The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-02
OPENING SCENES.
DenTer's DecOrations-Some of the Earliest Ar
riEals-Stirring Incidents.

In more ways than one the Denver Encamp-
ment was a stnpendous and brilliant success.
With an overflow Of enthusiasm that embraced
every man, woman. and child the fair daugh-
ter Of the Rockies put ON her garments of
pride, to give proper welcome TO the Nations
defenders. The welcome was in the air. 1t was
IN the eager faces of the throngs that filed the
streets when the Posts turned out 10 receive
the Commander-iB-C Chief, just as It was in the
hearts Of the tOw-headed children of the squat
teFs on the plains, who threw up their sun
burnt hands as the veterans passed by, and
shock their little skirts, because they had no
hanGkerchiefs 10 wave.
The beautiful city was royalty decged for the
occasion, and the principal streets arched and
festooned with bunting. Banners with notices
OF welcome swung from every side, one of
which represented a strong arm carrying an
unfarled flag oyer-laid by a greenback, with
the legend, This rs what did it." One busi-
ness house had placed over its doorway the por-
trait OF a private soldier leaning on his mus
ket The badge of the q. A. r., mammoth
size, appeared upon many banners Every
where was the silent recognition of the private
soldier, whose Valor preserved us a united and
happy people. Two immense arches spanned
the principal street, each surmounted with
symbolic picture, and 1t either corners were fig
Ures representing the Goddess of Liberty, and
other patriotic emblems.
For full two weeks the Grand Army of Colo
rado has given its entire time to preparing for
the reception and entertainment of the visiting
comrades. And what superb sight it was TO see
these Rocky Mountain Posts rallying from the
mines and the ranches to look into the long lost
faces Of their comrades from the old homes to
the East As they stood in line with uplifted
hands TO salute their Commander-in-C Chief,
when they had escorted him to his headquar-
ters at the Windsor, it was truly a stirring and
touching sight. Yet, while We reioiced that
the destiny Of new States is TO be shaped by
these men, there came up the sad recollec-
ton that IN very many eases they who fought
at the front, and who came home after pro-
l0nged and weary absence TO find their places
I filed by the foreigner and the alien, were
forced TO begin a second warfare for their own
preservation and support. Many were the WIS.,
/ Iting comrades who felt the same food of sad
and solemn memories, and tears stood iii many
an eye that had never quailed in battle, when
/ 1t fell upon the slOw crutch and tho empty
sleeve that toli so truly of the terrible past.
In the ranks was one old soldier who gave the
salute with the left hand, and If is no discredit
TO two attaches Of the national delegation, one
q United States Senator, and the other the mill
tary editor of a national soldiers paper. to say
that they positively cid shed tears when they
returned the salute. They dare not deny it,
theevideneei is Oh record against them.
coLoRADos WAR RECORD.
aAnd yet Colorado has bright record OF her
own, albeit her soldier element is drawn from
almost every State in the Union. 1t is proud
memory that with q handful Of unmustered
pIiyates, commanded by officers holding no
commissions, that she carried on successful
warfare with traitorous Regulars and still more
trait9rous citizens, who would have given over
the young Territory into the hands of the COM
mon enemy. Fer away from civilization, the
/ country 50 engaged in grayer work that it al
most 1orgot Its unprotected sons on the far
frontier, they fought the desperate battle in
the Apache Canon AGAINST nearly 10000 Texas
greasers, commanded by General SibIey. And
although the defending army numbered but
] l,lG0 loyal Colorado frontieTsmen, they almost
annihiiate5 the miserable hordcs who were
seeking a Mormon uprising that woald have
resulted IN the loss TO the United States Gov
ernment of millions of dollars in arms and am
munition at frontier posts controlled by South
1 eTn sympathizers. Utah always svlnpathized
with the rebels. and was prepared to re-cnforce
/ their ranks with thousands of trained Dantes,
had Sibley accomplished his purpose. In Dem
yer the Confederate flag Vas flying for weeks.
and an organization of ox-Confederates is still
preserved IN that city. But. te their credit be
1t said, they, with other civic organizations,
turned out to welcome the Grand Army of the
Republic upon this, the second surrender of
the city to the boys who wore the blue.
THE CENTENNIAL STATE REUNION.
The delegates 20 the National Encampment
have embraced every opportunity tomake them
selves familiar with the sources and wonders
ofthis weaith-pYo3ucing aad picturesque State.
Colorado has made wonderful development
since her admission into the Union, July 4.
ls16, the one-hundredbh anniversary of the
Declaration OF Independence. She had then
10000 citizens, scattered here and there among
the Mines and Denver her chief city, was
chiefly noted as the distributing point for the
mines and the resort for inYalids Since then
LeadwIle has been discovered Gunnison Sill
yer Cliff, San Juan; railroads, maryels of en-
gineering, have been built, and as a result of a
single years operations, 81, 100000 III gold and
silver have been turned into the Golfers OF the
world. Denver has now as solid future IS
any city in the country.
Colorado now leads the world as mining
State. In another direction her farm and
stock ranges are sources Of wonderful revenues
and the fine, fat, grass-fed cattle of Colorado
make the finest beef In the world In looking
at these things one no longer wonders that the
/ State and city poured cut their monoy to enter
tain and interest the veterans of the Union.
/ The hospitality Of Denver and the Centennial
State, no less than their grand peaks, beautiful
/ parks, rare mineral springs deep and awful
1 canons and other picturesque and marvellous
beauties, will never be forgotten while memory
: lasts.
CAMP VAN DERYo0RT.
/ At Camp Van Dervoort 500 large tents were
/ pitched, each with a capacity for the aceommo-
! dailon Of sixteen men. The grand entrance
/ which fronted west, was through an arch, mod
/ eled after the triumphal arch of Paris square
or the top and seIni-circular on tic inside
The front bore the motto, . Peace hath her VIC
( tories, no less renowned than War" From
! the arch to the eastern end was Stimson ave-
nue., POO feet By 800 feet wide From the
/ north TO the south WAS Grant avenue, 1900 in
/ length In the center of the CAMP. where the
J avenues crossed, was located the headquarters
! OF Commanders sin-Chef Van Dcrvoort, and TO
! tn right Of these the headquarters Of General
/ Stimson. Commander of the Department of
: Colorado. The paraae ground, near the en-
trance, was l,000 Joy 600 feet, with the flag
floating cut FROM an eighty feet flagstaff in the
center. The camp was intersected with water
| works and electric lights had iirsU-elass culi-
! nary department and prompt railway and tele-
/ graph l@ciiitic5 and had it not been for the
i fearful dust aud heat it would have been in all
respects q grand hotel edition Of the old camp
/ ground. The happicst feature Of ali was the
/ bringing together of thousands of old soldiers
/ who had not met IN yosrs, to renew The con-
1 radeshiP OF field AID battle. Upon their ar
rival their names Ivcre registered in book for
tha5 purpose which must remain valuable
souvenir among Department archives.
SIGHT SEEING IN DESvER.
The delegations, particularly f3om the New
/ England and Atlantic States, were on the
grounds early that they might be fully rested
before the opening Of the Encampmcnt proper.