The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-25
THE GRAND ARMY OF THE pEruBLro
Atlanta's Chance for the Next Year-What 1t
Means to Get this Great Convention.


Atlantas Chance for the Next Year-what it
Means to Get this Great Convention.
General Lewis has returned from Columbus,
Ohio, where he attended the Grand Army of
the Republic convention. He said;
"Atanta's invitations met with favorable
comment everywhere, and were received with
enthusiastic approval, but it was already ar
ranged that Milwaukee was to have the con-
vention for the next year"
Can Atlanta secure it the year after?''
undoubtedly she can if she vii go to work
in time. There is great competition in north
ern cities for it, but very general desire to
come south. l had thousands of the western
army to ask me when are you going to take us
TO Atlanta, and everybody wants to go. 1t
would heighten the interest of things very
much to meet absolutely on one of the great
battle fields of tho war, and surrounded by
other battle fields.
"But Atlanta ought to be very certain, y
General Lewis continued, chat she wants this
convention and can handle it. You have no
conception of its vastness. We had 100000
veterans in actual attendance at Columbus
Seventy thousand of these marched in line
and marching eight to eighteen abreast it re-
quired five hours for the procession to pass
given point. Columbus erected 10000 wall
tents, into which she put 62,000 soldiers. One
enormous tent was made to accommodate &c,
600 people, and camp fires were held in this
continually. There were vast dining tents that
would seat 1000 people at n time. and some
twenty of these were provided. The state
capitol and the city hall were turned over to
the veterans, and public business absolutely
suspended. Every house in the city threw
open its doors, and from two TO twenty veterans
were billeted at each house. 1t was five DAYS
of open hospitality and enjoyment. There
were 100000 visitors in the city, 10000 OF
which were veterans. They left from So, 0O0.-
600 to 100000 600 of money in Columbus"
"Atlanta can handle themas well as Column
bus, Ohio"
Certainly, if she were to start In time. The
people OF Columbus spent one hundred thous-
and dollars, but the entertainment was roya
and sufficient. The great trouble was the
transportation. The Pennsylvania Central
the Erie, and two other roads run into Co
lumbus. They massed cars from all over the
country, but found that they could not handle
the enormous crowds. The conductors re.
ported that people from q distance came with
in hundred miles of Columbus and after
waiting two days to get nearer, were forced to
turn around and go back home. Probably q
hundred thousand people that started to Co
lumbus were kept away for the lack of trans
portation.
''You think we can get 1t then2"
II certainly think we can. If we can show
that we viii make adequate arrangements,
and the railroads will help us, there is very
little doubt. 1t would be q grand thing for
the whole union. Arrangements would be
made to have the confederate veterans meet
them here. The union soldiers would be In
vited into into the confederate camps and the
confederate veterans into the Grand Army OF
the Republic campfres. Together they would
go over the battlefields, and the result would
be that we should never hear anything more OF
sectional differences In this republic. II Is q
grand movement to bring the Grand Army oil
the Republic SOUTH but it must be taken hold
of in time, and must be worked on q vast and
comprehensive scale. III this is DONE il
the people are in this humor, by making O
committee soon, and starting the work, we can
undoubtedly secure the next meeting in At
lanta,