Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-09-19
VETERANS PARADE.
Said to Be the Grandest March Of
Old Soldiers Ever Seen.
COLUMN over EIGHT lILES LONG.


SicNeIlHu, VI, ocPU. Is uc sui
wiling veterans of the greatest war
in all the annals of history, Of the
greatest struggle for human liberty
the world has ever seeIl-that iron
gray host of God, known as the
Grand Army of the Repubiic-have
again responded to the bugle call and
yesterday fell into line as they were
wont to do in the dark days of the
civil war. They awoke yesterday
morning to the sound of reveille and
long before the hour set for the
starting Of the parade they lined the
streets and avenues adjacent to Case
and Euclid avenues, where the parade
was formed. Old veterans prominent
in the affairs of the G. A. II. said it
was the grandest parade and the
greatest day the organization has
ever seen.
In seemingly interminablc line
of blue the various departments took
up their march over the hard gran
lite pavements. Surging masses of
people, numbering in the hundreds Of
thousands, lined the streets and the
housetops and took advantage of
every available point of view along
the entire length of the line of pa
rade. In the downtown district the
streets intersecting and adjacent to
the line Of march were one strug-
Cling mass Of eager and expectant
humanity. 1t is estimated that near
ly half million people were specta-
tors Of the magnificent pageant. The
column was over eight miles in
length ind was splenddly handled,
the column moving steadily and with
scarcely halt or break until the
entire line had passed the reviewing
stand. Among the thousands o! aged
veterans who made up the gallant
host there were scarcely bare half
dozen whom the fatigue of the march
caused to fall out before they passed
through the living sea of faces in
the court of honor and the reviewing
stand.
Promptly at the hour set for the
parade 10 move Gen. Lee Rassieur,
commander-in-chief. gave the signal
and the column moved forward. The
solid masses of humanity which
crowded the avenue from curb to
curb gave way like the parting Of
the waves and the march began.
The governors of several states
marched in the line with their re-
spectivc posts and were proud to 90
afoot with th ir old comrades in the
old way. Senator NJ. A Hanna
caught the infection of the hour and
left the reviewing stand to march
down the line with Memorial post
Every department, as IT passed the
court of honor and neared the living
flag of children formed upon the
grand stand tacing the long vista at
the foot of Bond street, was greeted
with n patriotic chorus from the
Threats Of thousands of school-chil-
dren composing "The flag Min
gled with the inspiring strains of
martial music and patriotic choruses
was the unstintcd applause of the
popuIncc
In addition to the regular line of
veterans, 90 bands and 10s drum
corps necessarily poured forth pa
triotic and martial music. A number
of women and children were overcome
in the crush incident to the parade
and the Red Cross and city ambu-
lances were kept busy responding to
calls, but no serious casualty was re-
ported
1t is expected that the patriotic out
burst Of yesterday will he dupli-
Gated this afternoon, when mass
will be held in praise and
thanksgiving for the prospective re-
covery Of President Mckinley.
The National Union of Ex-Prisoners
of War yesterday elected j. D. Walk !
er, of Allegheny, Pa, national COM
Cleveland. IL Nnnt 12-rha first L