Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-08-29
vETERANSOWN CHICAGO
Nothing Too Good For Old Sol
diers In the Breezy City.
THIRTY THOUSAND MEN IN LINE,
me Parade Declared to he the
Greatest Military Pageant Since
the Union Army Was Reviewed
and Disbnnded In Washington,

Chicago, Aug. 29.-The annual bust
ness meeting of the Grand Army of the
Republic is held today in the Studebaker
theater. The meeting was called to or
DER by Commander Shaw, and an address
OIL welcome was made by Mayor Har-
rlson, Commander Shaw replying for
the members of the army.
D. l.. Longenecker of Chicago then,
speaking for the old soldiers of Illinois,
extended greeting from the state, and
to this General Louis Wagner made the
reply.
This evening the principal affair will
be the banquet of the Hamilton club in
the Auditorium hotel. 1t was originally
intended that President Mckinley should
be the guest of honor at the banquet,
but owing to his absence Speaker David
Il. Henderson will make an address.
sentiment in regard to the place for
holding the next annual encampment has
crystalized apparently in favor of far
western city, with Denver in the lead
for the honor
Thirty thousand In Line.
The military pageant which marked
the climax of the encampment of the
Grand Army of the Republic was, ac-
cording to Commander In Chief Shaw
the greatest parade since that day in
Washington, when the hundreds of thou
sands of veterans, the most powerful
army on earth, marched in review to
their final disbandmcnt.
Probably 10000 members of the army
of veterans took part in the parade,
which was witnessed by probably 1.OOO.-
600 people. For exactly four hours and
70 minutes, most of the time with ranks
almost perfectly aligned, but occasional
ly faltering under their burden of years.
they filed past the reviewing stand on
Michigan avenue.
Weather conditions were almost ideal
for the parade, wearisome enough at best
for the silver haired veterans. The line
of march. too, was much shorter than
ever before mapped out for the annual
parade, its entire length not being over
four miles, but Notwithstanding this here
and there veteran, dazcd and exhaust
ed, dropped out of the ranks. Especially
was this true after the reviewing stand
was passed, and many pathetic scenes
were witnessed down the long stretchNof
Michigan avenue as the veterans fell by
the wayside.
One especially sad incident occurred to
mar in degree the glory of the parade.
Charles Beckwith of Algonsea, Mich,
dropping dead as the line was fling past
the corner of Michigan avenue and Mad
ison street. The parade was halted for
n moment, the body of the veteran who
had responded to his last call was tender
ly removed, and his comrades passed on.
Cheered by Vast Crowds.
Long before the hour for the parade
to start the sidewalks along the line of
march were packed from curb to wall,
the windows of the immense office build
ings, gay with tiuttcring flags and bunt-
ing, We're filed with sightseers, while
along Michigan avenue, where were erect
ed the beautiful columns and arches
forming the court of honor, the crowd
was so great that the hundreds of police
had great difficulty in keeping clear the
line of march. And all during the hours
that the veterans tramped by this sea of
humanity roared its welcome.
In the grand stand, erected down the
slope of the lake front park near the
Logan monument, We're gathered scores
of officers who won their fame in the
civil war, statesmen and diplomats. In
the center box of the reviewing stand
were Lieutenant General Nelson A.
Miles, representing President Mckinley;
Commander In Chief Shaw, General Jo-
seph IL. Wheeler, General Daniel II.
Sicklcs, Mayor Harrison of Chicago and
w. ii. Harper. To their left were Act
ing Governor Warder. Speaker David
Henderson of the house(of representa-
tives, Bishop Fallows and Senator Shell
by Nj. Cullom, and to their right the
Spanish minister, Duke d'Arcos.
Cheers For "OId Abe"
The first cheers from the reviewing
stand We're given to the famous old war
eagle of the Wisconsin troops, "Old
Abe" the stuffed figure of which, borne
aloft by brawny buckskin dressed vet
eran, was heartily greeted by the crowds
and saluted by General Miles and the
others in the boxes. The post escortng
"Od Abe was closely followed by
Lucius Fairfield post which startled the
crowds by stopping in front of General
Miles and Commander Shaw and giving
the familiar ''Rah rahs" of the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin. 1t was somewhat
cracked and feeble, but it showed the
undimmed spirit that made the Iron
brigade famous, and it started the crowd
to cheering again.
a few moments later George G.. Meade
Post No. ! of Pennsylvania filed by.
Borne aloft by 24 silver haired veterans
We're as many battle flags, tattered and
iplH ny buitlS, anu tbSt benluu lntHl
ten equally ragged corps flags. They
We're the first of the many battle flags
carried in the parade that We're seen by
the thousands along the line of march,
and everywhere the ragged banners were
greeted with cheers. They were follow
ed by Philip Schuyler post, with eight
battle flags; Knapp's battery of Pennsy-
vania, with three guidons, and Lytle
Post No. 12S of Allegheny City, with
three battle flags. Nearly every post in
the Pennsylvania section in fact proudly
marched behind one or more of these
mute reminders of the southern battle
fields of years ago, and every standard
was sauted and cheered.
Empire State Veterans.
New York was rich with three en-
blems. O'Rourke Post No. l of Roches-
ter, the veterans all in uniform and car
rying rifles, held aloft two civil war
banners. Chaplin Post No. 2 of Buff
falo, headed by the old Continental
Drum and Bugle corps, carried % bat