Incidents of the Last 25 Years

Pella Booster, May 31, 1911:

G. A. R. MEMORIAL DAY A GRAND SUCCESS

Fully Three Thousand Spectators Witness the Unveiling of the Beautiful Eighteen
Foot Monument Erected by the Ladies' Circle, G. A. R., in Honor of the Departed
Heroes of '61-'65--Gen. J. B. Weaver of Colfax Delivered the Oration of the
Day--Parade Five Blocks Long

Last Tuesday morning commenced with a gray and gloomy sky, but at about 10 o'
clock the clouds lifted and the sun came out in all its splendor. In the morning
a line of autos filled with the city officials and citizens drove to the morning
train to meet the speaker of the day, Jas. B. Weaver of Colfax, and that
gentleman was shown the city for about an hour after which he was taken to the
home of Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Wormhoudt, where he was to be entertained. Early in
the morning the business men began to drape their places of business in the
Stars and Stripes in honor of the heroes in which the day has been designated
and by noon almost every place in the city was beautifully decorated and the
American flag played the prominent part. In the morning a committee of old
comrades of Major Hobbs Post went to the cemeteries where they appropriately
decorated the graves of their deceased comrades with beautiful flowers.

At about 1 o'clock the G. A. R. Post and the Ladies' G. A. R. met the band at
the city hall where they formed a line of march to the college where short
services were held and the Memorial Slab was dcorated [sic] in the Stars and
Stripes and garlanded with flowers, after which the line of march was formed and
the school children and students of the college was formed and the procession,
headed by the band, marched to the park, where the program was to be rendered.
The unveiling ceremonies consisted of vocal and instrumental music, after which
the program was opened by prayer by Rev. Van der Werf, after which the unveiling
address was made by Helen Hunt. After the unveiling address Mrs. J. W. Todd, who
by the way is one of the first settlers of the community, made the presentation
speech in a manner that was touching and was felt by everyone in the large
audience. The Mayor then accepted in a very interesting speech in behalf of the
citizens and officials. After these preliminary speeches the speaker of the day,
Hon. Jas. B. Weaver, was then introduced to the audience and made the speech of
the decoration of the monument, which was delivered in a manner that only Jas.
B. Weaver can do. In his talk he emulated the hero of those many battles who had
passed away as well as those who were among the audience. He also spoke very
highly of the patriotism shown by the citizens of Pella in their assistance in
erecting such a beautiful token of respect and regard for those who fought and
died for the principles of freedom. Many were the tributes paid to those whose
honor the day had been devoted to, and how richly they deserved all that the
people of America were honoring them with, and that it was only an incentive of
patriotism in the causes of the country.

During the day there were many that visited the cemeteries and sprinkled the
flowers over the graves of loved ones and the little mounds which covered the
remains of many near and dear were made pillows of roses and everybody observed
the day.

The beautiful eighteen-foot shaft which decorates the Garden Square is a piece
of workmanship that does honor to those who so kindly assisted in giving it a
place in our midst, and as the years pass by it will be a daily reminder that