Know What War Is
Meeting of Old Soldiers Resident of Montana at Missoula.
GIVEN A HEARTY WELCOME
The City In Holiday Attire In Honor of the Event -- Doings of the Day
Special Dispatch to the Standard.
Missoula, May 10 - Nature smiles on the assembling of the veterans. Never did the city look prettier than to-day. And never was the weather more nearly perfect. At an early hour this morning the streets were thoroughly cleaned and sprinkled and the town was a blaze of red white and blue. But few delegates to the
G. A. R. encampment arrived on the morning trains. It is expected that many will come to-night. Those who were here passed the time in visiting among them selves and in seeing the city.
The parade took place at 2 o'clock. The troops and band marched in from Fort Missoula. Upon their arrival the procession was formed , consisting of the Twenty-fifth infantry band, a battalion of infantry, about 80 G. A. R. men and the Woman's Relief corps in carriages. The battalion of infantry was commanded by Captain Ritzius and the separate companies by Lieutenants McMartin, Caldwell and McCorkle. Lieutenant Andrews was adjutant. The G. A. R. division was commanded by W. H. H. Dickinson. The line of march was from the Odd Fellows' hall north on Higgins avenue ts Pine street, east on Pine to Madison, south on Madison to Front west on Front to Stevens, north on Stevens to south on Higgins avenue to the Odd Fellows' hall. There the soldiers were drawn up in line at the side of the street , and presented arms while the G. A. R. and Woman's Relief Corps passed. The procession then broke ranks and, mingling with the hundreds of spectators, listened to the eloquent address of welcome delivered by Mayor Higgins and the response by Comrade S. E. Snider of Helena. At the close of the speaking the G. A. R. men and citizens joined in three hearty cheers for Mayor Higgins and three for the regular army . The soldiers then fell in and started on the march for home, and the G. A. R. men repaired to the Odd Fellows hall for a business meeting.
The banks closed at 2 o'clock to-day out of respect for the G. A. R. A number of business houses also closed during the parade.
The committee on arrangements have been gratified at the interest private citizens have taken in the encampment and Fort Missoula, who brought the troops and band in this afternoon and who have donated the services of the string band for to-morrow night.
Not only were nearly all business houses decorated, but many private residences on the line of march had out flags.
This morning one of the local committee on arrangements, in extending a cordial invitation to a citizen to attend the camp fire to-night, said, " Come up and hear what big lies we old fellows will tell you."
V. A. Clark says he met about 20 Buckeyes among the visitors this morning. He appears to think that Ohio is rather ahead of the rest of the country as regards the number of her old soldiers.
The banquet at the K. of P. hall to-morrow night will be attended by all the G. A. R. men in the city. Invitations have also been sent to the officers at Fort Missoula, to the press representatives and some others. In accordance with the custom of this department , no wine will be served at the banquet.