The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-27
AT The CAMP FIRE
It Was the Biggest One Ever
Held in Kansas.
Farmer Smith Presided and
Senator Curtis Spoke.
WERE MANY CEREMONIES
Music, Drills
Throngs, Reception.
Was Jam All Evening and Re-
ceiving Line Weary.

Col. A. W. Smith, with his military
presence and fog-horn voice, became
an ideal presiding officer for the camp
fire which followed the reception at
Memorial Hall last night Folks who
came looking for a camp fire found the
speaker perched in a sort Of crows nest
in front Of the hall addressing a gath
ering which occupied rows of seats
ranged on the breadth Of Jackson street
as far as the parking of the state house
ground. The shuffling of many feet
made the speakers voice inaudible ex-
cept to those who sat close or stayed
to windward. But those who could hear
enjoyed an exceptionally fine program
of patriotic addresses, music and elOcu-
ton.
Following his open salutation to his
comrades and the many other persons
assembled he introduced the glee club
Of the Lawrence Grand Army post
which, with the Modoc club of Topeka,
favored the gathering with patriotic
songs. Then National Commander
Washington Gardner took the stand
and spoke for three-quarters of an
hour. He reviewed the G. A. R.. state
by state, calling on representatives of
every state to rise and be saluted One
by one they responded, for the whole
United States was represented, so far
as 1t had been in the Civil war. 1t was
the first time that many of the old SOL
diers had ever seen their national COM
mander and they greeted him cordially.
on behalf of the Sons of Veterans and
pledged to his hearers the fealty of
their sons to the principles which they
and their comrades had defended half
a century ago. There was more music
before Col. Smith announced the flag
drill in which members of the w. r. c.
Of Wichita. headed by the venerable
Mrs. Starker, who recited several patri-
otto poems. participated. This was an
especially pleasing part Of the even
ing's program. Mrs. Emma Forter then
addressed the veterans on behalf of the
w. r.. c. and the program of the even
ing concluded with a patriotic address
by Major w. L. Brown Of Kingman,
veteran Of the Spanish-American war.
Throngs at Reception.
The word reception doesn't mean
much when it is connected with a pub
lie event like that at Memorial hall last
night. SO the folks who went wore
whatever they pleased or happened to
have the most of. Guests milIed
around aimlessly, looking at the walls
and ceilings and at each other and most
of them stayed down stairs because
their efforts to get up were futile A
in the discard, the neckbands OF their
shirts tucked in and cuffs rolled up,
plowed back and forth through y the
throng and enjoyed themselves Plump
old ladies wearing w. r. C. badges Sc
lected the centers of the aisles for re-
union purposes and visited comfortably
while the crowd squeezed by on either
side.
Once in q while the jam down stairs
became tired of waiting for the folks
up stairs to make room for them and
there was press at the stairway
which overpOwered the gilt-edged
guardsmen and a few more were
showed up the stair case willy-nilly
But the majority became DISCOURAGED
and worked its way outside to hear
what was going on in the open air
The grape juice punch, served by the
dozen good looking girls in the
big room off the main corridor, helped
considerably. The early part of the
evening was warm and showing through
the throng hot work. so the girls were
kept busy quenching the drouth that
prevailed generally
speak and not all the entertainers last
night could make themselves heard
above the rattle of the street cars and
the noises of the crowd which moved
restlessly around the parked benches.
But Mrs Starker. the So years old
y u. leo
the flag drill. didn't have any trouble
in getting the attention of the folks
clear across the street when she re-
cited her poems. As Farmer Smith
predicted. when he announced her part
OF the program, it proved to be the
most generally appreciated number.
When she draped the manly figure of
the presiding officer with the old bat
tie flag and apostrophized it in her
closing verses she prepared the emo
tons of her hearers for the three
cheers with which she ordered them to
salute it.
Attendance at the reception with
which the Memorial hall was opened
to the public far exceeded expectation
and the crowd was handled with much
d1fficulty, most Of the people coming
during the evening being unable to
gain access to the upper floor of the
building where the receiving line was
In position. But most of the old SOL
diers and members. of the women,s
Relief Corps for whose benefit the re-
ception was especially held were taken
care of In good shape.
Several thousand persons promen-
| AIDED around and through the lower
floor of the building or seated them
selves on the benches before the hall
where the program of the camp fire