The National tribune., 1882-07-29
THE REUNION IN KANSAS,
All the Arrangements Progressing Satisfactorily
A Large Attendance of Veterans Expected.

All the Arrangements Progressing Satisfactorily
! Large Attendance of Veterans Expected.
! Our Kansas exchanges state that extraor-
| binary interest has been aroused throughout
the Northwest over the coming State Fair and
Reunion of veterans in Kansas. A largely at
tended meeting of citizens and comrades was
held at Topeka few days ago to arrange for
the entertainment of visitors. The Immediate
| object was to devise means for providing shell
ter for the thousands of veterans expected dur
! ing the soldiers and sailors Reunion in Sep
tcmber Capt. J. Fl. Moss called the meeting
| to order and suggested as the most practicable
thing to be done the appointment of a citizens
committee to act in connection with the GEM
mittee of thirty-cight.
| Col C. X. Holiday was called to the chair.
As he assumed that duty he appealed briefly to
his felow-citizens to see to it that the honor of
Topeka did not suffer in this instance and said
he felt confident Topeka would do what was
/ expected of her. He had seen her hospitality
tested and knew its generosity.
Captain J. Lee Knight, Of the committee of
thirty-eight, read the following statement of
/ what the committee had done, the demands Of
the occasion, and what the people were to be
asked 10 do:
At the close of the Reunion last year very
| general desire was expressed to hold another
Reunion this year during the State Fair. The
general committee of thiTty-eight was reOrgan-
lied by the election of Major Tom Anderson as
/ president and full list of officers, and these
gentlemen, with such other veterans as have
met with them from time To time, have been at
work for several months making arrangements
I a iOYt b.,b oI '
tire week of the Fair.
After all bills for the last years Reunion
were paid there still left iii the treasury a
balance of nearly $500.
| On April Goth Of this year a circular was
| issued by the committee suggesting plans for
organization and sent out generally over the
State.
The response has been such as to convince
the committee that at least 10000 ex-sodiers
and sailors, organized into companies, regi-
ments, ETC., and duly enrolled, will be here
Reunion week. The interest has been on con-
slant increase, and the problem you are called
on tonight to discuss and solve is, How is To-
peka to take care of these men while they are
here.
A liberal estimate of the capacity of our
hotels and bOarding-hOuses even with extra
cots, ETC., indicates that they cannot shelter
over $500 or 1000 at the outside. One-half of
| this will be taken by persons attending the
State Fair proper, leaving only about 1000 or
less of the soldiers who will be able to find
accommodations in that quarter.
Hon. Thomas Ryan writes that there will
probably not be over 800, and certainly not
more than 800 tents procured from the Govern
ment. a few tents can be had in the city, and
few will be brought from other points. The
most liberal estimate made of the capacity of
tents Is that 5000 men, at the most, may be
sheltered in that way, making i'll all only about
1000 men who are likely to find lodging
place while here.
A committee which has investigated the plan
of building temporary barracks reports that
the cost for 1000 men will be about 81 900, or
an average of twenty five cents per man. This
assumes that lumber can be procured at o
nominal rent, and such as is damaged or de-
strOyed paid for, together with labor for haul
ing lumber to and from camp ground, putting
up and taking down barracks &c No other
plan seems to offer the necessary amount of
room, save perhaps that begun by the State
Fair authorities i'll making thorough canvass
of the city for loding in private houses.
The soldiers will have plenty to eat; there
can be no doubt OF that. What they will want
more than anything else is a roof to cover
their heads. The people of Topeka should
realize the situation and provide the roof.
| They are not asked to provide anything else.
Judge John Guthrie said that in order to
meet the demands of the occasion some means
must be provided for lodging for twenty to
thirty thousand of Kansas most worthy citi-
zens. He hoped the people would stand by the
committee in this emergency. They could not
afford to do otherwise.
Col Stumbaugh, of North Topeka, reminded
his auditors that Topeka had often asked favors
Of these very men for whom her hospitality is
solicited Many of them have shown
their friendship when Topeka had favors to
ask of the State and this opportunity to show
an appreciation of that friendship Topeka
could not afford to neglect. He urged that the
business men, hotel men, merchants and the
people generally, when asked for their cOntri-
buttons give literally. There is another than
the patriotic side to this question. 1t will pay
in dollars and cents to have this Reunion here if
the soldiers are made comfortable, but it will be
bad investment if they are not properly cared
for.
Hon. John Martin spoke to the same effect.
He argued that the city had authorized the
committee to make these tenders of the hsspi-
tally of Topeka, and that the people are now
in honor bound to redeem all their pledges. All
that is asked is paltry $4,000, an insig-
nifcant sum compared with the benefits to be-
derived if it is raised.
On motion, the following citizens committee
of eighteen was appointed to cooperate with
the committee of thirty-eight in preparing
lodgings for the veterans:
Hon. John Martin, chairman; Judge John
Guthrie, Col. G. W. Veale II. X Rowley, S. S.
Barnum, Joseph Bishop, Reuben Randlett. Jas.
Scery, John K. Mulvane. T. VI. James, VI. Eze-
kel, Col. f. S. Stumbaugh, O. Skinner, George
Hackney, Fred. Fritschc TheO. Curran, Chas.
Knowles, A. J. arnold. Col. Holiday was
added to the committee, and the meeting adj
journed.
NEW POST IN KANSAS.