The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-14

/ feel that I belong here and few years
| hence when 1 am compelled to retire from
/ the service / hope to be able to return TO
/ st. Paul and make it my home.
| Smelling, as fort, has great III
| ture. / hope some day to see 1t more
| than a brigade post. TO succeed in war
/ our northern posts must be built up, for
/ one can never tell what might happen.
and We should always be prepared for the
l unexpected. The climate here is far SUI
perior to that of the posts of any other
| department and the troops who come
mere from the tropics. diseased and broken
at any other point 1t is with more regret
IMAM can express that leave here, and
am sincere when tell you that some day
nope to return and be one of you.'
j. j. Hill Praises Army.
James J. Hill was the next speaker to
as business man" and one who had
cone much for the development of this
great Northwest
am usually a very busy man and
glad to go to my home when night comes. .
SAID Mr. Hill; but was glad of the on
portun1ty to come here tonight. To one
VINO mas lived on the frontier forty seven
years 1t is always a pleasure to mingle
Win men or the army. In the early DAYS
remember, the regular army was con-
slaered by many to be. useless, but we
grew and learned, and who is there TODAY
not proud Of our army?
Ihe most pleasant days Of my life
were years ago when I was travelling
over the plains and would come to an
army post, and 1 think every man who has
d ave: peen the guest at an army post
uuIing The early days will agree with
i itv - mere ne was always genuine hospital
was a pleasure to be among such men AS
made Up the army -
don remember aaa attending a dinner in Lon
Wnen 1t was my pleasure to meet Gen.
Woiseiey, then In charge of the English
army OF INDIA, but recently of more prom
to cast reflections upon the American
soldier, and it was a delight to be priv
neged to inform him that the Americans
were the greatest fighters in the world,
ana It was with considerable pride that
l told him of the charge of the First
minnesota regiment at Gettysburg, when
less than 200 men charged the enemy and
outnumbered them more than dozen to
one: I asked him what the charge of
tnelr light brigade amounted to when
COMPARED with the charge of the First
minnesota, and I also told him that the
coiors taken that day were now in the
halls of the capitol building in this city,
and that the first man to sign his name
as volunteer of our great army during
the Civil war was Joe King, who is today
living in st. Paul.
Need Large Army.
We need large army said Mr. Hill,
Tor II we are to belong to the family
OF the great commercial nations Of the
world, We must have power to command
respect for our flag. 1 believe we should
nave the nucleus for an army of zoo
men with officers sufficient to handle
II came here from Canada and my first
! impression of the country was not fat
terlng, but when lived to see men leav-
ing their ploWs in the center of a field
to go out and fight for their country I
had no doubt as to the success of our
government
I'VE speak of frontier continued Mr.
Hill. but it might be said that we have
no frontier today except the international
frontier, and that is guarded by our rail-
roads. 1t is to be hoped that We will
never never have any more trouble with our
should come about believe we could
with very few troops, capture the entire
Northwestern possessions Of the enemy.
Mr.. Hill paid a glowing tribute to Col
Pond, and spoke optimistically of the flu
ture of Fort Smelling and of the necessity
for being prepared for whatever might
happen !y2s -. ,ss
said, land we should be prepared no mat
ter what the cost
Rev. DR.. John Wright, rector Of ST.
PauPs Episcopal church, of which Col.
Pond is a member, told something of the
early life of the colonel. 4
Was First Volunteer.
Away back In the early sixties,'' said
DR.. Wright. there came call for vol
unteers to go to the front and defend
their country. Down in a small town in
had been called at the town hall, and
there was large crowd present. Patri-
otto speeches had been made, and after
the president of the meeting had announc-
ed its object, he called for volunteers.
Once, twice, three times he called and
there had been no response. Finally a
small boy, in knee breeches, held up his
hand and walked to the front He was
cd fn fIn foh INV ta md
made the first volunteer. The boy was
George E. Pond and he was but fifteen
years old. His action inspired others,
and before the meeting had closed the
boy climbed the ladder by hard work,
and we are proud to see what he is today,
with bright future before him. I am
proud Of him as a man and also as a
churchman.''
Thomas Cochran was the last speaker,
and, like those before him, he said
many things complimentary to Col. Pond.
Mr.. Cochran assured Col. Pond that he
was leaving many friends behind him,
all Of whom wished him god speed and
success. He also spoke of the superiority
Of the American soldier, whose equal was
not to be found in any other country.
Informally Receives.
Following the speeches an Informal re-
ception was held, at which those present
were given an opportunity to bid Col.
Pond farewell.
Those present were: Col George E.
Pond, ]. ]. Hill. M. D.. Grover, Theodore
F. Smith, Gen Kobbe, Rev. John Wright,
Congressman F. C. Stevens, A. III. Linde-
Ike, J. M. Hannaford, D. s. Sperry, A.
K. Pruden, E. Vanish, E. w. Bazille.
Oar F. Reese, E. L. How, John Rudberg,
W. L. Perkins Sr., w. L. Sleppt, Timothy
Reardon A P. Cameron, H. E. W.
Shuette, j. McCardy, Edmund S. Dur
ment B. F. Beardsley, Alfred e. Siliger,
C. NJ Benham. J. A. Polleys, III. w.
Childs. Dr. Thomas McDavitt, John F.
Kelly, w. H. Egan, John ]. Murphy. J.
H. Haslam, P. j. Schaub, M. w. ]. Drfs-
coll, c. H. McGill F. w. Bergmeier, D.
A. Murphy, Frank Schlick Jr, w. G.
Whitehead, w. B. Gerry, w. F. Meyers,
Thomas Cochran, r. l.. Hoxie, Maj. r.
I. HnYie Slime