Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-09
LADIES OF THE G.. A. R.
ANNUAL CONVENTION MEETS AT
LUTHER MEMORIAL CHURCH.
Fraternal Visits Received and Some
Reports-Slow in Gathering
New Home in Chicago.

More than 200 delegates gathered in the
auditorium of the Luther Place Memorial
Church this morning for the opening ses-
sion of the annual meeting of the Ladies
of the G. A. r. The meetings of the organ
ization are held behind closed DOORS and
lady sentinels stood guard at each entrance.
The meeting was called for O'Clock, and
it was but few minutes after that hour
when Mrs Emma S. Wall of Lawrence,
Kan the national president. raped for or
der Mrs. Brainard of Buffalo, N. Y, the
national chaplain, led in prayer, and then
the delegates joined in singing America.
The morning session was given over to
the reception of credentials and the seating
Of delegates. The present meeting is one of
the largest held in recent years, and there
was necessarily much routine business to
be accomplished before the ladies got down
to the regular work outlined for them.
There was some confusion during the
morning. owing to the fact that the pass
word of the Ladies of the G. A. R. dele
gates and that of the Woman's Relief Corps
were the same. Many of the w. r. c. del
egates applied for admission to the Ladles
meeting, and it was then that the similar
ity of the two passwords was discovered
Visitors Received.
The ladies received a number of visitors
from various kindred organizations. There
were greetings from the ladies of the Union
Veteran Legion from the Ladies Auxiliary
of the Naval Veterans and Mrs. Mussey
called with a delegation representing the
Washington citizens committee TO extend
q formal welcome to the visiting laolcs.
Mrs John A Logan and Mrs John y.
Black. the latter the wife of ex-Commis-
sioner Black of the pension Office also call
ed and made brief remarks.
There are a number of unusually large
delegations present at the convention this
year Pennsylvania heads the list with
thirty delegates and Illinois and New York
are close up with eighteen or twenty dele
gates each. The Ladies of the u. A. X
are 35 600 strong, the membership increaS-
ing st eadily from year to year and extend
ing over the entire country. An idea OF
the general growth of the society may be
gained from the fact that the increase IN
Illinois alone during the past year was
1.0S0. Various state reports were received
this morning showing the work of the
organization to be in fourshing condition
everywhere.
Shortly after noon an adjournment was
taken and luncheon was served in the
church parlors. The ladies are meeting
again this afternoon and will remain IN
session until late. There Is much business
to be accomplished and the delay in getting
down to work this morning must be conf
pensated for by long convention hours.
Sessions will be held tomorrow morning
ana afternoon ana again on SatuIudS. IL
necessary evening sessions will be held The
election of national officers occurs tomorrow
and is attracting the usual great amount
of interest among the ladies of the organ-
cation.
The Ladies of the Grand Army is an or
ganiZa ton composed of the wives, mothers,
daughters sisters and bloodkin nieces of
soldiers of the civil war. No others are
eligible TO membership, and in this 1t differs
from many of the other women socit ties.
Its purposes are charitable. The ladies look
after the INDECENT widows and daughters of
veterans. They obtain employment for
those who able to work, and in every
way to their comfort and welfare.
The ladies are interested this year in the
esta bishment of new home in Chicago,
the Illinois Women's Soldiers Home, where
the old veteran and his wife may go to
spend their declining years. 1t is estimated
that the new building of the home will cost
about $4,000. 1t will be supported by the
Ladies Of the G. A. R. and by the Woman's
Relief Corps.