Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-14
VETERANS MEET.
Department Of Maine Encamp-
ment Now in Full Swing.
Interesting Reports Received from
All Department Officials.
Election Of Officers, Today-Camp
Fire, This Evening.

Stripes in honor of the visitors ant
many more would undoubtedly have
!. displayed the national colors had it no
been for the storm. This morning, il
fair, however. will probably see Water
street well filled with flags.
City hall, in which the meetings were
held, presented Il very attractive ap-
pearance. Beautiful decorations hung
from the balcony and flags were dis.
played in various other places. On the
right of the stage hung the yellow, pur-
pie and white banner of the depart
ment.
The meeting was called to order by
| Department Commander William Z
Clayton of Bangor. Chaplain J. w
Webster of Newport, offered prayer
after which the meeting proceeded tC
business. The session, which lasted for
about two hours, was chiefly taken up
with the reception and disposition of
! the reports of the various officers.
| These were read and referred to ap-
propriate committees. The first was
that of the department commander.
Commander Clayton in his annual
address, said:
Comrades: The wheel of Old Time
has made another revolution and added
a year to the history of this depart
ment; and we find ourselves again as
sembled to transact the business of the
35th annual encampment.
One year ago this department con-
ferred upon me, at Auburn, the high
honor of presiding over it's affairs for
the twelve months just past.
The year which has come and passed
is marked with no radical changes in
our ranks, although the sound of muf-
fled drum. with it's funeral beats, has
sounded frequently, announcing the
falling out of comrades from our ranks.
For a statement in detail of our
membership l refer you to the report of
the A. A. General, which you will find
complete, showing much labor and
care. The gradual loss in numerical
strength of the G. A. r. is one of the
inevitable results, and the falling out
of posts must be expected. The loss
during this administration is three
posts but most of the members have
transferred or will join other posts,
which will make light loss from these
|diSbandments.
The 35th national encampment. at
Cleveland, Ohio, was attended by this
department in fairly good numbers AS
Assistant Adjutant General Sprague
was unable to leave home to attend to
the business, the very excellent ar
arrangements for the excursion were
made by Comrade Jas. l.. Merrick,
and assured us success from the start.
The arrangements at Cleveland were
splendid, showing the untiring and
painstaking labor of the committees
who had the work of preparing for the
reception and comfort of the comrades
of the G. A. r. The department of
Maine had headquarters at the Forest
( City hotel where we had very fine ac-
commOdatiOns.
For our financial standing you are
referred to the report of the A. Q. NJ.
General. We have had some unusual
drain on our treasury this year.
BY vote we paid sixty dollars to
have the highly important obituary
record written up to the present date.
Next, the increase of the national per
ca pita tax. of one cent, has taken quite
an extra sum. These. with the annual
loss in numerical strength. have de-
creased our resources, still the A. Q. NJ.
G. is able to report a very comfortable
band deposit.
| The department chaplain'S very able
and interesting report is one of the ut
most importance to all of us in our
declining years. The writing and pre-
serving the obituary history of our de-
parted comrades, appeals to us all, and
| if the suggestions of the chaplain are
carried out, and all posts do their duty
to those who have been mustered in to
ranks above. and who fall out in the
| future. by sending to the department
cha plain the history of each of them,
we shall be able to complete a history
that may safely be preserved for future
reference. This involves more labor on
the part of the chaplain, and l would
recommend that the salary of depart
ment chaplain be restored to $4,000 per
lannum, as it was formerly. and his
duties include the keeping of the
Iobtuary record.
The department inspectors report
will interest you. 1t shows how faith
fully he has performed the work of his
office with no expense to the depart
ment and quite an outlay to himself.
| 1 think the department should reim-
pui DC ohitVlS w hoSS uueiNS ANioii>
much correspondence, as postage
counts rapidly in such offices.
The report of the medical director
shows that he has done his part with
his usual interest He is much at loss
in making complete reports, owing tc
the insufficient replies given by post
surgeons, to many of the questions or
the printed blanks.
AS the years go by the duties of chic
rrustering officer grow less, as the da,
is past for the instituting of new
iposts. We have, however, reorganizet
the one at Blaine and they are mucl
: interested and doing good work. Thi
post and the Bradbury Post at Machia
have both lost heavily by fire the pas
year. New charters were sent then
and they are all in flourishing condi
ton.
With our judge advocate, we ma
congratulate ourselves and each Othe
or the perfect harmony existin
throughout our ranks during the pas
yesr.
/ wish, also, to express my interes
in the movement throughout the coun
try, toward bringing into closer touc
with us. the order which must in 2 fe'