Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-05-31

Memorial day was widely observed
throughout the lower end of Dauphin
county to-day. Thousands of employees
of the big plant of the Pennsylvania
and Furniture Works, and hundreds of
girls from the Steelton and Middletown
cigar factories and the Kreider shoe
factory. besides many smaller indus
tries, were given an opportunity to
celebrate the holiday
While, of course, the feature of the
day was the tributes to the men who
fought that our nation might not he
divided, yet there were hundreds who
hied themselves away to mountains,
streams or parks and amusement
places for their day of recreation.
Many were tire little family groups
who, with a big basket of dainties such
as only mother can make, set out early
this morning for some shady nook
along some stream or in a park for
the annual family picnic. Lower Dau-
phin county Is fortunate in this re-
spect, having two fine parks, the Lu-
ther r. Kelker Park at Steelton, which
was recently opened, and the Munich
pal Park at Middletown, were both
the mecca for hundreds.
Many Little Observances
In practically every lower end town
many organizations celebrated the day
with affairs of various natures. The
German Quartet Club, at Steelton, this
evening will hold a dance to raise
funds for the German Red Cross. The
Steelton Canoe Club, with about
score of members, celebrated by drop
ping down the Yellow Breeches creek
from Bowmansdale. or course many of
the canoeists had their wives, sisters
or some other fellows sister, with
them.
While thousands celebrated the day
in these more or less frivolous ways,
the lingering veterans of the great re-
bellion looked upon the event with
more seriousness. To them another
year is gone-a few more names are
unanswered when the roll of their
post is called. Touching was the trib-
ute these grizzled veterans paid to
their comrades who are gone.
A Few Short Prayers
Early-very early-this morning a
squad of bent and gray members of
Sergeant Samuel w. Lascomb Post,
351, G. A. r., of Steelton, left their
post rooms in North Front street in
automobiles for Highspire. Here they
left their machines and marched to
the Highspire cemetery. After a few
short prayers, the placing of a few
| flowers and the usual volley over the
soldiers graves and the veterans re-
sumed their trip.
Their next stop was the Oberlin
cemetery. mere Il lew more Oh Lne
veterans are buried. A prayer, flowers
and salute-these were the simple
tributes the veterans paid their COM
rades.
This afternoon exercises of a more
elaborate character were held in Steel
ton. A parade led by the iSteelton
Band and including the veterans
Spanish War veterans, Boy Scouts and
200 school children, was the feature
Benjamin f. McNear, Jr., was the
chiel marshal. The parade moved at
2 o'clock from the G. A. r. hall, down
Front street to Chestnut, to Second,
to Pine, to Harrisburg, to Lincoln, to
Baldwin Cemetery.
In the cemetery the band and orches-
ira started the program by playing
America. The Rev.-C. b. Segelkin, of
the First Presbyterian Church, offered
prayer and the Steelton Band gave
another selection. Post Adjutant C.
E. Scott read the order of the day and
Lincoln's Gettysburg speech. The
Steelton band played again. then the
Rev. A. K. Wier, of Centenary United
Brethren Church, made the Memorial
Day address, He paid a glowing trib-
ute to the old veterans and urged a
fuller understanding of Memorial Day.
The Flowers Fall
The Rev. Mr.. Wier's address was
followed by the distribution of flow
- TX.
Lewis played the recall, the band gave
another selection and the graves OF
1.-THE unknown dead were then decorated
entertained the st. James Tennis Club
by the veterans themselves. AS the
band played The Star Spangled Ban
ner" the flag was lowered.
Then, their shoulders pushing back
as they remembered those stirring
days way back in 81 and '65, the
grizzled old veterans formed into a
firing squad Then, across the graves
of the known and unknown, the Union
and Confederate dead, the usual salute
was fired.
The salute fired, the grizzled veter-
ans stood a few moments in silent
thought was just a pause-before
coming again to attention" Then a
trumpeter stepped forth and the shrin
notes of TAPS" broke the Stiffness
and another Memorial Day was done.
At Highspire the parade formed at
100 in Roop street. Headed by the
the Citizens Band. and with the fol-
lowing in line-Grand Army, firing
squad, the three Sunday schools of
Highspire, the American Mechanics,
p. o. S. of A., and the I. o. o. R
moved down Roop street, to Second.
to Race and to the cemetery. Here a
varied and interesting program was
presented. It was featured by an ad-
dress by Professor s. NJ. Stouffer,
| principal of the Highspire school. The
committee in charge of the celebra-
ton here included George E. Sides.
Frank MilleS, Ll/yd Lehrman, Fl. r.