The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-06-24
Members of the Grand Army
of the Republic Make Annual
Pilgrimage to Kenosha
BIG CROWD HEARS VETERANS
Stirring Patriotic Addresses are Made
by Many of the Most Distinguished
Men of the Grand Army
in State and Nation

a
z. G. Simmons paid his annual tr1-
Nbute of love and respect to the mem
aSbers Of the Grand Army of the Repub-
Elic on Thursday evening and the event
bproved to be the greatest gathering of
1.-THE old boys, who wore the blue, ever
Fheld in Kenosha. More than three
hundred men representing some forty
$posts in thefdepartments of Illinois and
wisconsin came to ,Kenosha to be the
bguests of Mr.. Simmons and the recep-
Etion accorded to them was the most
acordial ever extended by the one
Honorary member Of their great organi
Ization.
4 In honor of the coming of the
veterans the grounds about the Sim
mons home on Prairie avenue were
radiant inf color and lights and every
where the }red, white and blue blazed
a welcome for the men who had come
bon the annual pilgrimage. Commit
itees from the Fred s. Lowell Post met
| the visitors at the railway station and
meeting at the Post Hall they marched
IN body to the home of Mr.. Simmons
IJust before seven O'Clock. Mr.. Sim
mons and the members Of his family
extended personal greeting to each
| of the members of the posts repre-
fsented. In the long line were repre-
sentatives of the Wolcott Post of Mil
Ewaukee, the Governor Harvey Post of
Racine, the Waukegan Post, the Thorn
I as, Meade, U. s. Grant, Washington,
and Columbia Posts Of Chicago,
/ while many of the posts in both divi-
3sions sent delegates to be present and
fpay their tribute of love to Mr.. Sim
mons for the many tender kindnesses
Fine has shown to the old soldiers
At the Simmons home distinguished
Ibody of men assisted Mr.. Simmons in
EreceiVing the guests of the evening. In
1.-THE line were the Rev. j. Fletcher
ISpence of Knoxville, Tenn, chaplain
general of the Grand Army; the Rt.
Rev. Samuel Follows, formerly chap
lain general; Major Robert Mann
lWocds of Chicago, the first adjutant
fgeneral of the Grand Army, and one of
E&he men who had been active in the
afbundation of the organization; Capt.
TCuthbert w. Laing of Chicago; Jasper
aT. Darling, past commander of Celum-
bia Post of Chicago; ex-governor
'FGeorge w. Peck, General T. G. Winkler,
hhPast Grand Commander A. G.. Weissert
.Rof milwaukee,, Department Commander
| William III. Gfinnell Of Beloit, Louis
1Sholes of Milwaukee, and the great
here of the rank and file, plain Phil
FCheek of Baraboo.
There were score Of men who had
won distinction during the war in the
great company which filed past the re-
! ception stand, among them being Past
4 Department Commander Lang of Ra-
cine, Col. Dennis Hynes of the Loyal
Legion of Chicago, Assemblyman Esta-
brook and the Hon. Samuel A. Cook of
Neenah, Henry Fink and host of
other men who were widely known
among the Wisconsin troops.
After the short reception at the
house the members of the party
marched to the Park avenue M. E.
church where dinner was served, Mr..
Simmons presiding over the dinner in
person. Covers were laid for more
than 800 guests and the tables were
beautifully decorated with flags and
! flowers.
After, dinner was over the Grand
Army men returned to the Simmons
I home. The grounds were crowded with
people and the camp fire which followed
proved to be more interesting than any
ever held at the Simmons home. There
was music by the Italian band while a
quartette of the veterans led in sing
lang the old army songs.
The weather was just little cold
and Mr.. Simmons ever thoughtful of
,kthe health of the old veterans asked
that the speech making be curtailed in
;ierder that the veterans would not have
ITO spend too much time in the cold raw
fair of the evening. Past Grand Com
fmander A. G.. Weissert of Milwaukee
was the master of ceremonies and for
NEARLY two hours the distinguished
fguests kept the great crowd Of people
Echeering. There were no long speeches,
lbut there were short patriotic addresses
in which honor was paia to the Grand
Army of the Republic and to Mr.. Sim
mons for his love of the old soldier and
the many favors he had shown them
4 both in the days of the war and in
days of peace.
During the evening the great crowd
was led in the singing of the old songs
of the battle field by the E. B. VOL
colt Post Quartette of Milwaukee and
the Columbia Post Quartette of Chi
cago.
Bishop Samuel Fallows was the first
4 speaker of the Camp Fire and he paid
4 great tribute to the men of the Grand
Army declaring that there was no such
other BODY of men unor the face of