Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-15

| iston: alternates, ]. II. SWEET, E. G..
Parker Post, No. 49,, Kittery; p. Hodge,
Stephen Davis Post, No. II, Pittsfield;
A. r. G. Smith. Erskine Post, No. "a,
North Whitefeld; George S. Fuller.
John B. Hubbard Post, No. 20, Halo
we'll: ]. A. Chase. w. L. Haskell Post.
NJ. los, Yarmouth; A. A. st. Clair, Joel
A. Haycock Post, No. a. Calais; I. b.
Turner. Erskine Post, No. "A, North
Whiteffeld: A. Nj. True, Brown Post,
No 81, Bethel: John II. Lake. William
c. Hall Post. No. 166. Jefferson,
A delegation froIllithe Woman's State
Relief Corps was received at this time.
Mrs. N. I. Sawyer. of Portland, was to
have presented the greetings of the or
"a niZation represented by the delega-
ton but on account of illness she was
unable to be present and her place was
ably filled by Mrs. L. fitzpatrick Of Wa
terville. lR.
\ committee Consisting of Past Senior
Wee Commar der-ia-Chief Edwin c.
Milli',en Of Portland, Past Department
Commander Isaac Dyer of Skowhegan,
and Chaplain J. w, Webster of New
port. YVES appointed to escort James l..
MeIrick, the newly elected department
commander to the hall. Upon their
return Col. Millil<en introduced Mr..
Merrick. who addressed the encamp-
ment. In Z neat speech he thanked the
members heartily IGr the eiec ticn to the
highest position in the gift Of the de
par1nent and mapped out his. work in
behalf of the order for the. ensuing
years.
Mrs. s. r. LeGross and Mrs. Anna NJ.
Stinson appeared before the encamp-
ment in behalf of a resolution favoring
the passage OF bin now pending in
Congress, by the provisions of which
the widow Of Il soldier vino marries an
other soldier shall not:4ose her pension
The matter was referred to the next
council of administration.
Commander-in- Chief Ell Torrance
Mrs. Torrance, Mrs. Calsta X. Jones,
president of the Woman's National Re:
lief Corps, and Col. A. Noel Brakeman,
chief on the staff of Gen. Torrance, ar.
rived in the city at $50. A. w. Nc
Causland of Gardiner. who is q mem
Der of the national council of admins
tration. met the party at Portland and
escorted them to the Capital city. Here
they were joined by Hon. Samuel w.
Lane and Hon. L. T. Carleton, who with
MI McCausland constituted the recep-
ton committee. A large number of
veterans also went to Gardiner and ac-
companied them to this city. Upon
their arrival here General Torrance and
party were escorted to City hall in car
liages. AS they entered the hall the
boys in blue went wild with enthusi-
asm at the sight of their chief. He was
conducted to the stage
and addressed the assembly, expressing
his joy at being able to be present and
his regrets that his arrival was neces-
sarily so late in the session. Mrs. Tor
rance and Mrs. Jones also spoke. The
ladies then retired from the hall and a
recess of 10 minutes was declared, dur
ing which every comrade present met
and shook hands with the commander
in-chief. General Torrance inquired the
regiment of each man and at the close
of the recess stated that after meeting
so many comrades from the Pine Tree
State he really felt as though he had
fought with a Maine regiment himself.
The meeting being called to order, Cen
eraI Torrance again addressed them in
a pleasing style. He told them of his
recent visit to the Soldiers Home a
Boston, where he found the Stars and
Stripes near the bed of every sick vet
eran so that his last vision might fall
upon and his last thoughts be of the
flag for which he fought. The general
continued in his brightest vein and
when he closed he had won a large
place in the heart of every Maine COM
rade present.
The commander-in-ch chief will visit the
National Soldiers Home at Togus, to-
day. leaving here on the $50 trolley and
returning in season to leave upon the
$50 train west. A royal welcome is be-
ing planned for him at the Home.
Department Commander William z.
Clayton invited General Torrance to in
stall the newly elected officers. The in
vitatiOn was accepted and the elective
officers. together with A. NJ. Warren of
Foxcroft, who was appointed assistant
quartermaster general, We're duly in
Quoted into office.
The department was presented with
a gavel by Charles H. Grant of L. S.
Grant Post No. 143, Biddeford. This
gavel was made of teak wood taken
from the Spanish war cruiser Reina
Mercedes, now at the Portsmouth, n.
H., navy yard. This vessel was shot
many times, sunk. raised and brought