The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-01
CLOUOLESS SKY SMILES ON
 THINNING RANKS OF VETERANS
 IN MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE

Yesterday proved an Ideal day for the parade and observance. There was a cloudless sky and while the sun shone warmly, cool temperature which remained all day made march ing conditions ideal Besides the pa tary there were many civic organiza- tfons in the line of march.
 It was the largest Memorial day pa rade ever held here and probably the largest crowd of spectators ever as- sernbIed here on a similar occasion witnessed the parade. The streets were lined with people. Spectators were banked deeply on all streets over which the parade passed. With pre- cision the procession moved promptly at 2 o'clock under. the direction of Grand Marshal Thomas w. Cook. Most of the arrangements of the parade and exercises fell to Capt. Fred J. Breck- bill, chief of staff and were admirably carried out by him.
 l Seventy policemen under command of Superintendent Birmingham who was mounted in fau1tless formation headed the line. The three cOrla- panies of Coast Artillery with their band and hospital corps made a fine appearance and were applauded all along the line The Naval reserves 1 including the New Haven division with their marine band also made | fine appearance.
 The various civic anizations in | the line were at their best.
 The boys from the public schools received much applause especially for their marching maneuvers. The Boy Scouts and the Boys brigade made a
 fine showing. One troop of Boy 1 Scouts carrying camp stools and can
 teens of water accompanied the Grand Army men who marched.
 | The exercises at the monument as
 usual, were very impressive, and were
 witnessed by a crowd estimated to.
 number 5000 persons.
 I The address of Commander William
 M. Barnum of Elias Howe Jr., Post
 was the principal feature of the ex-
 ereises at the monument and was lis | tened to with close attention by the 1 large assemblage. Commander Bar i mum said:
 1 From out mighty fount, the hand | of time pours forth a never-ending
 tide of years. and as the years roll by l and we come to this one day, we halt
 in our busy rush of life all over this i broad land of ours, and gather at our sacred shrines to pay a loving l tribute to the memory of our dead
 comrades of the war of the rebellion. And we have a sacred duty to perform l in these sad rites, it is to teach the
 rising generation, and those who have
 come to us from foreign lands to find
 a home what it cost, in men, privation, suffering, treasures and tears, to se l cure the great advantages and privil- i eges which they here so freely enjoy, and to teach them that they owe a patriotic duty to this fair land. no less
 devoted or sincere than ours.
 'sThe lesson they all should learn l from us and from those silent dead 1 whose graves we have this day strewn
 with the beautiful flowers of spring l time, is that the price of liberty was dearly bought, and must be guarded
 with eternal vigilance, SO that no foe tsha1l- destroy the work we have so
 well and so nobly planted here, Now half a century has passed since the
 great conflict was ended, but the memory of our fallen heroes will nev- CT grow dim in the hearts of the American people. Not only do the members of the G. A. R. pay a solemn tribute to our departed comrades but the people of this land and the chill dren. gather at this time, and make Memorial Day a solemn festival of the dead. A tribute no other nation pays to it's departed soldiers. And though to-day we stand with reverent mein and heavy hearts, beside this grand
 monument, erected by a loving people
 to the memory of our departed heroes, though many eyes are still filled with tears for the dear ones that never I returned, and many hearts are sad for the brave men who have laid down the burden of life since the days of '65. Let us go on doing what we
 can to instill into the minds and
 hearts of the people the great lessons I of the war-and when we too shall answer the call of the great command CT. may we go with faith and trust l in the future of our country, feeling
 that the sons and daughters we leave behind will be true to the work we