The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-08-28
The Banquets And The Speeches
Last Evening.

Chicago, August e7.-The s4th annual
encampment Of the Grand Army Of the
Republic, which was formally opened last
night by the monster meeting In the coli
scum, was in full blast today and IN all
respects 1t promises to be the greatest and
most successful encampment the army
has ever held. All last night and all OF
today train after train loaded down with
veterans ana their friends, rolled into the
various depots IN the city. and, by eve-
ming it was estimated by railroad officials
that forty-1ve thousand old soldiers had
arrived and that three thousand other ex~
cursionists had come with them. 1t IS
expected that there win be fifty thousand
additional arrivals by tomorrow morning.
The veterans have come fron-aI parts Of
the republic ana every northern state has
sent strong contingent. The New York
delegation is one OF the largest the empire
stats has ever sent to an annual encamp-
ment. Fully one thousand OF them had
come IN by this morning and every train
from the east brings more Of them. New
Jersey, Pennsylvania an the New Eng
land states are ali well represented by
large numbers of old soldiers. Iowa,
Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin have sent
larger numbers than to any encampment
Of recent years.
The first day of the encampment was
one Of ideal beauty, IN marked contrast
to the hot ana humid weeks that have
preceded it since in the first Of August.
The right Of line on the opening day was
given to the men who sailed the seas dur
ing the civil war. The cheering today
was all for them and the honor was
theirs. The army VIII come to its own
tomorrow.
The heroes of the river and sea of the
Civil War are a small band now. OF the
1872. $50 men enlisted in the navy in the
early days of the war, less than one thon-
sand marched today and 1t is agreed by
the old sailors that their number was
greater IN the march today than it Will
ever be in any parade to come.
But ore battle flag was carried by the
naval veterans. 1t was the one that hut-
tered from the monitor Winnebago when
Farragut sailed into Mobile bay to gain
his browning victory. 1t was borne by
Seamen Ed Woodruff of Rockford, Ills,
and beside him marched ex-boatswain' S
mate, J. r. Lynn of Chicago, who mad g
the flag while serving on the Winnebago.
Beside the men who fought aaoat from
'01 to '65, came the younger generation
who helped to ssmash Montojos fleet in
Manila bay and made glorious history
when Cevera sailed out of Santiago to
overwhelming defeat.
With the veterans Of the navy marched
q band OF men whose lot during the war
comprised the worst Of hardships, but
none the less was as full of glory as the
career of the bravest fighters Of them
all. These were the members of the asso-
citation OF ex-prisoners OF war, who re-
ceived an enthusiastic greeting as they
marched along
The parade started from the corner of
Michigan avenue and Randolph street
and after short march through the
down town streets, turned into Michigan
avenue at jackson boulevard and passed
on south under the beautiful army arch
at Van Buren, street, through the court of
honor, and out under the naval arch at
Michigan avenue and Hubbard court
where it passed in review before Conn
Shaw of the Grand