Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-06-01

DAY DULY
OBSERVED
From SATURDAYS Daily:

biphf m my VI tut htDuDliC Is StTtW-
ing flowers upon the graves OF depart
ed comrades and friends. We doubt
II there is band Of men who remain
as steadfast as those who wore the
blue and whose numbers are being
joined by those who donned the gray.
Devotion, ii anything, appears to in
crease as the step falters, and each
year, although the ranks are thinning.
the survivors of the grandest army
OF men ever assembled in the world,
surmount all obstacles to pay their
respects to the dead.
Sedgwick Post G. A. r., of Durango,
followed its usual custom The morn
ing was perfect for the parade which
formed on Second avenue and ira
versed the line of march as published
in yesterdays issue. William p Vale
was marshal of the day with G. l..
Russell as his orderly. The two rode
at the head of the column. followed
by the Woodman band, which dis
coursed inspiring music. Then came
the veterans, "a of them, in double
file. AS rule the step was elastic,
but several marched with bowed
heads and rounded shoulders. showing
long years of service In behalf OF their
country. Then came the Boys bri-
gade, both senior and junior compan-
les. and being their first appearance
On the streets attracted considerable
admiration for their fine showing.
Members of the council and citizens in
carriages with the fire wagon patriot
,uII Ell
court house the parade was dismissed
The court house was well filed when
the G.. A. r. members and Woman's
Relief corps took their seats. The
room was tastily decorated with the
national colors and emblems with life
size portraits of Lincoln, Grant, Nc
kinley and Roosevelt gracing the wall
back of the speakers. Post Comman-
der William f.. Milton was In charge
OF the exercises and the following pro
gram. space not permitting individual
mention Of the creditable manner in
which 1t was executed, was carried
out:
Song-"Star Spangled BanDer" ...
..+.........,... Audience
''A'v"s'''pH isN'a " s,topb
O. A. H. Exercises. Observation-Disclosures.
song-''Columbia. the Gem of the
Ocean .................. Audience
"Lincoln's Gettysburg Address" ....
.......,..,,t,..... .Comrade. Vale
Bivouac of the Dead"
................. Miss Minnie Hand
Song-"Mustered Out One by One"
Recitation-"The Blue and the
Gray" ....,.... Miss Helen Dickson
Song-"Under the Sod and the
Dew .....,,f.......... Cholr
Address ........ DIR. W w. McEwen
Recitation Memorial Day" ......
...t,,......,.... Miss Edna Brown
........... Audience
Benediction ..,....,.. Rev. Ostenson
Taps.
The grafton of Mayor McEwen was
listened to with rapt attention and
is published for the many who were
unable to attend, being as follows:
"'Tis not that | feel myself pecul-
iarly fitted to say something appropri-
ate to this important occasion, that ]
am before you today, but that | have
been requested by the Grand Army of
the Republic TO talk. A request from
such source as this will al@ays by
me be considered as equivalent to
command.
Il feel that 1t is good on an occasion
like this 20 uprpll again the scroll of
time, and view IN retrospect things
and scenes long since forgotten, else
remembered as q dream. If, in doing
this today, my friends, we shall awake
in the memory of any present, sad rec
elections: If there are those here to-
day who MOURN the loss of a near and
dear friend. father, brother, nus
band, or a lover, cut down In the great
rebellion, these weeping ones may
know that the tears they shed today
mingie with the tears of an audience,
city. state, a nation; and that they
are encircled by the heartfelt sympa-
thy OF an entire people.
In this great conflict that swept
from the Potomac TO the gulf, and
even reaching back from our mount.
ain peaks, more than 100000 OF the
youth, of the flower of our land, per
ished; 100000 more returned manned
and crippled for life, many Of them
doomed to premature grave and
others to drag out miserable exist
ence
But this war in which these old
comrades fought was an epoch in the
worlds history. and 1t was Witnessed
by the crowned heads of Europe with
mingled feeling of love and chagrin.
No wonder, when they saw their cher
!shed notions and teachings of centur-
les shattered and fallen to earth, no
tions on which their very thrones
were seated, and the divine rights of
kings founded no wonder when the
great navy of England and the navies
of the world We're conquered or rem
dered useless that morning in Chesa'
peake bay.
in the language of our great foun-
der, let us review for moment the
conditions in which the rebellion
found the government,
I'VE see a country engaged in the
pursuit of peace. quiet and happiness;
country In which none OF the accou'
tremonts or trappings OF warfare