Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-09

SPECIAL ATTRACTIoNs-ArA TALK WITH ME-. DE
LION.
Mr.. I. c. DeLeon. OF Mobile, who has given to
me committee on the proposed national drill
ns views as TO the program and general man.
agement f'r the drill, when questioned by a
STAR repO. ter said:
~The National Drilr at Washington has
greater possibilities than any yet attempted, in
double sense. Il can be made the greatest
failure yet seen, because the country will ex-
pect so much; or IT can be made tue greatest
triumph yet known. In all its three aspects of
military fraIerniziug and advancemeht; Of
business advantage To- Washington, by reason
OF great crowds OF strangers attracted, and OF
heir Spending money nere and carrying away
pleasant re inIscences the tinest American
city, AID Of pecuni&ry results in me aggregate
OF gate money 10 ihe drills and band cuuceTts
and of prices obtained Lor privileges sold Tor the
camps and drill grounds"
" hat Causes could produce the failure you
SONY one cause" Mr.. De Leon answered
very pbatiCally, and that is neg ecl TO era I'D
Citizens oi " Washington eau maze the greatest
drill ever seen. without cost 10 themselves, 10y
putting their hands III tneir pockets right Oh
They can ruin II ~ Keeping iEen1 there. /
mean that liberal subscription row is vial and
lave frequently Urged tie COMMITTEES to so
state 20 the public.
advantages over any other city for collecting
The flower OF the National Guards, as well a.
oirecuoi.s 10 see lie Cribs ana reviews. She is
not only located in the center oil vast travel.
out she uas stationary attractions 10 vast num-
oerS oil people. especially at the west and SOUTH
70 which those Oh no other city are IN any Way
comparable
"Frum what section would you expect the
largest crowds OF visitors To euiue:
"1nat Is hard to estimate. OF soldiers,
should be inciined 10 say from the north and
Lar west aud northwest. Tine northern anu
eastern soldiers have, here tofore, rather held
aiooi iIoan Interstate drills; because of their
company arilI Character. luis ma
tionai drill will be nearer To them
aud on the comfortable great stem lines: while
the battalion and regimenIal features will
BE considered in IL Tor the fist time.
FOR these two reasons i should codns
on very large attendance of soldiers from the
middle auo eastern staLes; wnIie my personal
knowledge u those OF the western states in
duces belief that We Can expect full brigade
from the northwest alone. Kentucky, Mis-
souri,. Tennessee, Alabama, louisiana, Texas
and Georgia will iuduoilaUiy send up from
n s u l"r.y zoo eopa Haes sa' the reasons
away from he western anu southern drills ure
reverseu IN tuis Instance. MUst OF the SOUTH
erp volunteers will enter com paDy teams only,
tor the reximental drill Tar less aLLeuded 20
In that section Ihau In the east Ior OBVIOUS
reasons New YORK, Pniladelphia, Baltimore
and Boston have their woriu-atious
regiments, out you only hear In Lie SOU .hern
land in most OF the western sta,es) of famous
companies, such rs the Houstoi.s, Treuways,
Mobile kIf1ss, Indianapolis Artillery, CEIck.
aSwxy Guar0s ana their Ike
"And IRON. what points DO you count on the
greatest crowus Oh visitors?' tine reporter
asked.
"Tnst 10 more difficult to estimate" was the
reply, las So many causes will combine In de-
termining travel. MIST iInportanl OF these viii
be tine railway Rates, tor long distance excur-
ssions, aud the length oi time covered
that every iavorite corps viii be iol-
lowed To the Capital ty large crowd
OF friends ana oackers. These alone viii make
an iminehse crown; and, III tue Case WASH
inston cay. curiosity To see the capital will
swell 1t to Unusual proportions. Briefly stated,
see no reason why this national drill. properly
arranged in lime, anu properly advertised ali
over Tie country, should Lot attract such
crowds Of visitors AS To Oe limited ouIy by tn.
carrying capacity Oh the Railroads, anu of the
city To iouge and Iced tuem.'
do YOU estimate any particular pro rata for
Inc money these Visitors Will leave here?''
