LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
June 3, 1924

 

HONORS PAID TO VETERANS
Blue Skies, Bright Sunshine and Cool Breeze, Make Ideal Setting
FINE ADDRESSES HEARD
Large Crowd Attends Forty-first Annual Observance

Hundreds of people gathered at the city cemeteries Friday to pay honor to the memory of departed soldiers and take part in the annual observance of Decoration day. Weather conditions were ideal, the forenoon being bright and clear and the brilliant sunshine tempered with a cool breeze. The breath of spring, the verdant green of grass and budding trees, and early foliage made a beautiful and appropriate setting. The long parade from the city hall to the last resting places of the soldier dead was a gallant and inspiring sight, consp0iciuous in the ranks being the few remaining veterans of the Civil War, veterans of the Spanish-American War, and members of the American Legion. The waving flags, the sound of martial music, the tramp of armed men added to the striking picture. The parade, under the direction of Jacob G. Koenig, Marshal of the day, and his aides de camp, made a punctual start and moved along without a hitch, spectators lining the sidewalks along the route. The following was the order of the parade:
Colors
LeMars Military Band
Co. K., 133rd Infantry, I. N. G.
Mayor, Speaker and Post Commander.
Mower Post, G. A. R.
Spanish-American War Veterans.
Wasmer Post, American Legion.
Woman’s Relief Corps.
Woman’s Auxiliary, Louis E. Brick Camp.
Woman’s Auxiliary, American Legion.
Western Union College Band.
LeMars Fire Department.
City Officials.
Student Body Western Union College.
Boy Scouts of America.
Girl Scouts of America.
Citizens in Autos.

At the cemeteries hundreds more were waiting the arrival of the parade. The ceremonies were conducted at the grassy knoll where towers the monument erected to the memory of departed Civil War veterans.

C. D. Roseberry, Commander of the American Legion, presided and introduced the speakers. Rev. A. Z. McGogney delivered an opening prayer, followed by music by the band. James Blackburn delivered Logan’s celebrated order and Miss Verna Baldwin recited Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address.

The ritual service of the G. A. R. were then conducted, followed by decoration services for the unknown dead by member of the W.R.C., Spanish-American and American Legion Auxiliaries, while the exercises were in progress the beautiful ceremony of decorating the graves proceeded.

W. S. Freeman, state commander of the G. A. R., delivered the address.

At the conclusion of the address the band played the Star Spangled Banner and the salute was fired by a squad from Co. K. The benediction by Dr. C. A. Mock and the sounding of taps concluded the impressive and beautiful service, and the procession wended its way to the St. Joseph Cemetery.

Here exercises were conducted at the foot of the statue of the Prince of Peace and opened with music by the band, followed by the singing of “Sweet Land of Liberty” by the school children and the decorating of graves. John T. Keenan gave a brief but forcible address.

The salute by the firing squad and the sounding of taps concluded the exercises here and the procession reformed and marched down town and disbanded at the city building, after the salute of honor to the Civil War veterans was accorded by Company K. and the Legionaires.

The Civil War veterans who were in the parade are: W. S. Freeman, W. Winslow, J. T. Carpenter, John Deviney, J. D. Billings, John R. Pitts, John Ruble, Oliver King, Andrew Crouch, Wm. Parker, Thos. Boland, Henry Schneider, E. L. Striker, M. C. Lobdell, A. Hillebrand, Jason Scott.

John R. Pitts left his bed in a hospital to attend the exercises, and returned there immediately afterwards. John Lowell, another member of Mower Post, G. A. R., was unable to be present, being at a hospital for treatment.


~Submitted for posting by volunteer, Linda Ziemann