The National tribune., 1910-07-14
DEpATttMENf or FLORIDA.
commander Thompson Reports

""S, %uh SeHSs fosts organizing.
Editor National Tribune: On Tues
day, June 2S,. by appointment. ! met 0
comrades, most of whom were already
members of the .G.sA. r.. and instituted
Taft Post n, of the Department. of
Florida. / am sorry. l cannot give you
list of the officers installed, but as
our time was short we failed to remem-
ber to take such a list. The Com
mander of the new Post is Comrade
Nicholas Dennis. but from what 1 saw
of him I am sure he is as sure to get
there as tho his name was Eli" He
! hild prepared at his nice new home an
elegant dinner for the installing officer,
and the quota of 10 good comrades
| from kissimmee, under the lead of
Commander Tarbox. of Gen. o. o. How
ard Post. 80, who had boarded the
| train at their home station and were
present to assist in the ceremonies.
Comrade Tarbox did excellent service
as Officer of the Day. Some hours be-
fore our arrival Taft had been visited
by something of shower. Five and a
quarter inches of rain fell in about an
hour and three-quarters. Comrade
Dennis's house was standing in a lake
too deep for old veterans to wade, and
there was no team in the place save a
single horse and buggy. But Comrade
Dennis was on "hospitable thoughts in
tent and he was not to be baked by
even a deluge. He took US all to the
hotel and provided for us a most tooth
some dinner, for which he and another
comrade paid the bills. We were told
that the waters of the temporary lake
surrounding the elegant home of Com
rade Dennis were covering about 200
delicious watermelons, aud that he had
already shipped to the North the great
er portion of his crop.
The next day behind splendid team,
u IN Il
drove to St Cloud, having spent the
night at Kissimmee. We found Com
rades De Graw and McNew, the Com
mander and Adjutant of the st. Cloud
Post, and good many members of the
fost Whom 1t was our good fortune to
meet in excellent spirits. We talked
with them of the conditions and pros
poets at St Cloud, and if there was any
dissatisfaction or disbursement
among them they certainly concealed
1t successfully from us. They have re-
Gently received a present of good
building, 60 feet long. which will make
them commodious hall, and two lots
near by on which to place it, and they
nave about concluded negotiations for
IT'S removal to the lot The location
given them is all that could be desired,
near the center of the business part of
the town, and they are probably before
this time occupying it. The tent in
which we held an informal meeting
was becoming so dilapidated that it
could no longer be used except in pleas
ant weather, and they are fortunate in
having place of meeting provided We
were sorry to miss meeting with Post
and Department Chaplain Westcott,
who was absent in the North, but was
expected to return before this time.
We drove back to Kissimmee that
evening, and Friday morning met a
goodly number of the members of Gen.
U. .. Howard Post, 35, who gave us a
most cordial reception. One of the
members, Comrade Murphy, is Mayor
or the town, and is said by the resi-
lents to be one of the best Mayors that
kissinmee or any other town ever had.
The town is dry" and that means all
that the word implies. Fights, riots
and arrests for drunkenness are un-
known, and it is delightful town.
The Grand Army IN Florida is look
Ing up, and we are hoping early in the
Fail to be able to organize at least two
more Posts.
Kit Carson Post. 26, st. Petersburg,
has recently occupied it's new hall, of
which fuller account will be given in
the Autumn, when it Is dedicated.
Wishing the best and "only' soldiers