Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-05-27


hre, lead and blood the Board Of
Trade battery played an active part
and covered itself with glory. often
the ponderous wheels of big busi-
ness stopped upon receipt of news of
the Battery" January srd. 1893.
the tumult of "the floor" died away
In the first news Of the Union vic
tory at Stone River was read from a
telegram sent by s. H. Stevens, who
had been a grain inspector for the
board in days of peace.
Nashville. Tenn, June 3, 1884,"
1t ran. "Murfreesboro Is ours. Ter
rifle fighting on Friday. No more
casualties in the Battery; It has won
glorious distinction"
Letters from the gunners during
the latter part OF the war related
that the badges each member wore,
"B. of T. Battery" was a never-fail-
ing passport at any sentry line; the
pickets on seelihg II would oblig-
ingly turn their backs, for the rec
ord of each member had been es-
tablished. II was Lieutenant Griffin
who fired the first shot in tho battle
of Chlcamaugua and It was his bat
terry which fred the last one.
When news was received that
General Rosecrans had ordered that
a stand of colors, bearing the names
of the battles in which the battery
had fought, had been presented to
It enthusiasm ran high. Finally,
when the surviving men came back,
and marched through the streets the
whole city turned out TO welcome
them. That was on June 81, 1855;
and at a great banquet spread on the
exchange floor among the grain and
provision pits, the remnant OF the
famous command sat down togeth-
or for the last time. Never again
were they all united and some
dropped out OF the knowledge OF
their comrades for years. II is. how
ever, a fact OF national interest that
now the record OF all Is completed,
be they living or dead.
During the war and through the
days that followed,
the commercial interests OF the coun-
try represented by the big exchanges
stood solidly by the green back ana
In the days OF their ad-
versity. Practical patriotism and
free handed sympathy has been
shown by them repeatedly since the
banquet which marked
the disbandlng OF the famous bat
terry at the Board OF Trade here.
When the world was shocked at the
horrors OF the Galveston flood. the
Chicago Board OF Trade asked no
questions but with promptness and
decision gathered It's members to-
gether and from their individual con-
they sent the crippled
city $4,000. When Johnston was
flooded in 1889 the board OF trade
sent $4,000 to relieve the suffering.
In 1890 and 1891 the crops OF Da-
kota were short, the farmer practl-
cally bankrupt. and 10 insure a crop,
the Board of Trade forwarded S2,-
2 1920 in the two years to purchase
seed for the farmers. The boarl,
without delay voluntarily and eager
ly, by individual contributions. sent
10 the families OF the policemen
killed or wounded in the Haymarket
riot. $4,000 as a slight expression
OF it's appreciation of bravery In the
public defense. Then. too. the big
sum OF s21,726.6s was sent TO the
San Francisco sufferers in 1906 when
the walls were In ruins.
Surviving members OF Board OF
Trade battery recall the oyations at
the exchange upon their departure
and return as red letter occasions,
for Board OF Trade men then and
now are the kind who in such events
show stirring enthusiasm and com
radeship. The old-fashloned "asso-
citation" acts upon the impulse OF It's
individual members and not as a
profit seeking corporate entity. and
the Board of Trade of Chicago is
such an association. Thr difference,
In these days when corporate con-
duct is under the searchlight. is sig
nlficant. Militant in 1865, the board
Is still militant; now In a warfare
costing thousands of dollars annual
". upon its counterfeit. the buck
et-shop," that has fieeced the public
By shamming the methods OF an
open. worlds market. And all the
years since "war times" 1t has been
militant in its dictation 10 powerful