The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-09-14
ATTENDED c. A. R. AND v. R. c. MEET
SAW SIGHTS IN new YORK; VISITED
CAMP NEAR WASHINGTON; BACK HOME
MRS. Nj. ID. FRITZ
MRS. Nj. ID. FRITZ


AS it is the popular thing when one
goes on trip these days to tell the
readers of The Free Press something
about it. I will attempt to follow this
custom by telling you where l have
been On August II Mrs. Evan
Hughes and myself started for Min
neapolis where we joined the other
officers and delegates of the Grand
Army of the Republic and of the Wom-
ans Relief corps of Minnesota and
North Dakota. We had three Pullman
coaches which we kept on the entire
journey to Boston, where the fifty
first national encampment of the G. A.
R. and the national convention of the
/ w. R. c. was held. Perhaps no other
city could have furnished more in
spiration for these two great pa
triotic organizations than Historic
Old Boston, surrounded as it is with
history and traditions which made for
freedom of America and these United
States, what it is today. ..t 81. -.,..
The great parade of the Grand Army
J on Tuesday was the chief attraction,
and while it is growing pitifully
smaller each year, there were still
enough old veterans able to march so
that it took three and half hours for
them to pass the reviewing stand. Boy
scouts and automobiles were ever
present to assist and pick up any who
might grow weary on the march. The
Minnesota delegation attracted much
admiration with it's large flag which
they carried fiat. This flag was the
gift of the w. R. G. several years ago,
and is 36x72 feet. In former parades
many flowers have been tossed upon
it, but in Boston someone started to
throw silver coin and at the end of
the march Old Glory was heavy with
it's burden of silver, which when
counted amounted to $187.30 This
money will probably be used to assist
needy veterans this winter
Was On Reviewing Stand.
1t was our privilege to have seats
on the reviewing stand directly back
of those occupied by the national of
ficers, the governor of Massachusetts,
the mayor of Boston and the Russian
representatives VINO were in this
country comforting with our govern
ment. They were given this place of
honor and all of them being able to
speak very good English, were great
ly impressed with the high honor and
tributes of love and respect which
were shown our Civil war veterans aft
er more than fifty years since they
; fought to save these United States
and the American republic from dis
ruption. These foreign representatives
| cd, fox
the American people and the manner
in which they respected these old war
riors, and remarked: 1t"w no won
der our republic was built upon a
sound foundation, when these great
gatherings assemble every year p, In
,, different parts of our country
. Through the generosity Of Mrs
T." rkmar, widow of General Wilmon
RiaCkmar, past commander-in-ch chief
the national officers, department
presidents and a few other invited
guests were served with an old ia
, shioned New England breakfast at
. Concord, thirty-five miles from Bos-
ton. Automobiles were furnished and
we started at six o'clock in the morn
ing. This drive took us through Cam
1
| grounds, by way of Lexington, every
, mile of which is rich in Revolutionary
history. The famous road over which
Paul Revere travelled in his memoir
able ride on horseback is now paved
, and quite a different thoroughfare
from what it was when he made his
mad dash, which has immortalized his
name. Many monuments and markers
tell the traveller here our forefathers
!. in 1776 met the British soldiers face
to face and settled their differences
forever.
Following is the menu served at
that breakfast: Hot corn bread, Boston
baked beans, boiled ham, doughnuts,
ample pie with cheese, tea and coffee
The ladies who served us explained
that the modern New England break
fast was much the same as in any
other part of our country.
We visited the old state house,
Faneuil hall built in 1912, Bunker hill
the Old North and South churches
and many other historic places.
Trip On Charles River.
One of the treats which was fur
, nished all delegates gratis was a trip
on the Charles river and the ocean
,, through the Charleston navy Yards to
Nantasket beach, a fashionable sum-
mer resort. Here an elegant fish din
ner was served in dining hall which
seated one thousand people at a. time.
Beautiful embossed souvenir menu
|, cards with booklet Of patriotic songs
was given each guest. Instead of
. grace being said at the table. the vast
assemblage arose and sang America
to the accompaniment of military
band. AS this wonderful dining hall
was so near the beach that one could
|, hear the waves of the old Atlantic
beating upon it's shores, it was sug-
gested that if the kaiser could hear
the echo from those patriotic voices,
he would surely feel that it was time
to retreat.
After spending week in Boston, we
left over the New York, New Haven
and Hartford railroad for New York
; city and took up our abode at the
Martha Washington" hotel, which is
exclusively forwomen and is next door
to the Little Church Around the Cor
ner." We spent one day reveling in
the scenery of the Hudson river, TAX
!, ing the Washington Irving, large ex-
, cursion boat for Poughkeepsie, N. Y.