Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-04-20
G. A. R. ENCAMPMENT.
state Organization win Meet i'm Park
ersburg this Month


Parkersburg Is. - The annual on
eampment Of the West Virginia De-
nartment Of the Grand Army of the
Republic which il to occur in this
city ON April "a and %. will bring 10.
gether in reunion many old soldiers
rom all sections of the State The
railroads have granted rate Of one aud
one third fare for the round trip,
while the steamboats, have placed an
attractive special rate for the round
trip at the disposal Of the vets. Z
The new department commander
viii be NJ BtBartlett OF Parkersburg
while G. G. Mathews, of Mounsville,
will advance 10 senior vice comman X
der from junior vice commander 1t
is for the Office of JUNIOR vice COM
mander that the fight is always made,
the department. custom having been
TO advance the officers from Junior to
senior vice and then to department
commander. For bunior vice there
are asnumber of candidates in the
fieldfand doubtless there. will be a
spirited contest on hand Rev. Tay-
Tor Richmondican be chaplain as long
as he lives, remarked veteran and he
will undoubtedly be reelected this
year
During the past year there has been
a gratifying increase in the member
ship of the GAR. in West Virginia,
which Is now beyond the /, 500 mark.
This eclipses even the good progress
made in 1883 under Department Conn
mander Richard Robertson when the
membership reached ], 456. The high
water mark was reached in 1892 under
Department Commander G. Il. Ander-
son, s,2l0 while Commander Hazen in
1889 reported 81 l6l members
This year there is preceptible
revival Of interest in the organization
among the veterans of the blue---they
realize that they are passing away
and that il is good in their declining
years to be identified with an organi-
zation that will soon become but a
memory IA glorious memory. Re-
peated efforts have been made to in
duce the c. A. II. to extend it's scope
so as to include the Sons of Veterans
and even the veterans of the Spanish
American but wisely the leaders of the
Grand Army have steadfastly refused
to make the necessary changes in their
laws for doing this, and there il even
a majority sentiment that it is well
for the q. A. r. to die simultaneous.
~ with the passing away Of the last
Union veteran.
Many of West Virginia's prominent
sons are members of the q. a. II,
notably United States Senators Nath-
an b. Scott aud Stephen b. Elkins.
Congressman B. Il. Dovener, Of
Wheeling Ii member Of Holiday
post. Attorney General Romeo III.
Freer is a member and former de-
partmcnt commander General w.
n. Ii. Flick, OF Martlnsburg, was the
first department commander in 1889
previous to which there was no State
organization. General /. II. Duval Is
a member Of Pierpont Post, Of Wells
burg. Senator Anthony Smith. pi esi-
dent Of the State Senate, is a member
of the post at Wick. Colonel Thomas
O'Brien, formerly State Treasurer of
West Virginia is member OF Holiday
Post of Wheeling.
The National encampment will be
held next September at Cleveland and
owing to the proximity Of the place
of meeting to Parkersburg there will
be large delegation from this city
and from West Virginia.
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HESSlAN FLY.