The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1905-05-18

The two great features OF the 31st
Annual Iowa q. A. II. Encampment to.
day were the election OF officers and
the grand street parade. While the
weather was more favorable than ie
had been on Tuesday and during the
night, II was still too billiouR, most OF
the time 10 give the boys feeling OF
complete victory 1t reminded them
too much Of picket duty. But never
theless they enjoyed every minute or
the time.
The Business Session.
The delegate body Of the State DE.
partment met this morning at the Ma
sonic opera house for the business OF
the encampment. The meeting was
called 10 order by Commander Il. T.
st. John, OF RlceyIlle, who presided,
and Assistant AdJutant George A.
Newman was In charge Of the bust.
ness affairs Of the meeting.
All ether officers OF the department
were In their places. The morning
was devoted 10 the hearing OF the an.
nual report OF the commander OF the
department and to the reports OF the
othor officers. The reports contained
many things Of interest to the order
In general
The Army adopted special memo
rial in honor of Mr.. George A. Hol-
man, deceased, who was the official
gtenographer Of the State Depart
ment.
The election Of officers was deferred
until after the parade this afternoon.
Boone Gets Encanpmenty
The encampment for 1906 will go
TO Boone. The delegates from that
city presented a most cordial invita-
ton TO the Grand Army TO come To
that city next year. SO warm and so
earnest was the Invitation for the
meeting that no other invitation was
presented and Boone was given the
unanimous vote Of the Army.
Death Depicting Ranks.
At the close OF the army year, He.
csmber 81, 1904. the Department OF
Iowa contained 3GS Posts with mem,
bersflIp Of 1f,72s active members, as
against S72 Posts and 1929 members
N the year preceding The loss by
Death during the past year was 1872.
Six Posts have surrendered charters
during the time.
installation Tomorrow.
Tnc Grand Army went into exccu'
tive session Immediately following
the parade for the election OF officers,
the hearing Of final business reports
Of committees and the completion OF
unfinished work. The installation OF
officers viii take place Thursday morn
ing and movement Ia afoot TO have
Joint inBta lation with the Reliet
Corps and TO make the ceremony a
Dnbl.c affair.
Weather Cut No Figure.
All day long Tuesday weather OF
the worst sort lowered about, making
conditions unpleasant. Cloud after
cloud passed by and would drop It's
5urdan OF moisture upon the gather.
ing crowds OF soldiers and visitors.
And yet with all OF the showers and
all Of the disagreeable conditions i'm
posed by the weather those old sol
diers were really having good time
again, They braysd the elements
from early until late. stood upon street
corner, at the court house and In the
park and seemed really obllyious OF
the fact that rain drops were falling.
They disdainfully refused umbrellas
or shelter and stood without protec-
tIon and "Just let her pour"
Tuesday was great day for the
Iowa Grand Army. That is the way
the boys expressed II. They were un.
hampsred by meetings for business or
otherwise, and ample opportunity was
offered for those who desired 10 seek
out the old comrades and visit. En-
10y the day? Why, bless you, not one
OF those old boys knew whether or
not II was raining There was a sun