Waterbury Democrat., 1902-10-09
VETERANS PARADE.
President Roosevelt Drives
 Along the Line.
GREAT DAY FOR GRAND ARMY MEN.
For More Than Six Hours the Streets of Washington Resounded to the Tread of Men Who Fought
 In the Civil War.


 of Washington Resounded to the
 Tread of Men Who Fought
 In the Civil War.
 WASHINGTON, Oct. 9.-For more than six hours yesterday the people in Washington hummed the chorus of the old civil war song, Tramp, Tramp, the Boys Are M.rching," and for an equal time the sterans constituting the Grand Army i the Republic made good the claim. he parade was the climax of the thirty-sixth encampment of their order. The occasion was in every way worthy If the Grand Army, and the parade d:d not fail appropri- Rtely to delineate the spirit of the war and the memory of the glorious achievements the army seeks to keep green in the minds of the American people.
 Beginning at few minutes past 10 o'clock, when the head of the column moved from its station at the capitol, it was almost o'clock when the last squad in the line had passed the place of disbandment west of the White House. None of the soldiers was marching any great part of the time, for the entire line of march did not ex- ceed two and a half miles in length, but those who composed the rear de tachments were on their feet practical ly all day, much of the time being con- sumed in waiting to take their places in the line.
 The route of the parade was down historic Pennsylvania avenue, along which many of them marched as raw recruits in going to the war in 1861 and 1862 and many others on the oc- casion of the grand review after the close of the war in 1865. The partici- pants in the imposing pageantry en- tered with life and vigor into the spirit of the occasion Each countenance bore evidence of the joy the experience brought to the individual, and it was plainly evident that there was in the occasion much of the restoration of youth for most of them. The "old boys'' for the time being evidently were reIiving the days of their youth. Not many of them exhibited traces of age in their marching. Almost without exception they walked along with alac- rity and kept step with precision.
 If the veterans had needed any spur to their enjoyment, they would have found it easily in the crowds who thronged their pathway and in the smile which Providence bestowed on them, for the weather was perfect. The spectators were limited in num- bers only by the capacity of the broad sidewalks, the stands, the parks, the windows and the housetops along the line of march to hold them. The gov ernment departments and the schools were closed for the day, and practical ly the entire population of Washington turned out to do honor to the veterans along with the 100000 visitors to the city.
 The crowd was enthusiastic and out spoken in admiration, greeting every division of the procession with cheers and dismissing it with God speed" that had in it both praise and feeling.
 The president of the United States also lent his energies to the entertain ment of the capitals guests. Unable to endure the strain of reviewing the column from a stand, he rose from his reclining chair and had himself driven up and down the line. The unusual in- terest thus manifested was appreciated by the old soldiers, and the president was everywhere received by them with loud applause
 More than five hours time was con- sumed by the. procession in passing the reviewing stand in front of the White House. s refH
 There were at least 25,000 men in line. and the estimate of Commander in Chief Torrance ran as high as 30,00o men. sR
 At night the veterans held campfres In the big tents in the White lot.
 The three active candidates for the honor of entertaining the O. A. R. at the next annual encampment of the G. A. R. are Saratoga, Atlantic City and San Francisco. There seems to be quite a sentiment in favor of choos- ing some city between the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and it is said that the encampment may go to neither of the three cities named if city in the middle west actively pushes it's claims
 The leading candidates for com nander in chief are General Stewart r of Pennsylvania, General John C. Black of Illinois, Colonel McElroy ot Washington and General Daniel Sic kles of New York General Stewart is thought to have the lead at present though General Blacks friends claim about an equal number of delegates pledged.
 esovernor Bliss UnhOrsed.