Norwich bulletin., 1911-04-13
DEPARTMENT ENCAMPMEN T0FC. A. R.
Forty Fourth Annual In Session at Hartford Death
 During Year Numbered 196-Reports of Officials

Just fifty years ago, shot from a gun on the Charleston shore went hurtling across the water to Fort Sum- ter. It was heard around the world, as the first shot at Lexington had been heard. It inaugurated conflict which had its reminiscential echo Wednesday in Hartford.
 Headquarters at Allyn House.
 Grand Army men began assembling early and before 10 o'clock, the Allyn house, the Heublein and the Garde were thronged with veterans in blue, the slouch hat with gold cord and tas- sel and the bronze button. Room 25 was assigned for the headquarters of the department in the Allyn house, and Dept Commander Edson S. Bishop met officers of his staff there, all be- ing in full uniform.
 Council of Administration.
 The council of administration met informally in the capitol in the Grand Army room, which was crowded, and then adjourned to room 62 the as- semhly place of the general assem- transacted routine business and ad- journed.
 Committee on Credentials.
 The committee on credentials met at II o'clock in room 62, and adopted the roster of post commanders as that of the encampment, with corrections to be made later. This committee consists of Harry l.. Beach, Robert o. Tyler post No 30; Lorin D. Penfield, Stanley post, No. Il, of New Britain, and George $. Smith, assistant adju- tant general.
 Comrades Vine S. Stetson of Sedg- wick post, No. 1 of Norwich, and George F. Elliott of William T. Minor post, No. S5, of Stamford. were busy distributing badges ill the morning at the Allyn house.
 At 1 o'clock Wednesday afternoon Assistant Adjutant General George s. Smith met a detail from Robert o. Tyler post in Unity hall and com- pleted the final arrangements for the yearly encampment
 At two o'clock the encampment opened in executive session. The com mittee on credentials did it's work and business progressed
 Address of Department Commander.
 Department Commander Bishop gave his annual address, in which he reviewed the years work.
 Assistant Adjutant general George $. Smith reported: Membership re- maining in good standing December 31, 1909. 3,431; gained by muster 4s, gain ed b ytransfer 13, gained by rein statement 36; total 3,52s. Loss by death 196. loss by discharge 5, loss by transfer IT. loss by suspension 30. Re maining in good standing December 31, 1910. 3,2S1. In submitting the an nual report of this office there is feeling of sadness inevitable, for the year has yielded a rich harvest to the grim destroyer. No less than one hundred and ninety-six of our mem 'bers have been mustered into eterni- tvs silent camp.
 His report showed the largest mem bership to have been in 1890, when there were 6,946 members. From that time on the membership has gradually grown less, until now it is less than half of that twenty years ago-3,281. for charity; the amount of relief funds was $31,000 and the post funds $2S, ,150. -9- Assistant Quartermas ster General
 In his report Assistant Quarter master General Charles W. Emerson stated that in view of the fact that it was necessary to draw on the reserve fund to the extent of $400 during the year, the per capita tax should be raised from 10 cents to at least 30 the year were s1.o04.s1, and the re- ceipts $6S5.10; the balance on hand is $4,964.S4. With this report was sub mitted the report of the uuartermas- ter general of the Grand Army of the Republic, which showed cash bal dHce i'll tAo SlAly-OIc pOSts OL 9Ao,- 28S.66, and in the relief fund s41.231.56 The total value of all the property of the posts is s154,420.55
 Woman's Relief Corps.
 Lois Irene Earl department presi- dent of the Womans Relief corps, in her report showed that during the year S1.32S.53 had been expended for relief and the estimated value of re- lief given other than money S69449 a total of $2.02302. There was turned over to posts $42.75 and $20 given for Fitch's soldiers home and hos pital. The number of soldiers as- sisted was 127: 325 soldiers families were given aid; 1S3 members were assisted and the number in members families given assistant, 269; a total of 904. The number of corps in the department is 49, with a member ship of 3,325.
 The cash balance in the general fund, with corps, is s9,o10.74; cash balance in relief fund, with corps s1,66728; the cash value in the S. w R. C. home fund is $5,S97.70 in the department relief fund. sS3.52. and in the department general fund, $1,05914 The amount paid since organization for relief is $51,600.37, and the amount turned over to posts, S16,455.
 There was a band concert in Foot Guard hall at 7.3O Wednesday evening and at the same time a procession was formed in Grand Army hall to march to Foot Guard hall for the campfire. Governor Baldwin was pres ent, accompanied by his staff. Gov ernor Baldwin, Commander in Chief John E. Gilman of the national G. A. R., Vice Commander in Chief Charles