The Topeka state journal., 1908-09-02
AGAIN IN Line
To the Scream Of Fife and the
Roll of Drum
The G. A. r. Makes Its Forty
Second Annual Parade.
REVIEWED BY TAFT.
Many Novel Features Seen on
Line of March.
Kansas Veterans Appear Wear
ing SunflOWer ROsetteS.

Toledo. O., Sept with flags fly
ing. bands playing. crowds cheering
and o bright sky overhead, veterans
OF the Grand Army of the Republic for
the forth-second time marched
through the streets of an encampment
city today Through two miles of
streets guarded by younger genera
tion of soldiers-the Seventh regiment.
o. n c.. who restrained the throngs
of sight seers at the ropes-the old
campaigners Of Grant and Sherman
moved to the blare of bands and the
pipe of fife and the roll of drum. At
the reviewing stand where stood Will
liam H. Taft, Republican candidate for
president, Governor Harris. Senator
Foraker Mayor Brand Whitlock, and
many other notables, the cOlors were
dipped and each department comman-
der joined Chief Bur-
ton in the stand.
The parade being the leading feat
ure Of the encampment many posts
timed their arrival for that event and
the crowd of visitors was augmented
by thousands during the night. At
dawn this morning squads Of them
We're on the streets. watching city en-
ployes making clean the pavement of
SITlQRlnR
along the curb stones to hold the
crowds in check. The day had been
proclaimed a holiday by the mayor
and the majority of business places as
we'll as all public offices were closed.
The long and wearing delay at the
various points of mobilization while
waiting for the proper place to fall in
discoura ged some of the more feeble
veterans and they Joined the specta-
tors.
1t was well towards II o'clock when
the van of the parade marched past
the reviewing stand where they were
saluted with a bombardment of flow
ers for which surprise the women of
Toledo had been preparing for some
days. They emerged from the floral
shower to be greeted by an immense
human flag made up of nearly 5000
children, who in their dresses of red.
white and blue swayed their bodies
so that the emblem seemed to sway as
in a breeze. The old soldiers saluted
the picture with many a wave of hat
or hand and hummed, as they march,
ed to patriotic songs, the children
sang.
The Line of March.
The first in line came a squad of
mounted police followed by the mar
shal OF the parade, w. V. McMaken
and his staff Next was a brass band
followed by Communicating Chief Bur
ton under escort of the Toledo post
and past commander-in-ch chief and in
vited guests in carriages. Then came
the posts of the various states includ-
infg Illinois, California, Nevada Iowa,
Colorado, wyoming. Kansas. Missouri
South Dakota, Washington, Alaska,
New Mexico, Utah, Texas Montana
Idaho. Arizona and Oklahoma. They
were followed by the Association Of
eX-PrisOn ers of War and the battle
flag division. Ohio carried the old
war flags, carefully furled, brought
from the relic room at the capitol for
the purpose.
At the rendezvous point of the va
rious departments. coffee and sand
wiches were served to the waiting vet
Grams and those who desired to do
so were allowed to carry away their
cups as souvenirs.
Long before the parade started. the
streets were packed with humanity to
a degree which made it almost imDOs-
sible to move along the sidewalks They
came early. many with chairs and
boxes in which they brought their
lunch.
Local newspapers estimate that in
Guiding the veterans and their women
folk, there were 100000 visitors in the
city. Excursion trains brought them
by hundreds from the nearby cities of
Ohio. Indiana and Michigan
Illinois. with its large representa-
tion, with a boys brass band from
Western Springs and three fife and
drum corps made a splendid showing.
particularly Columbia post of Chicago.
with its white helmets and trousers,
and black close fitting uniform coats.
The Pennsylvanians with their emble-
matte squirrel tails in their caps. pa
raded in white at the heels of a band
uniformed in red.
With the small delegation from Ar
kansas marched Michael Mitchell. who
true to his promise. sustained himself
with the honor of carrying the depart
ment flag. leaving his cane at the ho-
tel Mitchells right foot was frozen
campaigning against the Ute Indians
snd his other one cut up by a rife
ball in the civil war. Ordinarily he
walks with the assistance of a heavy
cane.
Seen in the Parade
The Texans. some 40 of whom vere
in line. attracted attention by a seven
foot spread of steers horns. carried
by Colonel Dexter Wagner West Viz
ginia. with 200 in the column made her
presence particularly felt by the activi-
fties of Joe TraX. Trax with assist
lance of his comrades, dragged his
unique Custer cannon throngb the
parade. firing it repeatedly. Trax was
General Clusters orderly in West WI,
ginia and collected a vast snno,1r+ .,
articles on battlefields which he af+e,..
ward moulded into his cannon Tbe
gun contains among other things. fouI
pounds of brass buttons four regimen.
- anu Nillo0 uiNlslOn Dugles, 80 buck
les TWO orass door keys to the Ford
theater. Washington; FIVE eagles from
flags; 80 spurs; 16 army spoons one
COW bell and "a copper pennies captur.
( ed at Lexington. The men of Custer.
command in the parade were easfl,
distinguishable by the streaming reS
ties which they wore. 1t is related nv
Mr. TraX that when marching up Penn.
sylVana avenue after the war Mrs
Ehlaoeth custer. wife Of the general
threw long piece or red flannel a
her husbands command. the same he
Ing CAUGHT hN Nj Trar It -. -