The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-06-01
HOWOURNAvYW WAS
DEVELOPED IN
CIVIL WAR
Judge DarIing's Address at
Soldiers Home
OF HISTORICAL INTEREST
Many Visitors In Town 10 Witness
Annual Observance Of Memorial
Day.

Favored by fine weather up TO a
late hour In the afternoon the ,0bser-
vance of Memorial day Saturday was
more impressive than usual. Despite
their growing age and decreasing
NUMBERS the veterans turned out In
good numbers and the graves OF all
the soldiers In town were decorated
and marked by flag, while the other
exercises were listened to by large
crowds.
The streets were well filled all day
and the cars brought In hundreds
from the surrounding towns includ
ing scores from North Adams and
Pittsfield who took advantage OF the
holiday to enjoy the most attractive
trolley trip In the United States. The
day was not marred by any serious
accident; there was not an intoxica-
ted person seen on the streets and
the entire observance of the day was
most creditable.
The stores and other business pla-
ces kept open until noon or one O..
clock but the amount Of business they
did was small, showing that the prac-
tice Of opening stores on holidays Is
one that could just as well be dis
pensed with and give everybody q
chance to enjoy the day. A consider
able number from here spent the day
In other places but not as many as
came here from out of town.
At $3.50 the members Of the G. A.
Custer Sixth Corps Post. G. A. X. and
Sons OF Veterans gathered In the post
rooms. and at 9 o'clock marched In a
body to the old cemetery at Benning-
ton Center. Here a short Memorial
service was held. lead by Commander
Rudd and other officers. Later they
visited the village cemetery ind at
forwards returned to the G. A. X.
hall for dinner served by the w. r.
|C.
At one o'clock the line OF march
formed on School street including the
various patriotic organizations led by
the veterans OF the Grand Army with
Company X, In command OF Capt. j.
Ben. Harmon. as guard Of honor.
The turnout Of school children was
large and formed one of the brightest
and most attractive features OF the
day. From the graded school the line
marched to the Soldiers Home
grounds for the principal exercises
OF the day. The program prepared
for these services was as folio VS. and
was carried out In the main though
shortened slightly owing to the threa,
ening rain and the post being obliged
to leave to go to North Bennington:
Address, Edward II. Holden, pres
ident Of the day.
Address, Post Commander Dwight
H. Rudd.
Address Officer OF the Day John
Charles Clark.
Address, Post Chaplain E. Payson
Hathaway.
Firing salute by Co. X, V. N. G..
Music by Bennington City Band
Decoration Of graves by veterans Of
Soldiers Home.
Taps.
The ceremonies will be continued
from the veranda Of the home as fol
lows:
Flag drill by grades and OF the
graded school, Miss Elmendorf, dir
ector.
Address by Edward Fl. Holden, ESQ
Grafton, Hon. Charles II. Darling.
Music by Bennington City Band.
Benediction by Rev. II. s. Rowe.
At the conclusion OF the foregoing
ceremonies the procession will pro
coed to the depot and take the 3:4(
train for North Bennington; on arriv
al proceed to the village cemeter,
and hold Memorial service.
Address, Rev. L. A. COOney.
Music by Bennington City Band.
Decoration Of soldiers graves.
Firing salute and tap by Co. X
v. N. G..
The memorial service at Hinsdill
VILE will be held Sunday Afternoon
at 800 o'clock p. m, May 81. Ad
dress by Rev. James p. Harper.
The memorial service for comrades
who have died since last Memoria
will be held Saturday evening, Jun,
TO-.
Judge Darling's address was espet
tally interesting from historical
standpoint, being devoted to the Sci
vices Of the navy during the Civil
war. At the outbreak of the war tn
Union government had available onl
three wooden ships Of war to block
ade the six thousand miles of Confet
crate coast line and one Of the grea
works OF the war was to develop
navy, as 1t was necessary to cut Of
the foreign supplies as well as tn
foreign cotton market Of the secedin
states In order to bring them to terms
During the war the navy grew fror
about 1900 officers and men to owe
$1,000 and the number Of ships I
over 600.
The flag drill by Is girls under tn
direction OF Miss Agnes Elmendol
was one of the delightful features {
the day and was warmly applaude,
The band was generous In the nun
Der Of selections and made mos
creditable showing as did also Con
pany X, which is now one Of tn
best companies Of the Vermont reg
. ment.