Connecticut western news., 1900-08-30
VETERANS REUNION.
rHlRTY-FouRTH ANNUAL ENcAMP-
 MENT OF TAG a. A. R.

The Parade Declared to Bs che Greatest Military Pageant since
 the Union Army Was Reviewed
 and Di.banded In wa.hinatoa.
 The thirty fourth annual enesmpmsnt
 of the Grand Army of the Republic is
 being held this week In Chicago and at
 tended by 45.0o0 veterans of tho ciSil
 war, besides tens of thousands of spec
 tators.
 The encampment opened Sunday night
 with a sacred song service in the Coli.
 scum, which was attended by ib.ooo peo- pie.
 Bishop Samuel Fallows of Chicago,
 who gained renown as q fighting man on the battlefield before he won distinction
 In the pulpit and who is the chairman of the encampment committee on religious
 exercises presided. On the platform
 with him were Mayor Harrison, Com.
 mnnder In Chief Shaw of the c. A. R.,
 Rev. Thomas c. Iln of Salt Lake City.
 General Daniel E. Sicklss. Rev. E. q.
 Hirsh of Chicago and host of depart.
 ment commanders of the e. A. K as
 well as the local officials In charge of Chicago's end of the cncampment. After a musical selection had been rcns | dcred by the band the vast audience join. ed in the Lords prayer, being led by Rev. Frank Gunsaulus of Chicago, and then Bishop Fallows extended . warm | and eloquent welcome to the visiting vet.
 erans. A responsive reading was led by Rev. !. ID. Severinghaun of Chicago, and
 Bishop Fallows then introduced Com
 mander In Chief Shaw, who spoke at
 some length upon True Patriotism" He dwelt upon the services which had been
 rendered to this nation In particular and | the world at large by the members of
 the Grand Army and pointed out the need of training the coming generations
 In the duties which patriotism demands of the nations citizens.
 Rev. K. q. Hirsch delivered patriotic address, and Rev. T. D. Wallace pro
 nounccd the benediction. Between the | addresses musical numbers were given | by the band of 100 pieces, and vocal 70 | lections were given by soloists, quartets
 and the chorus, all of them being ap-
 plauded frsntically by the audience.
 which was In an intensely patriotic frame of mind.
 | sailor. Have Their Reunion. The first day of the encampment was
 one of ideal beauty In marked contrast to | the hot and humid weeks that have pre-
 ceded it since the 1st of August There
 was in the early portion of the day
 fresh breeze on Lake Michigan, temper
 Ing the heat of the sun, which shons | brightly but not too warmly Co make marching burden for the old veterans, who claimed the day as theirs. The right of the line on the opening day was | given to the men who sailed the seas dur ing the civil war. The cheering was all for them, and the honors were theirs. The heroes of river and sea of the civil war are a small band now. or the 132,. | 900 men enlisted In the navy in the ear. | ly days of the war less than 1000 march. | cd Monday, and it is agreed by the old | sailors that their number was greater in
 that march than it will ever be In any | parade 10 come.
 But one battle flag was carried by the
 navy veterans. It was one that futtcred | from the monitor winnebago when Far rngut sailed into Mobile bay to gain his
 crowning victory. It was borne by Sea.
 man Ed Woodruff of Rockford, Ills, and
 beside him marched ex-B -Boatswain'e Mate | !. R. Lynn of Chicago. who made the flag while serving on board the winne. bngo.
 Thirty Thousand Tn 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 te
 their final disbandment.
 Probably 30.000 members of the army of veterans took part in the parade. which was witnessed by probably 1000. | 900 people. For exactly four hours and | 20 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, it's entire length not being ovet | four miles, but notwithstanding this here
 and there a veteran, daxed 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 stretch of | Michigan avenue as the veterans fell by | the wayside.
 One especially sad incident occurred to
 mar In a degree the glory of the parade,
  | dropping dead as the line was filing past
 the corner of Michigan avenue and Mad. ison street The parade was halted fol
 a moment the body of the veteran who | had responded to his last call was tender ly removed, md 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 10 wall, | the windows of the immense office build | ings, gay with tiuttcring flags and bunt | ing, were filled with pightseers, while along Michigan avenue, where were erect | cd 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 It's welcome. In the grand stand, erected down the
 slope of the lake front park near the | Logan monument, were 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 Tn Chief Shaw, General 10. | seph E. Wheeler. General Daniel E.
 SickleS, Mayor Harrison of Chicago and W. II. Harper. To their left were Act. | ing Governor Wardcr, Speaker David Henderson of the house of represents. tives Bishop Fallows and Senator Shel. | by NJ. Cullom, and 10 their right the Spanish minister. Duke d'Arcos. Shortly after passing the reviewing stand the line of march disbanded, and
 most of the veterans. tired with the hours
 of march, sought their hotels and lodg. Ing places, The next encampment will be held To
 some far western city, probably Denver. Ex-Pre.idents as ArSur~sers. Washington, Aug. S.-Ihe uhiteu