Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-09-03
GREAT G. 4. R. PARADE
the streets Of ToledO-No Acci-
dents or Exhaustion.

Toledo. O.. Sept. 2-For an hour or
more to-day the grand parade OF the
Grand Army OF the republic with Its at
tendant throngs served merely as the
| background the scenery of as dramatic
an incident as has enlivened a political
campaign in some years, namely. the
public meeting OF William II. Taft. and
his erstwhile rival. Senator Joseph
! Benson Foraker.
The republican leader and his antagon-
list politically OF the preconvention can
vass met in the official reviewing stand
shook hands. smiled. and exchanged
greetings while from thousands of
threats came cheer after cheer as the
significance of the incident davned upon
| the beholders.
The parade was remarkable for the
absence Of accidents and cases of ex-
haustion and for the good order which
prevailed. not only among the dense
crowds along the line OF march. but
throughout the city The weather was
perfect with bright sunligh. and a
temperature comfortably below tho
summer average.
Estimates of the number of veterans
in line varied from 5000 to three times
that number. but It is doubtful If there
were more than 10000. Fully half the
veterans wore the badges of either
Michigan or Ohio.
There were numerous picturesque
features to the parade, among them
two veteran Rhode Island tars, In sail
or suits carried brooms bearing tho
placard "Who won the battles of 81
and SO? We did"
Georgia, with 20 men In line elected
applause by displaying a bundle Of corn
stalks. Oklahoma, proud of her new
statehood. to make sure that the fact
was understood. bore banner with
| State OF Oklahoma In ample lettering
and the Fourth Michgans carried a pole
on top of which was an imprisoned roos-
ter On the sides Of the coop was the
boast I'VE captured Jeff Davis"
For the most part the step OF the men
WAS firm, their faces betrayed eager In
| terest and they seemed to be enjoying
the air and the familiar ffe and drum
music without a thought OF their years
The parade being the leading feature
| 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 were on
the streets. watching city employees
cleaning tho pavement on tho line OF
| march, and stringnE ropes along the
curbstones to hold the crowds In check
The day had been proclaimed a holiday
by the mayor, and the majority OF bust
ness places as we'll as all public offices
we're closed.
The long and wearing delay at various
points OF mobilization while waiting fol
the proper place to fall in discouraged
some OF the more feeble veterans, ant
| they Joined the spectators.
It was we'll towards eleven O'CLOCK
when the van Of the parade marched
past the reviewing stand where the,
were saluted with n bombardment OF
flowers for which surprise the womer
Of Toledo had been preparing for som'
days. They merged from the fora
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
| 80 that the emblem seemed to b.
tossed by breeze. The old soldiers
saluted the picture with many wave
OF hat or hand, and hummed as they
marched the patriotic songs the chill
dren sang.