The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-08-24

ed III the great Grand Army parade aI
Minneapolis yesterday was John Duane
of Mankato, veteran Of eighty six
years, but as young as the youngest of
them. Mr. Duane marched with Wilkm
post and kept up the pace from the
start to the finish. He declared after
the march was over that he felt fine and
could have walked on indefinitely.
Wilkin post made fine showing in
the parade, but could have made a bet
ter one had the Concordia band marched
at their head.
The parade occupied three hours and
forty minutes in passing a given point.
line.
Minneapolis certainly deserves great
credit for the excellent manner in which
the crowds were handled The doctors
and the Red Cross society comes in for
its share of praise for the great work
they performed along the line of march.
Veterans who were taken Ill were at
tended to Immediately. Anyone along
the line of march that succumbed to the
heat was cared for in an instant 1t is
said that Minneapolis showed greater
capacity for doing things right than any
city that has yet been favored by the
encampment.
Thomas H. Martin, commander of the
Department of the Potomac, fell in the
ranks, was at once removed to hos
pital, but death was victor soon after
ward.
The parade was one of the most mag
nificent spectacles ever witnessed III the
northwest. 1t was an inspiring lesson
in patriotism. Thousands upon thou
sands of people along the line cheered
the veterans as they passed.
Members of Rawlins post, Minneapolis,
looked handsome in their suits of gray.
Every man walked erect and kept step
with the same regularity that they did
in the days of the war.
well. They carried umbrellas of various
colors and kept step to the tune of the
martial music
One old veteran wore the same uni
form that he did when he was fighting.
secession. He carried the same canteen
and on the knapsack was painted these
words: From Pine Bluff to Appomat
tox."
In the parade were two old men
they were boys way back in '62-who
kept the spectators in good humor.
These two old vets were clever acrobats
and their actions and contortion stunts
created shouts of laughter.
Major George A. Clark writes from
the Soldiers Home as follows:
"Well, | came here for a rest after
spending two months at the Point dur
ing the height of the season., as they
say, acting as brevette landlord i'll the
absence of Colonel Barclay. But the
transition is from the frying pan into
the fire. Rest or quiet is an impossi-
bility anywhere within ten miles of the
court house of Minneapolis. Veterans
from every part of the civilized world
are here, and | met several here yes
terday wearing the badge of Alaska. No
use to 90 to headquarters or information
bureaus, they have just registered and
gone. All one has to do is to 90 to the
corner of Hennepin or Nicollet and
w dSHlIgUOH anu SbdIu SIlll. IUcu IL VIII
be, hello, George, Jim or Sam every
minute. State badges don't count. Look
for regimental badges and trust to
luck. To illustrate, | found Captain l..
u. Clayton of the Fifteenth Minnesota
Battery wearing badge of Maine, II.
Marcy, leader of the Fourth Minnesota
band, labeled Montana, was looking for
S. M. French of Denver and found him
wearing an Iowa badge. Stand still,
and you will come face to face with
a dozen comrades minute. But in spite
of this fact, everybody is rushing
around frantically, looking for somebody
and meets up with him where they
least expected. Today, (Tuesday) is the
great reunion day for army regiments,
a large number at city hall or court
house. About 100 of the Fourth Min
nesota volunteers met at room 2, court
house, and elected A. Applin of Mime
haha president of the association.
Minneapolis has been infested during
the week with lot of pickpocBets. At
opa o,nf fLo baor4 of +l.o IL 4l:.4x.