Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-01
WEATHER CONDITIONS PERFEcT
AND EXTENSIVE PROGRAM Ia
CARRIED OUT BY MEMBERS OK
G. A. r.
VETERANS MARCH
OUT TO CEMETERY
MAJORS HAMILTON, MAHoN AMI
SPlLMAN DELIVER ADDRESSES
AND CHILDREN DECORATE
GRAVES OF SOLDIER DEAD.

Ideal weather conditions prevailed
In Ottumwa today and an elaborate
Memorial day program was carried
out by the Grand Army of the Repub]
lie and kindred organizations. A pro{
cession formed this afternoon and pro1
ceeded TO, the cemetery where this aft{
ernoon with speeches by members Of
| Cloutman post and appropriate cere{
, monies the graves of the soldier dead
are being decorated. The day waa
cloudy, but the threatened rain did
not come, and the day was all the beH
l'ter for the veterans and their march
with the sweltering sun obscured bT
clouds. Many thousands of peo1
pie, even millions of mem
women and children over the en
tire United States of America are
gathered today in dozens, fifties, hun1
dreds and in thousands to do honor to
the memory of those whom America
will never be able to repay, the dead
heroes who gave their lives or theia
strength and health, that the country
might flourish and remain intact--A
4 union WithSone flag. In the cemeteries
of the nation scattered all over the
4 entire country today there are thous{
/ ands Of the unions noble defenders
sleeping the sleep of the just. They
are awaiting the final awakening
when comrades who fought and suffer-
ed hardship and privations side by
side, shall again march, but as an
army Of peace and meet the tormeI
enemy, who in his zeal Tor what hd
thought right, fought and lost, and wilt
! gladly extend the hand of brother
hood in the land Of the happy beyond
Many Sleep Far Away. I
Many Of these mourned and whose
memory Is kept hallowed otter all
these years by a grateful peoplea
sleep far away from the loved oneS
they left when the call Of duty toog
them from home, parents, wife, sister,
brother and children that the flag Of
union might float over America. But
these are being cared for in their last
sleeping place by saddened though
grateful country and a people who foH
get family ties in the honoring of th@
nations most noble and glorious det
, tenders. Those who survived thS
carnage of war in whole or in part and
! though sick, manned or aged were per-
mitted by providence to return from
the bloody strife and die among 'theii
: families. are being visited while theS
sleep in pease by the remnant of that
noble band of heroes, many of whom
are bereft of an eye, arm or limb and
suffering from an intirmity produced
by the war that will ultimately NUM-
Der them with their sleeping conn
5 rades. Nor is it only the remaining
A members of the old guard that ard
participating in this most, sacred as
we'll as patriotic duty. Widows, motht
ers, wives and children In hundreda
. are assisting in the services here to,
: day, with the sons of Veterans(
Guardsmen, Women's Relief Corpa
. and citizens generally.
q Graves Are Marked. Z
/ BY this time every soldier grave In
Q the cemeteries Of the city has bee1
NAKED by the G. A. r. monumentst
None Of the graves of the honored
dead that are known to the G. A. n
post Of the city are left unmarked
. and union defender is the proud
banner which, with the flag they
fought for, stands over the graves
where they sleep the final sleep. Gar
) lands of flowers have been placed up
!. on the grave mounds and the noble
deeds of the honored silent are ext
J. tolled in eloquence, prayer and song
a by the multitudes that have ASSEM-
bled to do their memory honor.
Visit Calvary Cemetery.
During the morning Comrades John
! Feehan, Thomas r. Buckley and L. HI,
y Owens drove to Calvary cemetery and
!. the graves of departed soldiers were
= decorated by them before the regular
. service of the afternoon which is talk
: ing place in the Ottumwa cemetery.
The Procession.
The procession formed at the
x court house at 2 o'clock under tho
e direction of Marshal w. H. Fetzer and
1t Assistant Marshal George Miller Al
l. platoon of police composed of Chief
Gallagher, Captain Mier, Officers
Souders, Black, Lightner, Peterson,
Harris and Beeman led the procession
e followed by the Fifty-fourth regimental
Il band. The marshals followed in thu
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