The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-01-19
ECHOES FROM THE
G. A. X. ENCArlPMENT.
Interesting Account of the Annual
Reunion of Veterans at Philadel-
phia--RhOde Island rlen in Line.

Several days before the opening OF
the 33d enoampment OF the Grand
Army of the Republic many soldiers OF
the Civil war drew near the camp
ground Cordial was the hand-clasp
and hearty was the greeting as strang-
ers wearing land Army badges passed
each other in railroad stations or hotel
corridors. Excursion parties from all
parts OF the Union streamed into Phil
adelphia and were made welcome.
Bands played, people cheered, soldiers
marched and crowds movea continu-
ally. SO constant was the moving and
the noise for days and nights that TX
dld not seem az IL any body ever rested.
Philadelphia opened wide her heart.
her homes and her pocketbook TO well
come with honor the men who saved
the country generation ago Bright
ness and kindness flashed In varying
forms from the crown OF william
Penn's hat ON the spre of the CITY
Hall 10 little sign on distant chi
nese laundry Welcome ma brethren
OF the @. A. r."
independence square and Broad street
were most gorgeous I'm electric lght
and brilliant color. Grand Army badg-
es. flags. notices. stars. eagles ana
many other devices cleaned In electric
lights. One OF the most prominent fea-
tures of the arrangement was the
"Avenue of Fame" which extended q
quarter OF a mile north and also south
~ the city hall Pillars made OF stait
50 feet high and so feet apart on
each side of the street. were beautfnily
ornamented their entire length. ON the
four sides OF the base were statues or
soldiers and sailors and names OF prom
inent generals and battles OF the civil
war. At night the columns were
splendidly Illuminated by electric lights
These elevated decorations recalled the
Courts OF Honor I'm Chicago in lssS ana
in Washington last May during the
peace Jubilee: but were much more eN-
tenslve and with the added illumina-
tions OF the T'ndon League club and or
the Hotel LAFAYETTE. presented plc-
ture of artistic brilliance never edualled
in this country The wonderful effect
81 the illumination Of the Avenue "t
Fame can not he nut I'm words. but
could he seen every evening during the
entire week.
THE PARADE.
Soon afr 10 Tuesday, Sept. >. the ma
tional parade of the veterans began.
Illinois had the right OF line because II
was the first TO organize a state depart
ment of the G.. a. r., and courtesy
compelled Pennsylvania 10 take the last
place although IL would have been NO.
had IL not bene acting as host. The
procession marched platoon front ana
the right reached the reviewing stand
before IL Next morning one paper
said there were $4,000 men In line ana
another paper said $4,000. As hVe or
six thuusand men can easily march Dy
a given tlace in an hour. and "a IL was
nearly & when the last troops passed
the reviewing stand, the exact numper
of veterans In line was probably not
far from 10000.
Rhode Islands two hundred men
ma le a fine appearance and no men II
the whole procession looked quite
well 10 the Rhode Island women on tn
presidents right az their own soldie'
boys.
Past Department Commander s. w
X. Allen. ex-speaker OF the House OF
Representatives. marched ahead with
the flag Then DR.. Charles @. Ballou.
the department. commander OF khodc
Island and Col. Philip $. Chase the city
auditor who is the ASSISTANT adJutaut
general They were followed by Walter
A. Read. the state treasurer, who is
senior vice commander. accompanied by
Hon Charles P.Moles, eX-mayor of Cen
tral Falls. the junior vice commando.
Then came Joseph Harvey Kendrick.
who walked alone as chief Of staff and
was greeted all along the march with
'fhree cheers for the big man from
little Rhody." About forty good men in
grand army coats and white trousers
composed the staff. and the other Rhode
Island men in regulation attire made us
all proud of our state.
People from other sections or the
country were equally we'll pleased with
their own departments. and surely no
men marched better than the Pennsyl-
vanians who faithfully tramped on af-
ter the spectators had become too
weary even to watch them.
In the parade one man from Florida
carried on a pole bird cage I'm which
was a small live alligator on bed Of
Florida moss. \ man from Wisconsin
carried the stuffed eagle "Old Abe" a
company of young women i'm dark blue
made a fine soldierly appearance with
the men from Kansas. each of whom
wore a. small sunnower. and the leading
sunfower entirely covered the wearer's
chest Every man from North Dakota
carried wheat tied up like musket.
Some OF the men from Maine had pine
cones fastened among their badges \
number OF men were accompanied by
little grandchildren. who kept step per-
fectly tiny boy and girl dressed 10
represent Uncle sam and Miss Colum-
ba rode tiny rcd white and blue BIZ
cycles I'm the procession ana were loudly
cheercd Some Of the drum majors nour-
ished their siaffs I'm a wonderful man
ner and the Sons of Veteran drum
CORPS of he Rankin Post OF BROOKLYN
went through interesting cvolutions as,
they marched.
I'm the middle of tho day one veteran
drew his last breath few seconds ar
tor ne salutcd the president. Two others
we're also mustered out" during the
parade. two or three hundred others