The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-04-30

The solid old city of Mobile was famed
for many years before the war for the
military spirit Of her people, whose blood
was shed in every great battle Of the
struggle of the States. This spirit has in
nowise abated and her citizen soldiery
are still in the front rank Of their breth-
rem of the South. Their annual encamp
ment in the beautiful suburbs is the most
noted event in each year Of Mobiles his
tory, and that OF 1885 will be the most
signal in their record Of peaceful exercises.
1t will occur next week, and CON-
mands from many States will be present
and take part in the interstate drill. a
press despatch gives the following infor-
nation:
The great inter State prize drill promises to be
IL great success. The place selected ioi the drill
and camp grounds is the grounds OF the Fair As
ISOLATION, darlington" about two miles south
OF the city and on the marge of Mobile Bay.
The street railroad reaches il, and the track OF
Wtu.EraieSi ZEE. t o6e 1hUlle eAilERa8a passes
with these facilities larger crowds than the most
sanguine of the drill managers expect can be
transported 10 and from the drill without crowd
ing, and besides, such as prefer can reach the
grounds by steamboats, down the bay, or from
Point Clear, the summer hotel across the hay.
ARLINGTON GROUNDS
Arlington grounds is enclosure Of about $50
acres laid of in spacious walks and drives that
are shaded by magnolia and live oak trees fes-
TONED with our silver gray moss, and the mag
nola is just about TO burst into bloom. The
buildings of the fair grounds will be utilized for
restaurants, music halls, the stables for artillery
cavalry and staff horses. The drill grounds will
be within the circumference of the half-mile race
track of the grounds, and natural topography and
intelligent engineering work have made this
probably the best grounds yet selected for the
purpose of competitive drill
The tents for the soldiers will be placed upon
. ridge south and west OF the fair grounds, which
is well drained and watered, and opens to the
Gulf breeze and an unobstructed view Of the
bay.
The various committees who have been en-
trusted with the different details of the manage
ment of the drill are veing with each other as TO
whose work will be most thoroughly performed
The committee on transportation have written
the general managers Of the railroads TO the Dor
ders of frenzy and the fare from adjacent cities
and return, with stop over privileges, has been
reduced to merely nominal rates.
The bureau of public comfort has perfected
arrangements TO accommodate very large num-
Der outside OF the quota which will ill the regu-
lar hotels and boarding houses with contracts
preventing deviation from most moderate
charges, fixed by the committee.
The drawing for places in the composition will
begin May 4. and the competition will begin next
morning. The prizes amount 10 $4,000 in
money besides several badges and medals as in
vidual prizes. There will be IS squadrons, cen
sisting of from Is to 40 men each, besides 10
companies which have won in previous inter-
State competitions, FL which have not won 10
such contests. 9 artillery detachments and three
companies of zouaves. 1t is estimated that the
whole will aggregate 2,76O soldiers. One real
attraction will be the famous Mexican band un-
der the leadership Of Prof McCoshsnd Binnse