The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1906-09-06
THE NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT. G. A. R.
Notes of the Meeting and of the Journey to
and From Minneapolis.

To THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL.
will attempt to give you an account OF
our excursion to Minneapolis to at
tend the fortieth encampment OF the
G. A. R. At precisely a. NJ, August
10th. our train moved out of the Union
Station, Portland. The party, number
ing about 200, consisted of members OF
the G. A. R. from Maine, together with
their families and friends. Some few
went on business and some merely to
see the country. Among the prominent
G. A. R. people were Department Com
mander Fred S. Walls and wife, Asst.
Adit.. Gen'l Thomas S. Libby and wife,
Asst. Quarter Master Gen'l Ambrust,
Comrades Col. and Wooster Vinal, all
of Vinalhaven, Maine; COL Sumner
and wife of Lubec; Col. wainwright
Gushing of Foxcroft; Maj Clayton OF
Bangor; Black Hawk Putnam and
George Smith of Houlton; +. l.. Palmer
and wife of Monroe, and others from
different parts of the State. Capt. Jas.
S. Gilmore of Searsport was with us,
going to St. Paul on business, and Chas.
a. Mckinney of Winterport took the
trip for his health and to see the West
ern country.
Our first stop of any length was at
the White Mountain House for dinner.
Here we waited not only to satisfy the
inner man with sumptuous repast,
but also to crafty our aesthetic natures
by viewing the gorgeous scenery OF the
White Mountains. Lunch that night
was at Newport, Vermont. Newport
seems to be a thriving town at the foot
of Lake Memphramagag. Breakfast
was taken on the train Saturday morn
ing, and by lunch time we were at North
BAY. Ontario. The country through
which we passed after leaving the
States, and until we reached Sauet Ste.
Marie would do we'll for a sheep pas
ture.
Although scheduled for 2.10 p. NJ,
the train did not arrive until $50 p. m.
After crossing the 3,0O0-foot bridge our
train was moved back near the lock in
order that we might witness the NOV
ing of steamers from st. Mary's pier to
Lake Superior. AS soon as the cars
had stopped we made our way to the
lock IN double quick time. Two
steamers were passing, one the Harry
Coulby, $50 feet in length, and the other
the Frontenac loaded with iron for the
Cleveland Cliff Iron Co. They pro-
ceeded from the river into the lock, the
gates were closed, and in about twenty
minutes the water IN the lock was as
high as in the lake above, the steamers
having been raised some fifteen feet
The gates above were then opened and
the vessels passed into Lake Superior.
1t was a sight your correspondent had
h14 al oil
for the pains taken.
Immediately after leaving the 500
our beds were made and when we awoke
the next morning we were rapidly APP
preaching Minneapolis through coun-
try of fertility. We arrived at 1870,
one hour behind time. Our section of
the party, consisting of Dept. Com.
Walls and wife, Asst. Adjt-Gen. Libby
and wife, Comrades Ambrust and
Nlnal and myself proceeded to Hotel
NicoIlet, where we were provided with
elegant quarters. The larger part of
our number were at Hotel Waverly.
After dinner we opened our register, to
find it we'll patroniZed. Every former
citizen of Maine and they were many
who came to our headquarters register
ed. one of the first to visit us was w.
X. Morrison, formerly of Belfast, a
member Of the committee on entertain
mellt.
Monday we were invited by MI Hall,
former resident of Maine to take a
sail on Lake Minnetonka and to dine
at Ills cottage. We We're royalty en-
tertamed by MI. and Mrs. Hall and had
a delightful day generally Tuesday |
found Comrades Walls and wife, Com
rades Libby and wife, and myself seat
ed III w. X. Morison's So, 800 auto. for |
forty mile ride, Nj. Morrison giving
his personal attention to our wants |
They took us first to the magnificent |
CLUB Room overlooking the Lake, |
thence to Lake Calhoun, to Lake |
Hamlet, to Lake Amelia, to the Lake
of tie Isles; next to the Soldiers Home, |
to The Falls of Minnehaha, to Fort |
Smelling and to st. Paul, where we had |
a chance to look at the magnificent |
State House recently erected by the |
State of Minnesota. In going from st. |
Paul back TO Minneapolis we passed !
the point in the Mississippi River
where lock is being constructed. We |
were about three hours in making the |
forty mile trip. 1t was beautiful day, |
We all enjoyed the ride immensely, and |
extended TO Mr.. Morrison a most
lie rty vote of thanks.
w FullCoudS CduIC uIIG JdIduG, ~ |
smart shower the night before seemed |
TO cool the air. The route was favor
able, streets smooth, and movement
Slow. Your correspondent was in the
file with F. L. Palmer of Monroe and |
Comrade O'Nie of Portland. who
weighed only 30 pounds. The other
comrades we did not know. We stood
the march of two and one half miles all
right. Tie New Jersey Division was
III front of us and California in the
rear Maine was the eighth division
i'll line, which gave us an opportunity to
witness the passing OF the remainder of
the column. 1t was interesting to
notice the emblems of the different
States; for instance, North Dakota
wheat, South Dakota corn. Georgia
alligator, Florida pineapple, and so on.
Thursday morning we assembled in
the auditorium for business. The re-
port of COMMANDMENTS Chief Tanner
was the first thing in order and occupied
the forenoon. In the afternoon at 4
O'Clock came the election of officers for
1906. There were three candidates for
COMMANDMENTS Chief-,Judge Burton of
St. Louis, Comrade Cony of Kansas
and Comrade Robt. B. Brown of Ohio.
1t seemed from the first that Comrade
Brown had the lead. Judge Burton in
- eti ,.rifb Il o,,l j