The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-08-04
THE C. A. R. REUNION.
The Boys in Blue Given a Grand Re-
ceptlon in San Francisco.
A Train of Grand Army Delegates
Ditched in Montana.

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 3.-The festivities
| of the Grand Army Reunion were formally
| opened last evening. The majority of the
delegates had already arrived and nearly
every hotel in the city was filed with enthus-
iastic veterans. Californians are nothing If
if not hospitable, and besides the hotels many
private houses were open to the visitors.
The crowds are large and enthusiastic and
everything last evening indicated one of the
most successful Grand Army reunions held
for years. This is saying much, for one CT
the topics Of conversion among the veterans
at San Francisco is the success of their last
years encampment at Portland.
Commander-in-Chie Burdette was tender
ed a reception at the immense Mechanics
Pavilion last evening by the National Guard
of California. This was followed by grand
reception and ball given in honor OF the
Army of the Potomac and the Women's Re
lief Corps at Metropolitan Hall, by the city
of San Francisco. Mayor Bartlett delivered
the address of welcome. About 10000 peo-
pie were present and it was considered
most successful Inauguration of the weeks
encampment.
This mornings trains and steamers brought
to the city larger crowds and the reunion is
now fairly underway.
The Utah Northern train, west bound with
Grard Army of the Republic delegates for
San Francisco was ditched by broken rail
at Dillon, Montana, last night. The Pullman
sleeper was turned completely over, and nine
persons were injured. The east bound
freight train on the same road was also
wrecked near Blackfoot but no one was
hurt.
Never before have so many persons been
seen on the streets of San Francisco. A great
number of them were Californians, but they
all came to see the G. A. r. parade. A close
estimate places the number of men in line at
IL 900, while 81, 900 others looked on from the
street to tee finish. The march was trlum-
phant one. The eastern delegates were es-
pecially marked as objects of attention, and
all along the line, when the eastern band was
discovered, were greeted with hearty and
prolonged cheers.
The carriages in which Gen. Sherman was
seated was suddenly attacked by six hand
somely dressed young ladies armed with
baskets of flowers, who, with ringing cheers
and laughter open fire on the General pelting
him with roses. The General gracefully
raised his hat and amid the cheers of the
crowd bowed repeatedly in acknowledgment
of his defeat. One unexpected result Of the
procession and which was very serious to
many was the rush to the restaurants imme-
diately after parade was over Three hun
dred thousand persons had been standing
from to 2.20 without eating.
Therefore as the cry Its all over went up
the half-famished spectators rushed to res
taurants and so great was the rush that
within five minutes the proprietor had locked
the doors. Several cases of women fainting
from hunger and fatigue have been report
ed. Those who had to wait until the first
rush was over made descent on bakers and
street fruit stands and cleaned up everything
in sight