Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-15

Soal VailSy, Ill, Oct. Io.-E0llOT
Argus: Last Tuesday your correspond |
ent took trip to Des Moines, Iowa, |
the convention of postmasters of the |
fourth class Icing held in that city |
There was three days meeting. Oct. |
10 About 500 delegates were present. |
Superintendent w. r. Spilman of Kan
sas was present on the first day and
addressed the convention. Mr.. Spill.
man has charge of rural free delivery
under the fourth assistant postmaster
senei al. He made an able address.
He invited discussion and goodly
number of the "p. MS fired ques-
tons at him, which he answered
without hesitation. This part of the
program was very instructive.
The members of the convention by
resolution thanked him. On the second
day c. P. Granfield. first assistant
postmaster general, addressed the
body and as on the previous day many
important questions were discussed.
Each member was allowed to ask all
the questions he desired to ask and
assure you they were answered very
promptly.
| On the afternoon of the second day
the rostmasters were all invited to go
to view the capitol. While there all
were assembled on the steps and
man with q SORT of mortar camera
took two shots at us, the first with
hats on and the second without. Con-
sidering that they were postmasters
|tf the fourth class. they made a fine
picture. While waiting for the pic
lure man we viewed the interior of
The capitol, which is fine and i'm
Iposing building. 1t stands on an ele-
walton of about 60 feet above the level.
There are some fine paintings, the
battle flags OF the civil war and the
war with Spain are in inches in the
:otunda. 1 Goffed my hat to those
glorious old flags and especially to
two of them, one of them the goth
.cwa infantry and the other the 40tf.
The former my fathers regiment was
I..rigaded with and the latter with my
Town brigade. The old veterans seem
10 be young cncc more when they see
those gloriois old flags which they
iought and many of their comrades
lcied under them. While in the capitol
many of the sray haired veterans
looked at those dear old flags with
Itears in their eyes, because it revived
lc1emoirs that cannot be expressed in
words.
We next took cars for Fort Des
IIoines. The I'd United States cavalry
lis stationed there. There are some
very fine building. The officers quar-
tiers are on the north, the soldiers
iquarters on the south and the head
Quarters on the east side of the parade
lsrounds. which consists of some 40
Or so acres. The stables are south of
the soldiers quarters. There was a
Especial drill for our benefit, 10 troops
lof the 2d-two troops being absent at
Louisville, KY. They have band of
ia pieces AMI all are mounted The
Ibugle sounded the assembly, guides
were placed or the grounds and then
each troop marched to the color line
Then they made the various evolS
lions. The marching in columns was
fine and the wheeling or turning was
made with wonderful precision, in
fine, but the best was to come. The
troops were brought into line, facing
north. the band being in front. At
The first notes of the music sabers
we're drawn and without any further
command the long line went through
1.-THE exercise without a hitch. / had
seen many cavalry troops drill, but
none to equal the I'd cavalry. Thec
followed drill by the crack troop OF
The regiment. 1t was grand. The
various movements and the charge
were loudly applauded by the visitors
Tho cleaning of the sabers of the
long line flashed in the sunlight. II
was sight not soon to be forgotten
The officers and men were very cour-
,eous. l met Lieutenant Mars who
gave me much information as regards
tie post. Lieutenant Mars was a