Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-06-03
PAY TRIBUTE TO
DEPARTED HEROES
Memorial Day Fifty Observed
by Citizens
GRAVES WREATHEO
Old Veterans March to Strains oi
Martial Music and Hear Re-
y told the History Of
the Civil War.

Never Ill tuC VI
has there been so general observance
OF Memorial Day as that OF this yeai
1t seemed as though the entire pop
ulace was united with the old veter'
ans of the G. A. r., Ladies OF u. q
X. and w. X. c. in paying loving tr1b,
ute to the memory of-the departed
soldiers and sailors who served theii
country during the trying times o.
the civil war. :,
The services began on Sunday with
n splendid patriotic sermon III tn,
Christian church by DR.. Buxton. OF tht
Broadway Christian church, Pueblo
Following are a few extracts from Inc
address,:
"OnIy n single year now is wanting
10 complete a half hundred year,
that have unrollcd since you respond
ed to the loud call Of your country
and your country's God. You were
called to save and to pcrpctuatc a ma
lion that your fathers almost an nun
dred wears before had founded. by
pledge OF wealth and faith. at cost OF
toll and health and life. Quick as III
early days the stern call OF rude drum
and rustic fife drew from your fathers
their spirited answer in the brisk rat
lie of Lexington muskctry, equally
prompt was your reply to musterihp
bugle blast. in the measured tramp oi
a million ready feet and IN the ioya
roar of Antictam's belching guns;
The state your fathers bu.lded foi
YOU numbered three million SOULS
was A nation that your valor trans
mittcd TO us, your sons. now count
thrice thirty million souls-with singi,
cities outnumbcring the whole popu
lation of that infant republic.
They were only thirteen stars ina,
Sour fathers snatchcd from an old
Obubled sky. to fix in new and rear
twenty twinkiing mates, shonc down
upon your steadfast and silent senti.
nel,-cvcn as Grin of old, smile.
down upon the watchful shepherds o.
Judca's waiting night. That con,teI
lation, now grown to half an hundfeu
stars, still flashes down its glory here
today. on you its saviors and on Us
for whom it was saved.
"Iu this tribute to your hdeiity,
pausc-staggcring under the respon-
sibility you are transferring to our
shoulders. Your valiant and vigilant
yigor demands from us an unbroken
continuancc-an holy apostolic sue
ccssion. The touch OF your descend
ing mantle annoints us priests OF an
holy American empire, TO receive ana
to guard that banner and to transmit
it with stars undimmed and doubled,
in an unsullicd azure deeper still, to a
generation now unborn, that shall
gather not three million but three
hundred million applauding followers
beneath the safety OF its ample folds.
Veterans. we bow low TO bid you
n lingering farewcll-to some OF you
our last. The roll call that some oi
Ill he
on a muster ground more spacious
than battlefield of earth Rest assur-
ed that a grateful country Will not
forget its patriots, nor the, proud sons
their worthy sircs, but the Sons OF
Veterans will join the lcsscning cir-
Gle of your surviving comrades Ill ever
renewed tokens OF reminiscent thanks
that the memory OF your devotion
hall never perish from grateful!
Kinds. The cffacement OF your deeds
would be the destruction of your
tYintry's records, and history would
cease to be. Thy closest kin. o val
liant brave, shall
Talk OF thy doom without sigh:
For thou art Freedoms now and
Famc's;
One of the few immortal names
That were not born to die.
martial music by the Rocky Ford Ju-
yenile Band assembled the veterans
at ]. o. o. +. hall. where they found
line of automobiles generously sup
Piled by the owners and ready to
carry the enfceblcd heroes and their
consorts to Valley View cemetery,
where the largest gathering that has
ever been brought together upon a
like occasion witnesses the service.
of Wadsworth Post. G. A. r., and
the decorating OF the graves in the
silent city of the dead by . commit
tee of young ladies.
At o'clock in the afternoon the
parade was formed on North Mair
street in the following order: Rocky
Ford Concert Band. automobiles car
rying the speaker of the day. the may
or, post commander. and every mem
her of the city council: next came tht
post fife and drum corps and thcr
the serricd line OF old veterans abou
forty of whom had temporarily for
gotten their years and disabilities ant
kept step to the martial music the,
had followed in many a fight. AT th'
rear of the line marched the womei
auxiliary orders.
The line of march was to City Park
which was the rendezvous of an cx
cecdingly large crowd. who had gath
cred to listen and take part in tn
Memorial Day exercises. a stirfini
patriotic prayer by Rev. Beaver open
- the afternoons program; thei
came few appropriate remarks b.