Page:The Overland Monthly volume 33.djvu/95

 rays like a heavenly benediction upon these sons of valor.

May 11, 1898, the First Battalion, consisting of Companies A, B, C, D, Second Regiment, Oregon Volunteers, under command of Major C. H. Gantenbein, by order of the War Department, left for San Francisco, and one week later (May 16th), Companies E, F, G, H, I, K, L, and M, under command of Colonel O. Summers, broke camp and proceeded to join the others at the Presidio, to await transportation to Manila.

To the Captain of each of these companies, the Oregon Emergency Corps gave one hundred dollars in gold coin as an emergency fund. To Major M. H. Ellis, Commanding Regimental Surgeon, in charge of the Hospital Corps, was given one hundred dollars, also eight hundred yards of flannel for bandages. In addition to this, contributions from other sources made the available amount fully two thousand dollars.

To each Volunteer was given a pocket-comb, cake of toilet soap, one huck towel, one package of envelopes, one writing-pad and pencil, a housewife containing needles, thread, pins, safety-pins, trouser-buttons, court-plaster, waxed-ends, etc., while members of committees visited the different companies, mending their clothes and providing many things necessary to their well-being. After the departure of the Volunteers for San Francisco, the headquarters were trans- ferred from First Street to the Armory, which the Military Board turned over to the Emergency Corps for their use. Here meet- ings were held, a bureau of information es- tablished, with a committee in charge, and all other business transacted.

On May 1-1 th an offer was made by the firm of Lipman, Wolfe & Co. to turn over their department store to the Emergency Corps upon any date they might select. The entire charge of this establishment was to be assumed by the organization for one day,— ten per cent of all sales to go to the regimental fund. To this generous offer was added the privilege of serving a midday lunch and introducing other suitable fea- tures that would help to swell the treasury. This offer was unanimously accepted, and on May 17th the most novel scene ever wit- nessed in Portland's business history was presented. Women, prominent in charitable and philanthropic work, leaders of society,

sedate and stately matrons, assumed control of the various departments of this large busi- ness house, acting as superintendent, assist- ant superintendent, cashier, and floor man- agers, while a hundred or more of Portland's fair daughters from early morning till late at night stood behind the counters serving customers. The store was gayly decorated with flags, bunting, and roses; music was furnished by the Kinross Orchestra and Co- lumbian Mandolin Quartette. Thousands of purchasers who had waited for this day surged back and forth through the aisles, and crowded stairways and elevators in their haste to give their ten per cent to the sol- diers' fund. The East Indian department, which was transformed into a most enticing restaurant, proved inadequate to the de- mand, as hundreds whom it was impossible to serve were turned away. The result proved the success of the venture, one thou- sand dollars being added 10 the treasury of the society, while the remark made by the senior member of the firm, that it had been " the happiest day in a business career of over thirty-five years," left no other conclu- sion than that a two-fold blessing follows such generous deeds.

After the departure of the Second Regi- ment for San Francisco, the Emergency Corps continued the work of its supply de- partment in meeting the wants of the sol- diers,— not only Oregon Volunteers, but all or any needing assistance. On May 23d an appeal was received from a member of the Red Cross Society in San Francisco for fever-belts and sleeping-caps, as it was im- possible to meet the needs for these articles then existing. The following telegram was at once sent:

Red Cross Society, San Francisco, Cali- fornia,— Greeting: Count on us; will seud one thousand caps and one thousand fever- belts.

OREGON EMERGENCY CORPS.

Work was at once begun, and in a few days the supplies were shipped to 1G Post Street.

The Sewing Committee has continued its labors, hundreds of articles being made and furnished to the Second Regiment, Engineer Corps, Oregon Recruits, Washington Volun- teers, and others.

It has been the privilege of the Oregon Emergency Corps to entertain all troops