The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-08-11
MARCH ONCE MORE
G. A. r. Veterans Unite in 43rd
Annual Parade.
Headed by the Fifteenth u. 8.
Infantry Regiment.
ONE MILE AND BACK.
Twenty Bands Living, Flags and
Other Accessories
Give to the Occasion All the
Old Time SplendOr.

Salt Lake City, Utah, Aug. 1.-THE
fanfare of trumpets, the roll of drums,
the rhythmic beating of feet upon the
Pavement, the f1uttering of banners
all the accessories of the annual parade,
the feature event of Grand Army en-
campments, gave Salt Lake City today
a martial aspect.
The veterans have looked forward
With youthful eagerness to this re-
crudescence of war time pageantry. It
has held place in the backgrounds
of their minds since they started for
the encampment. Preparations for the
event have been watched with close
attention. The dawn of the day ban
ished thoughts of new commanders and
r,eeting places. The parade was the
thing.
A fitting prelude to the great day was
the happenings of last night. The of
fetal welcome of the Grand Army of
the Republic before a huge audience in
the Mormon tabernacle and the pre-
sentation OF a beautiful silk flag to the
army on behalf of the successful asso-
citation of Salt Lake City had given the
old soldiers an-at-home-feeling and the
gorgeous display of fireworks on Ensign
peak had sent them to bed with joyous
hearts.
This morning they found Main street
and its approaches protected from en-
the whole police force ready at a word
from the chief to put an embargo upon
every kind of traffic within the precincts
of the veterans marching ground. Word
came at 10 o'clock when the divisions of
the parade wheeled in line by the Brig
ham Young statue at the head of Main
street The column was strictly mill
tary in its composition.
The Fifteenth infantry. u. S. A, from
Fort Douglass, took the lead. It was
followed by the Utah national guard
and the carriages conveying the COM
mander-in-chief. his official family and
distinguished guests.
Illinois led the states. Then came
Wisconsin. Pennsylvania and Ohio-on
down the list to Oklahoma. The Union
ex-prisoners of war marched after Ok
laf1onaa and the Utah comrades modest
ly brought up the rear.
To the music of a score of bands the
column moved slowly down the east
side of tho street-a street 1872 feet in
width-past the cheering thousands on
the sidewalks and banked high on the
spectators stands.
Seven blocks, one mile in Salt Lake,
brought the head of the procession to
Seventh South street where ], 200 school
children in white, red and blue robes
and caps formed a human flag wonder
ful in its beauty and marvellous in it's
movements as 1t undulated in the
semblance of wind tossed waves.
The head of the column swung to the
west across the street and the process
sion countermarched northward Here
the living flag Joined the parade in
marching order and followed the vet
Grams back to the ctarting point where
the historic ranks passed in review be-
fore Henry NJ Nevius, their commander
in-chief.
The forty-third march of the Grand
Army of The Republic was over The
commander then reviewed the living flag
ard the bands after which the obstruc-
tions were removed and the gong of the
street car Knocked the roll of the drums,
the blast Of the trumpet gave way to
the honk of automobiles, and the rattle
Of wagons took the place of measured
footsteps