The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-05-28

war: Fred DietZ told of the manner of
crossing a stream under fire and during
opposition of the enemy. Comrades
Harmon and Stark both spoke regard
ing the good fellowship Of the Corps
and Post, MIR. Stark paying an especial
tribute to the Corps of Hood River
j. W. Rigby spoke regarding expert
ences during incarceration in a rebel
| prison, and letter of reminiscent
strain was read from T. ]. Cunning,
formerly of this city. The chief ad-
dress was the history of Candy Post,
by Newton Clark, and is printed in
full. A most delightful affair was
closed by the union of all voices in the
hymn, "God Be With You Till We
Meet Again. "
Candy Post No. l6, Grand Army of
the Republic, was mustered in on the
22nd day of May, 1886, by F. II. Lamb,
department commander of Oregon, and
is the oldest fraternal organization of
Hood River, except the A. 0. u. W.
OF the charter members IA were
mustered in. of which number four are
still members of the Post, being, J. A.
Wilson, Joseph Frazier, Sr., G. H.
Stranahan and Newton Clark. Three
others have severed their membership,
but are still liVing-a abroad. The re-
mainder have answered their last roll
call and passed on. The persistency of
the charter members in staying with
the order is the same old spirit which
led them to enlist for three years dur
ing the war.
The first officers elected were: New
ton Clark, commander; o. l.. Strana-
han, sen. vice commander; John A.
Wilson, junior vice commander: DR.. P.
G. Barrett, surgeon; Rev, J. W. Ed
ridge, chaplain; d. G. Hill, quarter.
master; A. H. Jewett, officer of the
day: Russell Pealer, officer of the
guard. Comrade Geo. P. Crowell was
appointed adjutant. In this position
he acted long, faithfully and we'll, un-
til the stress of business affairs de-
manded his time elsewhere. The old
adjutant's book, with its clean and full
minutes for ten long years, shows with
what accuracy he discharged his Off
cial duties, and with what satisfaction
the Post regarded his most creditable
efficiency.
The number of members who have
signed our roll is Ill. Number died,
%; number of members at present, 36,
but many reside at distance and if
we can get dozen together it is re-
garded as big crowd. We recall but
one now, who has died in the Soldiers
Home. Comrade Russell Pealer was
most kindly cared for at that place for
seven long years previous to his death.
Comrades o. l.. Stranahan, j. A.
Wilson. j. W. Eldridge and Geo. p.
Crowell were appointed a committee to
draft set of bylaws, which were
adopted and are presumably in force
yet, though no one knows what they
are, the Post having become law
unto itself now, without any regard to
past traditions or precedents, :but the
time of meeting was fixed upon as the
second Saturday of each month.
Our first Memorial service was held
at the hill school grounds, near Frank
ton, and the first Memorial sermon was
preached by Rev. J. W. Eldridge, the
Post chaplain. The grave we decked
that year was the only ex-soldier s
grave in the valley, that of Comrade
Howe, who died before the organiza-
tion was formed
On Dec. 8, 1888, formation of a
Woman's Relief Corps twas considered
and it was realized that with the ad-
vent of the ladies increased facilities
of speech, as we'll as social enjoyment,
would become necessary and the by
laws were amended by adding another
meeting in the month, so that we
would meet on the second and four tn
Saturdays, the same as now. The Post
voted to advance the necessary funds
to institute the Corps. On March is,
1889, a campfire and picnic was held,
and the names of all the ladies who
desired to form Corps we're taken
and an application for a Corps was
filled out and together with thes re-
quired fee was ordered forwarded to
the instituting office with request to
have the Corps organized on our next
meeting night of April 13, 1889. 4
| The next moth we held our first Joint
Memorial service with the Relief Corps
and in July we received from them a
check for SIS, followed later by an in
vitation to fine supper, and We have
been good friends ever since. In Feb
ruary of 1897 the Post and Corps cele-
brated for the first time the annivers-
ary of Lincoln's birthday now legal
holiday-so that they anticipated what
should be done Is years before the
legislature awoke to it's patriotic duty.
Our oldest Comrade of the Post is J.
l.. Frazier, Sr., and the youngest is T.
D. Tweedy (guess his mother wouldn' t
let him come today, for he isn't here).
From motives of delicacy and out of
respect to .their feelings, the age of
neither one is given, it being considered
sufficient to say of each that he
reached the age of majority some time
ago, and presumably the age of dis
cretion also, but he is very likely in
minority in his household yet.
While our records are not very ex-
picit, it is thought the only one of our
number who was unfortunate enough
to suffer captivity and the privations
of a rebel prison pen is Comrade John
Wilson. who had an experience of that
| kind lasting several tuonths hut nevar