Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-01
GEN. BENTLEY TO COMMAND.
The Savannah Encampment at the Base
Ball Park.


The committee in charge Of the arrange
ments for the Chatham Artillery's prize
drill and encampment next May is
making active preparations for the event.
Gen. G. S. Bentley, Of Chicago, who
was commandment at the Nashville and
Mobile encampments will be in command
OF the encampment here. In his letter to
Secretary MacDoneI. of the Centennial
Committee, accepting the command, he
says: 81 assure you it is to me a most
pleasurable duty. ! served as an officer
IN the Northern army during the
entire war. Since the termina-
tion OF the war ! have been a
believer in and an advocate OF complete
and sincere reconciliation. and if by any
act or course Of NINE | have become en-
deared to the Southern sOldiery, must be
pardoned for frankly saying that ! feel
Mighty hattered and proud Of 1t. Since
the war ] have entertained the most
friendly feeling towards the soldier be
ne Northern or Southern, and the gather
ing OF citizen soldlery from the North ana
SOutn mas in each instance OF my eX-
perIence produced the most happy results.
Cen. Bentley was formerly IN command
OF the Second brigade Of the Iowa State
National Guard at Dubuque, Ia, but is
now resident Of Chicago. HIS relations
with the Southern soldIery at Nashville
and Mobile won for him place in their
hearts, and it is the universal desire, so
tar as any expression has been given,
that he should command the encampment
here. His acceptance of the command
VIII be received with much satisfaction
by all companies that have announced
their intention to participate.
The committee has selected the Whita
ker street base ball park as a drill ground.
The encampment Will be on grounds adj
joining the park, and north OF the City
and suburban Railway shops. Two
places were talked of-the Park ex-
tension and the base ball grounds. The
latter, however. were considered the most
desirable, and were selected. A grand
stand capable Of seating 5000 people Will
be erected, and facing it, on the OPP
posite side of the grounds, will be
hippOdrOme seats. The commit
tee is fortunate in having secured grounds
so near the heart OF the city and so easily
reached. The drill grounds at Mobile were
miles from the city, and at New Orleans
twice as far distant. Everything will be
done to make the place available and
convenient. An extra street car track
Will be built from Anderson street out
Barnard street to the Park on the west
side, thus giving two car lines direct to
the grounds, the Whitaker street line on
the east side and the Barnard and West
Broad street line on the west.
The water supply will be from driven
wells on the grounds, and from either
temporary or permanent extension OF the
Whitaker street main. 1t was at first
proposed to lay a or 3-inch pipe from
Anderson street out. but it has since been
suggested that the Whitaker street main
be extended as permanent Improvement.
There is at present no system of mains
south of Anderson street. In very short
time, however, it will he necessary to give
the city extension a water supply. An
extension Of the Whitaker street main
would give permanent supply of water
to residents and would afford protection
in time of fire to portion of the city that
in short time will be substantially built
up. If the work is done before spring.
the encampment and drill grounds will
have an adequate water supply.