Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-08-25
TO VISIT
SANTA. FE
General and Mrs. John c. Black
Will Arrive in This City
September "A.
HOSPlTABLE FRISCO
Judge McFie Says That the Entertain
ment Provided the G. A. R.
Was Lavish.

Judge John r. McFie has returned
from San Francisco where he was in
attendance at the National encamp-
ment of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie as a representative from the de-
partment of New Mexico.
Judge McFie says that General and
Mrs. John C. Black will visit this city
September IA and that the city and
Carleton Post will join in making ar
rangements for the reception OF the
distinguished visitors. He states that
the encampment was one of the most
successful ever held and that the
state OF California as well as the city
OF San Francisco did everything to
make the gathering a great feature
in Grand Army history The enter
tainment provided was all that could
have been desired and everywhere
was hospitality to be found.
Il spent six days in San Francisco"
said Judge McFie, and the encamp-
Inent was a success in every way. The
state and city it is said spent $4,000
in entertaining the Grand Army and
the expense was divided between
them The decorations were on
most elaborate plan and the two i'm
snense arches that had been erected
near the center OF the city were SIM
ply ablaze with thousands OF electric
lights The large domes Of the city
hall and union station were studded
with many lights and the business
houses of the city We'd with one an
other in the elaborateness and beauty
of the decorations. The whole affair
was carried out on most extensive
scale and the encampment was one OF
the greatest in the history of the or
ganization.
In the parade there were some T.
900 men in line, but it was estimated
that there were about 10000 old sol
tiiars In the city. So many were inca
pacitated through wounds and other
causes that they could not stand the
marching. There were nine men from
New Mexico in the procession and
there were several others from the
Territory who were present but who
did not march because they were not
members of the Grand Army. Those
in line were Jacob Weltmer and my
self from Santa Fe, Valentine Her
bert, J. M. Mcdonald and Adolph
Harsch of Albuquerque, DR.. j. M. Pat
ton of White Oaks Richard Hudson
Of Deming and J. M. Warner of Silver
City. One of the features OF the pa
rafa was the carrying of the old bat
tie flags of the pennsylvania regi-
ments. The state of Pennsylvania
xranted the Pennsylvanians permis-
sion to take these old banners from
the capitol building at Harrisburg
where they are kept and carry them
to Frisco OF course some OF them
were SO badly torn and mutilated
from being in many battles that they
we're furled Another feature was the
beauty and expensive character OF the
bsdges given the voting delegates.
Every encampment city gives parti-
cular badge to the representatives and
many OF these have been beautiful,
but the San FranciscO badge was the
most elaborate ever attempted. 1t Is
said that the badges cost the hosts
about $1I each and that they will
never tarnish as they are gold plate.
..As you may know, Gen. John z.
Black of Illinois, was unanimously
elected comma ar-in-chief and this
was quite an lonor. There has been
no unanimous election in many years
and General Black was so overcome
that when he appeared on the rostrum
it was some time before he couid
speak, SO great was his emotion.