Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1902-06-19
3 -@ga~
3 % Nineteenth Annual
: ,El..k GAR. Encampment}
3 MAsMXAa Pronounced Grand Success by Hundreds of
w Visitors Present.


ment of the Grand Army of South
Dakota will be remembered as one Of
the most successful in the history OF
the association. The attendance, the
enter tainment and the surroundings
were all conducive to a good time and
from the expressions Of qualification
heard on every hand, the REGISTER
feels warranted in saying that Brook
ings fully sustained its reputation as
an entertainer,
The advance guard of Grand Army
veterans took possession Of the city
on Monday and from that time
until Thursday they came in detach-
ments, corps and brigades until the
city was completely invested. AS
they came in they were met at the
depot by the reception committee who
escorted them to the Grand Army
hall where they were assigned TO
rooms about the city,ithe hotels being
able to accommodate but very small
part of the large crowd in attendance.
Comrades Blanchard, of Pierre, and
Thos, Reed, of Arlington, the candi-
dates for election to the office Of
department commander were early on
the ground renewing their acqHaint-
ance and becoming better acquainted
-2ith the situation.
On Tuesday morning the Council of
A Administration met at the Leon Hotel
at s a. m. This was followed by a
meeting of the delegates at the G. A.
r. hall at 10 o'clock for the purpose Of
organization and appointing the nec-
essary committees. The afternoon
was taken up by meeting at the
First Baptist church where the vari-
Gus reports were received, particularly
the report of the credentials COM
mittee.
After supper the air was filled with
band music, the vaudeville company
performed on Main street, and the big
tent in court house park was filled to
overflOwing to listen to the evenings
program of music and speaking
WEDNESDAY, JUNE Is.
In anticipation OF seeing the league
games of base ball between Rock
Rapids and Sheldon a very large crowd
assembled on Wednesday and it is
estimated that nearly five thousand
strangers were in the city between
dawn and midnight. There were
many disappointed people when it
was learned about the noon hour that
it would be impossible to get the clubs
to this city on account of the belated
passenger over the Burlington which
was six hours behind time. The con-
sequences of this delay were that both
games had to be pulled off on Thurs
day, one game in the forenoon and the
er after dinner.
The business session of the Grand |
Army which was to have occurred at
s a. m. was postponed to 2 o'clock at
WHICu OllnO .OISuiiOd OhC ohh uoi |
election of officers. While this was
going on the large crowd which |
thronged the streets was being enter
tained with band music, speeches,
vaudeville performance and by the
various attractions on Midway"
The bulk of the crowd was carried to
the big tent in court house square
where they were entertained for
couple of hours by a company Of negro
singers and impromptu speeches made
by Col. A. s. Frost, Capt. W. V. Lucas
and Gen. Geo. Silsby.
The result OF the election held at
Grand Army hall in the course Of the
afternoon was that #. E. Blanchard,
of Mitchell, was elected department
commander. We understand that the
contest was spirited one, there be-
ing a strong rivalry between Blan-
chard and Tom Reed, OF Arlington.
The following is a complete list Of the
officers:
Commander, T. E. Blanchard,
Mitchell.
Senior Vice Commander, N. l.. 10th
ain, Milbank.
Chaplain, Rev. Geo. Williams, Alex
andria.