Evening Star Newspaper, March 22, 1931, Page 80

8 THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, B. €, MARCH 22, 1931 Passing of Grand Army Hall, Landmark BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTUR. LD Grand Army Hall, as the Cornwell Building was called for many years, exists today only in the mind’s eye, for ‘the south side of Pertsylvania avenue between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets has been entirely cleared, with the exception of a portion of the theater, which is fast disappearing. Last Summer the final meeting of the Grand Army was held there, for the time had come when the Government wished to make its improvements, and to permit even one building to remain standing naturally would have upset the plans for beautifying this part of the New World's most historic boulevard. ‘The Grand Army had never owned the build- ing, though many of the bodies had been tenants there since 1887 or 1888, when the fol- Jowing posts moved in: John A. Rawlins, No. 1; Kit Carson, No. 2; O. P. Morton, No. 4; John T. Reynolds, No. 6; James A. Garfield, No. 7; Burnside, No. 8, and Charles Sumner, No. 9. It §8 quite probable that the department head- quarters moved into this building in 1888, though the City Directory for that year records the office of the department at 1751 Pennsylvania svenue. Naturally it was a severe blow for the Grand Army men to have to move from this building after having met there for at least 42 years, and most assuredly the veterans of the greatest civil war in history felt very depressed over having to get out, especially with depleted ranks, practically no treasury, and no place to go. Ah, how things change! It was not so from 1861 to 1865, when they were fighting to maintain & united country, and the destiny of the Republic depended upon them. Nor would it have been difficult for many years following the Civil War for them to secure an appropriate meeting place, for they were in large numbers then, and & power, and got what they de- manded; but today only a handful remains— and these old and infirm and waiting for a greater and final victory to come their way. ‘Well, they moved out.. It was inevitable; they had to. Col. U, 8. Grant, 3d, grandson of the foremost veteran of all, gave permission that they might temporarily store a box or two of their papers and effects in the old Ford Theater otherwise designation of the building—“G. A. R. Hall”—and has it safely stored away, l'rlsn.tmemylnzthatthenumendh everything, and, as pathetic as it may seem, yet we know the end of the Grand Army is Dot far distant. Just the other day the press stated that they had been outvoted in fln board of directors of the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Day Corporation, which reminded the writer of the colored deacon who was taking up a collection to give the retiring pastor a little “momentum.” At least that is the way some of the old veterans look’ upon this recent loss of their power in the control of Memorial day affairs in Washington after having successfully conducted these exercises for more years than some of us are old. 2% was a powerful organization ornce, and no Grand Review of the Union Army on Pennsylvania avenue in 1865. Old Avenue Building Removed as Progress Is Made by Capital—History of Organi- zation in District and Its Encampments. Grand Review. Memorial erected at Louisiana avenue and Seventh street northwest to the memor %of Benjamin Franklin Stephenson, M. D., founder of the Grand Army of the doubt its peak at one time must have reached near & half million, for in the District of Columbia alone, in 1892, it had upward of three thousand members. Today—well, the rem- nant of the four posts still surviving consists of but 97 men, as follows: In Kit Carson Post, No. 2—John W. Blaisdell, John I, Clem, John L. Culbertson, Joseph M. Dufour, James E. Dunn, William F. Dorsey, John Joy Edson, Eliasaph D. Godfrey, E. S. Godfrey, Gilbert M. Husted, Edgar H. Klemroth, John M. Kline, Elnathan Meade, John Middle- ton, Fred W. Mixer, James A. McDowell, John epublic. It was unveiled July 3, 1909. Thomas W. Manchester, Peter S. Noble, James H. Perkins, Willlam H. Proctor, William P, Shelmire, F. Shuey, William Thomas, Eugene W. Weaver, Hazard Wheeler, Ozias 8. Wehster, John M. Young. Phil. Sheridan Post, No. 6—Byron Bonney, 8. F. Hamilton, Alfred H. nulben, Thomas H. Jenks, Frederick Klein, H. C. Mc- Cammon, Samuel G. G. Mawson, William H, Ramsey, Richard Riggles, Fred Shortsleeves _and William J. Welss. Burnside Post, No. 8--Nathan Baer, E. J. Beaverstock, ‘Willlam Camp, E. R. Campbell, George R. Cook, Earl Cranston, E. W. Creecy, H. N. Crutchett, H. T. Dunbar, J. R. Finney, O. 8. Firmin, E. W. Foster, R. F. Hill, William M. King, Daniel Knelly, George W. Lawson, J. D. McBride, H. B. Moulton, George Newton, J. W. Palmer, Convis Parker, J. F. Parker, * Charles V. Petteys, B.I!uler.,.w.m Sfl-lbner. H.W. son, Willard S. Saxton, W. . Sleeper, Wil- !herwood.J.H.sbepherd,H. lam G. S. Warn, J. R. Weathers, Darwin Weaver, W. D, West, A. J. Whitaker, H. C. Whitworth, J. H. Wolff and F. J. Young. R!A.Dma over the names of these few sur- vivors of the Grand Army reminds the writer of a play he saw many years ago here it ‘Washington—and he believes it was performed in the old theater now being demolished—in which the noted actor, Sir Henry Irving, took the leading part. The play was called “Before ‘Waterloo,” and Sir Henry took the character of the last survivor of the Old Scotch Guard, who was then in his nineties. The acting was superb, but what the writer recalls in particular is the great admiration and veneration held for this aged British veteran, and how he drew himself up seemingly with one last supreme effort as he saluted the colonel of the Scotch redmmtofwhlchhcwt.heoceulanlmt. And the thought occurs, will we not also shower honmonthemtototxrcmlw:rvetenm? But why wait so long—why reserve our homage to some future date? Now—and from now on— is the time we should show any added respect for the men whose sacrifices, whose loyalty, bravery and courage are responsible for the splendid united country in which we live today and over which floats but one flag—the Btu' Spangled Banner. Our own Judge Wendell Phillips Stafford, !n his book of poems—“The Land We Love'— beautifully expresses Columbia’s admiration for the men of the Grand Army, when he says: “They are still the same in Columbia’s eyes. Their trappings are altered, their step may be strange, In the sight of the mother they never can change. Y She tells them by signs no season destroys— I know you, I know you, my old, brave boys! Few are ye coming—few, ye say— Only a corporal’s guard today To the armies on armies that marched awayl Your eyes are holden; look up and see! Not there with you—they are here with me. .- Alewmoresummerstomelrhnwmglkie Andmwlththm will come to seek my Andvhmtvomenuemeeflnconewfllfl. ‘That last old Union soldier died today!’ ¥ Doubt not my sons of coming time will keep Your true fame sacred in the long, long sleep— With theirs who spilled their cup of life to make My fair land yet more fair for freedom’s sake;" TBIGnndArmyotfl)eRepubunhfldM beginning in 1866, when it was on April 6 of that year in Decatur, Ill. I founder was Benjamin Franklin Stephenson, Six months later—on October 12, 1866—John A. Rawlins Post, No. 1, was granted the first charter in the District of Columbia—or, perhaps more correctly, in the Department of the Potomae. m!meewtheenndAmynntsppeul in the Washington City Directory for 1867, whentheerersotmemtmdd Post No. 1 are given as follows: “Department ott.h.Potomu-—L.l.m provisional command«s. Mag T. Lubey, a8~