attended by the commander-in-chiefy yet
these high officials have been here at
other times and were honored by the COM
rades in the places visited by them. This
year however Commandments AL
bert D. Shaw Of Watertown, n. y, Is eX-
pected TO be present on Friday. II was
feared that the recent death Of his beloved
wife would cause him to cancel his South
ern appointments, but he telegraphs that
despite his great sorrow he Will come TO
the Union veteran soldiers, whose tender
and timely words of coincidence have help-
ed him to bear up bravely under his
heavev bereavement The presence OF
Commander-in-Ch Chief Shaw will, no doubt
add to the interest in and attendance up
on the eneampment, and yet the outlook
at this time is not at all cheering. The
old soldiers are really TOO poor 10 make
the trip except from nearby points.