certainly not. You might az wei. ask me to
pro rata human nature tue great A american
pocketOook. With Us in the south, w.ie.e au-
nuaI piigfinases have been made To our Mardi-
Gras cirnivais, we estimate That every visitor
leaves PERHAPS so POCKET money. Taere, now
ever, Our people are poor, and our carnly.iis ex-
tend, At iurtnest, over three days, instead of
eight, ~ proposed TOR this drill. Inc Gas, of
visitors VINO come, especially from the clues,
viii come Tor IA iroiic; aud, presumably, they
viii come prepared TO pay Tor IL. Delaiied esti
mates, either as 10 uunIVers as To expeudi-
tnre. per CAPITA, should certainly not Al
tempt"
w Nat was the business result Of the Albany
biceutenni.d?'
Surprisingly satisfactory In all regards
although That pageant Was not advertised as
widely VI as excessively as its S4U,VUO oil pre-
pAraIion WARRANTED. lave never seen larger
and more deiisuted crowds strangers in a
certain
''The Delaware and Hudson Canal company's
Los. ..iS..e ~. estIiIIsiIeu lave over
9suOO single passengers into Albany In the
thres days, the New York Central and hudson
river must nave done at ie.,t as much wuite
the river boats were crowded dcwu On every
trip. That certainly paid the common Carriers
Then the stores OF all kinds, Wholesale and re-
tod
three popular Restaurants that closed their
doors to Keep out the crowds oesieging them Ior
DO0 ana orluk.
w as the money for the bi-centennial raised
IKE the funds Ior the proposed drIli?"
Yes, aud no." Mr.. De Leon answered. at
vas Raised by popular subscription, buE every
dollar gwen a, Tree gift. No receipt was
Issued ior any subscription; aud no money was
returned, or expected To oe returned, to any
subscriber. Albany put up her o4OUVO cash
from pure pubic spirit, aud any money over
Was understood to DeOng 10 some public object
cleared some $500, ana this, with all sums
aecruins from otl.er sources, Will ~ rs tue
nucleus Of museum, or some such public
do you believe the national drill here will
pay The subscribers, who undertake tue ex-
penses? asked the reporter.
II see NO possible Reason why IL should moi
return every dollar, was the answer. Properly
managed and properly advertised tous lar In
advance, oTliI at Washing tan will coiIec,
more visitors than the city can nod zen
Hoin coiu business Reasons, with no side issues
o. public spirit aud pubic progress regard a
subscription u good Investment CT money IN The
visiting eompanIes number even one-naIf of
Those We have reasonably counted on curiosity
ana Interest Will be 20 slim iated that The gate
receipts alone should pay t:.e expenses I. he
crowds attracted ty tAe drills, coucerts and
the peculiar Illness Of this city, exceed our
estimates, there should, OF course be Iarver
gate receipts, and these cause. also will add
greatly 10 The value vi the privileges di.pusa-
Ole by the mmittee."
w nat are these privileges?" the reporter
askso. "and now are they 10 oe sold?'
Ahey cover Tue soie right 10 restaurants In
toe camp grounds aud drill grounds Tor board
Ing The soidIers and iteuing the puulic1 Mr.
De Leon answered, the rguts TO bar, pooi-
selunS, pcdIiInS fruits, peanuts aud "A dozen
minor ones, That Invariably sell we'll at such
arms ana SHOULD OF course pay the buyers here
viii decide later. but 1t viii prob
.oiy be ~ sealed blos, in each cl.s.
properly advertised tor weeks in advance
DIT nave Iaixed quite enough for one talking
II advance; and need only add tuat IL REMAINS
sor me eiilzens OF w ashiuzton To say which of
the grAno horns OF the grand dilemma lhey
desire They can have, Ii they eject a yrauu
ndsco no ": or, II they prefer, = grand success
HOW TO RENDER A ROOM COMFORTABLE AT
LESS THAN HALF THE Usual EXPENSE.
To he Editor of the The EVENING STAR:
As the time for starting fires appears to be
close At hand, will make some suggestions
On the above headings. with view TO pro-
noting economy and comfort:
The selection Oh "a stove and EN- ployment of a
proper quantity Of pip will first claim cur a.
than those constructed OF casl-iron, without
eucn inning, therefore, select some o. The cast