The Somerset reporter., 1906-06-07

The annual enc tmpment Of the Maine
Grand Army Of the Republic and he
lief corps and Ladies' circle of the Il.
A. X state departments, which is to
be hello in Portland, next week, on
June Is and II, promises to be ole of
the largest attended aud one of the
most interesting in the history of the
State. This year the encampment is to
meet in June instead of February as has
been the custom for several years, and
1t is believed that this change from the
winter months to the warm weather will
be appreciated by the members in all
parts of the STATE, as the conditions in
every respect are so much more agree
able than in the winter and in conse-
queDce large attendance is expected
The meetings are to commence on
Wednesday and continue through
Thursday afternoon, when each of the
organizations will hold election of Of
ficers. The meetings of the veterans
are to be held In City hall, those of the
National Relief corps are to be held
in the superior court rooms, while the
meetings of the State corps are to be
held in the First Parish honse, and
those of the Maine Ladies of the q .
A. r are to be held in the common
council chamber.
The meetings of the veterans are to
be presided over by Department com.
manGer Henry o Perry of Fort FAIR
field, while thuse of the National Relief
corps are to be presided over by Mrs.
Alice F. Gilman of Oakland.
Mrs Frances ). Black of Gorham is
the presiding officer for the State
corps, while Mis-. N. |. Sawyer of South
Portland is the president of the Ladies'
of the e. A. k. and will preside over
the deliberations of that body.
The plan now is to give the veterans
sail and shore dinner at the Peaks
Island house on Wednesday, and on
Thursday evening to hold a campfire
in City hall when prominent members
of the order are to be in attendance and
make speeches.
The members of The National corps
to entertain the members of their con-
vention have planned 10 give trolley
ride through the city and suburbs and
on Wednesday evening at the Fal
mouth hotel to hold reception for the
State officers of their organization. On
Thursday evening the members of
Thatcher National corps of Portland
are planning grand reception in City
hall to be held at the close of the
Campfire held by the veterans This
reception is for the members of the vari-
Gus organizations in convention assem-
bled.
During the encampments the mem
bers of Shepley camp, Sons of Veter-
ans, and their Ladies' auxiliary are
planning to keep open house in their
hall in Harrington block, serving re.
freshment to the officers and delegates
of the several encampments.
The members of Annie A Gould tent,
Daughters of Veterans, have also ar
ranged to keep open house in one of the
rooms at the Falmouth hotel wher
they, too, are to serve refreshments
during the two days of the encamp-
ment.
Committees on reception and enter
tainment as also committees to meet
the members of the various encamp-
ments at the depots and direct them
to the places of meeting are to be sta
toned at each of the depots and every
possible detail is to be arranged
80 that the encampment will go down
in history as one of the most SUCCESS
ful in the history of the department of
Maine
An event If interest in connection
with the encampment of the veterans
will be the election of officers which
will be held on Thursday, probably
early in the afternoon. The real con.
test is for the position of department
commander and for this off ce at least
two if not three candidates are in the
field for the honor.
1t is believed that the fight is to be
between L G. Bateman of Lewiston
and Fred 5. Walls of Vinalhaven, al
though the friends of Edwin Riley of
Livermore Falls are urging him to re-
main in the fight to the finish