The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1908-06-03
HONORED the HEROES
The Patriotic People of Deni-
son Observe Memorial Day.
EXERCISES IN OPERA HOUSE.
Addresses in the Afternoon by Col.
Wright and r. Shawvan.

Owing to continued wet weather
and the bad condition of the roads to
the cemetery. the Memorial exercises
under the auspicies of the G. A. R.
and w. X. C. and s.. of v. were held
in the opera house on Saturday last.
The organizations. and many citizens
met at ten A. M. and the regular
services we're carried out. as prescribed
by the ritual. The resourceful ladies
of the Corps arranged Cenotaph in
the center of the hall and at the prop
er time it was strewn over with
flowers. symbolizing the decoration in
spirit. of the grave of every Union
soldier who died on battle field. or
since the war. This part of the ex-
ercises is very beautiful and impress
sive. Theo. Walker is post COM
mander this year. and read his part
well. The Memorial orders were
read by A. j. Bond, and T. j. Shop
shire was the chaplain. On behalf of
the G. A. R. Comrade Lou. Mcclellan
decorated the Cenotaph. Between
the closing of the ceremonies in the
forenoon and those of the afternoon a
detail made up of Mrs. Mcclellan,
JAS. Mcclellan, A. c. Weeks and
Fred Marshall went to the cemetery
and decorated the graves of all the
veterans buried there.
Afternoon Program.
The exercises of the afternoon took
place as announced in the opera house,
beginning shortly after two o'clock.
Past State Commander w. A. Nc
Henry, acted as chairman A number
of the veterans present were invited
to take seats on the platform. Rev.
Kienle of the German Methodist
church made the opening prayer. after
which the children of the Loyal Tenn
perance Legion under the leadership
of Mrs. Chas. K. Meyers sang with
the spirit, Columbia the Gem of the
Ocean. Adjutant John L. Richard
son read the roll Of the honored dead
buried in the three cemeteries at
Denison. He described the burial of
men by the hundred in unknown
graves on the battle field. 1t made
one feel sad to consider how the list
of the dead was increasing. and the
band Of veterans becoming less and
less each year. The children next
sang America. the assembly joining in
the last verse.
Chairman McHenry now had a
pleasurable surprise for the old res
idents of Denison present. in that he
was able to introduce, Col. George L.
Wright, one of the old settlers of the
county, and one who as an ea-union
veteran held prominent place in G.
A. R. circles. He has been living
in Denver for ten years and came to
this county few weeks ago bringing
his wife to Vail on account of her
health. Col. Wright came to Deni-
son in 1869 and soon as lawyer took
leading rank at the bar. He was a
candidate for high Offices on the demo-
cratic ticket, was mayor of Denison
for number of terms, and post
master under Cleveland. When Mr..
McHenry was State Commander, Mr..
Wright was his adjutant. The
Colonel could at first hardly find voice
to speak before his old comrades and
neighbors. but soon the old fire came
to him, and he spoke at some length
telling how glad he was to be pres
ent. of the old soldiers, the ladies of
the w. R. G. and what was expected
of the Sons of Veterans in perpetual
ing the memory of the union veteran
when they were dead and gone. The
Colonel seemed to have renewed his
youth. and actually seemed much
younger than he did twenty years
ago. Mr.. McHenry called upon the
audience to sing "Praise God from
whom. all blessings fiow.' as fifty
expressing the feeling of the hour in
seeing Col. Wright back looking SO
we'll.
The orator of the occasion r. Shaw
Van was now introduced. His adj
dress was we'll received and proved
quite interesting. 1t was devoted to
renewing in mind the history of the
steps taken by the rebelling states
in leaving the union. There was a
description of the convention in South
Carolina when the resolutions declar-
ing the state out of the union were
passed: Of the surrender of Fort
Sumpter. He described the condition
of our land and naval forces. told of
the responses made by governors of
the seeding states when appealed to
by President Lincoln: of the larconic
message of Secretary Dix. IF any
man takes down the American flag
shoot him on the spot Attention
was called to the hostile attitude of
England, and the friendliness of