Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-02-15
Spanish War Vets
Informally Welcome
Inspector

1t. Tinany Camp, No. 4, U. 8. w. ",
held sort Of get-together in their hall
Saturday evening to welcome past in
spector general Joseph r. Scott Of
Cambridge. Mass, congressional
medal Of honor man who is to deliver
memorial address here this evening
as part of the exercises on the 2Sth
anniversary of the sinking Of the U. s.
S. Maine in Havana Harbor in 1898.
Commander w. T. Wade welcomed
the large number. present and then
turned the gavel over to Capt. J. w.
Brewer, senior assistant surgeon of
the Branch, who acted as master of
ceremonies. DR.. Brewer called on Col.
Keith Ryan, governor of this Home,
who in a few well chosen words well
coined Gen. Scott to the Home. The
next speaker was Rev. A. ]. Hayes.
who gave very interesting talk along
the lines of patriotism. Songs by
Home Co. A trio, composed by Caut.
Lafarriere and Comrades Clark and
Cole, were pleasingly rendered.
Major ]. w. Loughlin, the Home sur
geon, gave a talk on Respect the
Il lab anu hC aiSO SOio Va oOiAAO AASA-
dents in q base hospital under his
command in France in 1918 that prov
ed interesting. After war story by
DR.. Brewer. General Scott addressed
the gathering on many different points
in navy life, ETC.. and he also presented
to the Home many relics which includ-
ed a piece Of the Washington Elm at
Harvard College in Cambridge, under
which Washington took command; a
piece O fthe U. S. S. Constitution,
which was built in 1857 and rebuilt in
t1907. ct Is believed these are the only
two relics In the State of Maine.) A
pair of gloss door knobs from the cap
tain's door on the U. 8. S. Kearsage,
and a pair of brass hinges from the
chest of chief boatswain's mate on the
U. S. S. Wabash, which was in many
battles off the coast Of South Carolina
in 1862 and 1868.
These were accepted by Col
! Ryan in behalf of the Branch and
will be placed in the Home library
with other interesting war relics. In
| the near future the lower part of the
| library will DE made into a museum
| for the care and preservation OF
these valuable relics. He presented
| to the Spanish wa rcanp a piece OF
| the speaking tube which run from
| Captain Sigsbee's cabin to the con-
| ing tower on the U. S. S. Maine, and
brass powder measure bearing the
| Spanish ship Maria Teresa. 1t was
| left TO tho Camp to vote whether OF
not these would be placed in the
| Home library. He also presented to
| the American Legion Post a piece
| Of steel plate off the U. S. S. Mt
v CD In fnS in
| to a troop ship which was torpedoed
| off the coast of Brest, France, in 1918
| and \after temporary repairs came to
| Boston for final repairs. The Pos,
will decide where this relic will be
| placed for preservation. Commander
| Wade and Commander Maillet each
| in a few well chosen words thanked
! Gen. Scott for his thoughtfulness and
| deep interest in the veterans here
| to bring these almost priceless war
! relics here. Gen. Scott has been a
| collector of such things for many
years and his wide acquaintance with
| Naval officers and other pi ointment
men and his service in the navy and
| connection with Charlestown Navy
| yard has made this possible. He has
| gwen many relics to various Spanish
war veteran Posts in the vicinity OF
| Boston.
He also presented to DR.. Brewer
who he said was spoken Of by the
veterans here as "a gentleman and
a eomrade" small brass anvil. the
material Of which came from many
! places. being bits of brass from
Spanish ships, Spanish naval marine
buttons. ETC., which he had melted
and cast into several articles and
| presented to his friends. The doctor
was certainly much pleased with the
| gift and after recovering his com.
| posture he thanked the donor
He also presented to the Spanish
| War Camp a brass shell, a Spanisf
marine uniform button and a car
made in the Philippine Islands Gen
Scott also addressed the veterans
! at length on loyalty to their vows
to the officers of the Camp. the Home
and ne urged them to be good com
| rades and play the game square" II
| them.
After light refreshments Winfield
s. Robinson, a Civil war veteran
made very impressive talk or
preparedness" reviewing the wars
OF this country, and gave his opinion
of what may confront this country
IN the future and that we should be
reedy. Comrade Fury told a humor-
Gus story. Gen Scott also stated tina,
he would present the Home with a
ccty Of the only picture of the U. S
S. Constitution chasing the enemy, as
soon as they were available. A song
by Comrade John Cole concluded the