The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1922-04-20
18TH BIRTHDAY OF
VETERAN OF 1865
COMRADE BLAICH HAS FRIENDS
TO DINNER-OLD DAYS
RECALLED TO MIND

Easter Monday was the 18th birth
day anniversary of Comrade G. F..
Blaich, so far as known, the only
veteran of the Civil war now residing
in the city. By way of celebrating
the event few friends were invited
to eat dinner with him at his pleasant
home on the Northside. A few of
those invited found it impossible to
attend, and those so fortunate as to
be present were F. E. Rathert, P. r.
Dougherty, 0. c. Johnson and We ed
itor.
Sumptuous Dinner
The old veterans good wife, who,
by the way, celebrated her 80th ami
versary only few days ago, had
prepared a wonderful repast The
table was laden to "groaning" point
with meats, pastries, relishes and des-
serts that were each separate tri-
umph of the culinary art. Every
thing on the table was prepared by
her own hands and many were pro-
ducts of their garden. The hostess
took pride in serving the repast in
what she termed old-fashioned style
"a style most pleasing to the diners.
A Present
At the conclusion of the meal, the
guests presented Mr.. and Mrs Blaich
with a potted cyclamen in full bloom
as a slight token of friendship and
fitting emblem of the day and season,
each expressing his sentiments of es-
TEEN and honor.
The old soldier was in reminiscent
mood and entertained his guests with
stories of war time days, and pioneer
days in Kansas and Oklahoma. A (
book of Washington views recalled
the time when as "a young Union sol
der he marched in the grand review
down Pennsylvania avenue 81 years
ago.
Have Travelled Far
Mr.. Blaich followed the trade of
cigar maker all his life and has lived
n 38 of the states. Mrs. Blaich has
also travelled much, crossed the At
antic five times, and spent her early
ife in California. They both agree
hat Montana and Montana people
.annot be beat and that they will
move no more.
Mr.. Blaich was one of the first to !
,e attracted to the Ft. Peck reserva-
ion and filed on and still owns 160 4
cres of fine reservation land. He
as been very active and influential t
n securing relief measures for the t
ettlers. {
Mr.. Blaich was born in Philadel-
hia in 1914, came to st. Louis with {
is parents in 1852. In '61 he joined t
boys company which was uniform
d and furnished with wooden guns b
} they could drill. Two regular Union q
rmy captains, Lyon and Sweeny, f
rilled them and told them what good o
,ldiers they would make. And they q
id, gradually enlisting in the regu- T
r service. Young Blaich, not being +,
d enough and his parents objecting, si
I'd to run away, enlisting at Cincin- q
ati in the 29th Ohio infantry. He Fl
rved to the end of the war, march +,
with Sherman to the sea and was ri
ustered out at Louisville, in Aug. te
'65. He then went to work at his IN
ade h.
Pension After 25 Years as
Mr. Blaich says it was 25 years
ter the close Of the war and after at
e war bonds had been paid before be
received a pension. The boys of 81
e G. A. r. then thought they had
coming and were granted W.
90 a month. In Mr.. Blaich's case ar
IS has been increased at intervals al
his earning power failed and he
W gets a $50 monthly pension. pl
has made friends wherever he has ca
ed and kept them, and has host be
them in this community. an
an
"WET" PICNIC EXPECTED nl'
- OK