The National tribune., 1883-08-23

Certain items ofthese larger than WAC
at first contemplated " hen the estimate was made
1t was intended To have number Of large mess
tents, but finding this impossible, it became
necessary 20 build mess shed capable of seating
two thousand ct one time. which accounts IA part
for the large lumber and labor bill The lumber
used for this purpose be sold for at least half
us cost An additional expense of at least i've
hundred dollars was created by having 20 move
the camp twice after first laying it out.
Correspondence with various Departments
throughout the country, official advises from Ma
tional headquarters, the railroads and the news
papers, not only IN Denver, but n the country at
large, all estimated the attendance a. the Reunion
at from fifty TO hundred thousand persons
twenty-five per cent. OF whom il was calculated
would require accommodation at camp. On the
basis OF the lowest of these figures contracts were
made for provisions and for the necessary labor in
cooking and serving them, 70 feed from ten to
Twelve thousand men, and It was feared even then,
that all could not be cared for who came
The hooks Of registration and estimates made by
those having opportunities OF Judging AL show
that the total attendance OF Grand Army members
at the Reunion did not exceed fifteen thousand OF
whom less than One-fifth-three thcusand-Oeeu-
pied quarters ut camp
some two months ago an appeal was made to
the Board of Trade of Denver to assist IN raising
by subscription among the citizens the necessary
funds to establish this camp, and that body aIS-
pointed committees for this purpose and gave the
officers IN charge of the camp every assurance that
the money would be raised On the 22d Of June
received communication from the Board of Trade
through its secretary, advising me that eli contracts
made by must receive their approval l there
upon forwarded to this Board, through the chair
man OF It's auditing committee Mr. b. r. I5Tsasher a
detailed statement OF all the contracts incidental
to the camp which had entered into on behalf Of
the Grand Army prior to that date, and of ali the
labor then being performed at the camp ground
Since that date no contracts have been made by
me- except Tor purchase Of provisions, and only the
necessary purchases made labor employed to
carry to completion the plans of the esraD as under
way when the Board of Trade undertook to pro-
vide the money. In the matter of the purchase OF
provisions it fully believed that the camp in
this respect would be self sustaining and for this
De- n,ffrs- l.
these purchases After lsboring for q short time
and being successful in having several thousand
dollars subscribed, the committee met with serious
obstacles IN the way of runors Of fraud on the part
OF those charged with the disbursements of funds
for account of the camp. meeting of the Board
of Trade was at once called and held at heaCduar-
tiers, and searching investigation of al Of my
books, papers, and accounts was made Having
fully satisfied themselves that all my business had
been conducted honestly and carefully, these gen.
tiemen stated to me that they would 20 on with the
work OF raising money at once, and assured me thas
all the funds required would be provided in ample
tine ana desired me 70 suffer no delay IN the wortc
OF completing the camp These gentlemen repeat
edly assured me that the required amount for
estimated expenses would be raised, but instead
OF the $1,000 required, less than half that sum was
collected by them. The camp being then nearly
completed, about the 18Th of July It was found
the operation OF the kitchens and mess house and
cooking was begun under the charge OF Cosnrafle
w H. Savage, and from the 18th OF July until the
formal opening OF the camp on Monday, the 2Sd,
this gentleman was. by Special Order No. So from
your headquarters, in command OF the camp
During this period COnrade Savage had charge OF
the receipts of camp and disbursements of same
It was found necessary during this time to feed
gratis, . large number of kitchen ard ness-houso
hands, IN order to secure their services when
required for the week of Reunion, and on two
Sundays large force of militia, together with
ther hInliles and the musicians, were fed at the
expense OF the camp This via, in some measure,
account for the large bills for supplies contracted
at that time. On Monday, July ., st q joint
meeting OF the executive committee, G.. A. r.,
o. OF
Trade, IL was decided To have Mr.. W. ;. Mar
shall. Secretary Of the Board of Trade. proceed
with his clerk to camp and take charge of the
financial management Of same. This Mr. Mar
shall at did, and remained IN charge until the
close of the camp, thereby making the Board OK
Trade responsible and liable for all debts con-
traeted from the date of his assuming charge as
the members of the auditing committee individ-
nally have repeatedly assured me and others THAI
they would indOrse every action OF Mr. Marshall
During this period or Mr.. Harshairs homogeneous,
vouchers of various kinds for supplies and labor
which largely constitute the heavy deficit now ex-
sting, were registered by him. many Of which
have not had an opportunity OF examining and
should certainly never have approved Prominent
among these are bills for ordinary labor ranging
from tive to ten dollars per day, which should mob
have been registered until carefully proved and
serutinized and reduced TO the price Of ordinary
labor.
Comrade Gardner then goes on TO criticize
severely the course pursued by the Board OF
Trade committee, and charges is with mis-
of the most fragrant description,
and also takes occasion 20 express the opinion
that the failure Of both Department Com
mander Stimson and Conmander-in-ChiefV Van
Dervoort to establish their headquarters at tho
camp largely contributed TO the l&tters failure.
In conclusion he says:
The unpaid indebtedness at present amounts to-
approximately sl2,G0O. by reducing many claims
% q Just valuation of services rendered this
AMOUNT can be brought down 70 $1,000 However,
what the camp lost the city gained. The money
hat expected to be spent in camp was spent in
own, and to the business men of Denver who
llone proated thereby. the Grand army must APP
peal for aid In reducing this burden of indebted
sess, much OF which is due 70 laboring men who
IAN III afford to lose the small amounts due them.