Evening star., 1909-05-30
RECEPTION AT FAIRFIELD
Retired Army Officer Celebrates
Birthday Anniversary.
TWO ILLUSTRATED ADDRESSES
Members Of Oldest Inhabitants, Vir-
ginia Democratic Association and
I'd Army Corps Among Callers.

cal campaigns, and who have come in
contact with him during his business life
OF many years in this city. Maj. George
A. Armes. L. S. A.. retired. yesterday
celebrated his sixty-fifth birthday ami
versary at his home. Fairfield, corner Of
Connecticut avenue and Grant road
Maj. Armes greeted several hundred
friends during the afternoon and evening.
In the gathering were men Of prominence
in the National capital. Others sent sin
cere words Of greeting and best wishes.
From o'clock until II o'clock the guests
swarmed through the house or strolled
about the lawns, everywhere seeing signs
OF hospitality and every little while reas-
sured by the host that the beautiful spot
belonged to his friends for the day
Chief among the guests were the
members Of three organizations of
which Maj. Armes is a member-the
Association of Oldest Inhabitants Of
the District of Columbia. the Virginia
democratic Association and the Second
Army Corps. Large delegations from
each OF the organizations accepted Mai.
Armes' invitation to assist him in ceIe-
brating the sixty-fifth anniversary Of
day"
Aided by Reception Committees.
Reception committees of both the AS
sociation Of Oldest Inhabitants and the
Virginia Democratic Association assisted
Maj. Armes in welcoming the guests and
insuring enjoyment for all. T. Edw.
Clark headed the reception committee of
the Oldest Inhabitants. The other mem
bers were James v. White, George w.
A p AZ
Dellwig. Joseph NJ. Wheatley. Charles
Berens, Louis P. Shoemaker. Thomas w.
Smith, Andrew H. Ragan. Joseph !.
keefer, Richard Sylvester, John B. Nc
Garthy. DR.. B. w. Sunny. J. T. Wallace,
William A. Linton and B. w. Reiss
On behalf Of the Virginia Democratic
Association. the reception committee was
A. c. Murdaugh, Joseph F. Webber, Joan
p. Bfscoe, Walter 7. Tritupoe and E. d.
Mokenna. The delegation of veterans of
the ID Army Corps was headed by DIR.
William Tindall. president of the associa-
tion. and Capt. 0. d. Thatcher, secre-
tary.
Soon after their arrival at Fairfield the
beautiful view over the Rock Creek valley
"a vast expanse Of green forests and
thriving fields. with here and there
house peeping out of the foliage or dot
ting a cleared hillside. From the pcrches
Of the old mansion the.guests viewed the
landscape. and then they found seats
under the shady trees on the broad lawn
that slopes gently on three sides Of the
house.
In the evening strings OF colored electric
which the merry laughter of the guests
ana the white dresses of the girls and
matrons who accompanied father or hus-
band gave an added touch.
Later the guests sat down to light re-
freshments in the dining room, and that
every one was well served was due to the
thoughfulness of Mrs. LYDIA Tuckton and
Miss NJ I. Atkinson.
illustrated Addresses.
The evening was spent by the guests in
listening to illustrated addresses by W. H.
H. Smith of the Navy Department and
Joseph /. Keefer of the Oldest Inhabit-
ants. During the more formal part Of
the program several of the guests took
occasion to pay verbal tributes to the
host. One spoke of Mai Armes as the
gallant Indian fighter of the plains: an
other paid tribute to him as q fellow
citizen; still another pointed him out as a
worker for the upbuilding Of the city, and
the climax came when the picture of
MAI. Armes was thrown on the screen.
There was an outburst of applause and
the proposal to give three cheers was
responded to heartily.
Mr.. Smith described the voyage of the
American battleshiD fleet from Hampton
roads to the Golden Gate many pic
lures being shown to add to the interest
of the lecture. At the beginning of his
talk he contrasted the old frigates with
the modern ironclad. In a broadside
from one of the old type of boats / 100
said, as one of the larger guns on
modern battleship uses in one sNpt. Dur
ing broadside from a modern man-of-
war. he declared. $4,000 pounds OF metal
a. l1A rl@
the ships that made the cruise and OF
the ports at which they stopped.
When telling of the stop on the Pacific
coast for target practice Mr.. Smith paid
q high tribute to the shooting ability of
the American gunners and told Of the
great records made by the men of the
navy in shooting at targets while the
ships were in motion.
"If the sailors Of the United States can
shoot one-Quarter as we'll in a battle as
In practice" he declared, mo vessel will
the shots fifteen minutes"
The men of the navy. he said. do not
in large numbers. They per-
form their duties and take their recre-
alton according to signals. he declared.
and the routine and discipline become
irksome to many of them.
But should the country ever be as
sailed" he continued, "all of these men
would rally to the defense Of the Amer
lean flag which they have learned to
y
and they are patriotic citizens, ever
ready to defend the country's honor"
That feeling. engendered in the hearts
of the thousands of sailors who made
the trip around the world on the decks
of that fleet. he declared. is on6.of the
great results of the voyage.
In Washington's Time.
Mr. Keefer spoke Of this city in the
time of Washington and Of the life OF the
father of his country: and his views of
the olden days presented many reasons
for pride in the present National Capital
AS one Of the most pleasant souvenirs
Of the occasion Maj. Armes will treasure
a register in which many Of the guests at
his sixty-fifth birthday celebration wrote
their names. Among those whose names
appear on the pages are Mr.. and Mrs.
Chicago. Miss Ada II. Wiley. Miss Lizzie
L. Wiley, Miss Lilly Blish and Miss
Name Hand of Philadelphia, Mrs. 8.
Bauer and Mrs Z. A. Goegler.
Mrs. r. c. Lohmeyer. Nicholas Wat
kins. Edward S. Schmid, Miss Florence
Schmid, Miss Eunice Knorleine, A. H.
Ragan, ]. M. Wheatley. S. w. Sunny,
James Johnson. j. E. White. George w
Driver, Charles Behrens. William @.
Gilbert B. Towles. l.. A. Sell
wig. Mr.. and Mrs. w. Z. Harvey. 4.
thompson, III. X. Willard, E. T. McNer-
hany. T. Edward Clark. B. F. klopfer.
A. b. Coppes. John o. Walker S. Bauer,
A. H. Holster. L. P. Shoemaker. julius
Hall, John B. Mccarthy, Edwin Camp
bell, ]. F. Wallace. C. H. Calvert. E. w
Sheppard and r. ". Noonan.
A. ]. Wiley. William E. Reiss. 8. Nor