The National tribune., 1888-09-13
THE ENCAMPMENT.
he Largest Gathering Ever Held by the GAR.

The Largest Gathering Ever Held by the GAR
Editorial Correspondence national TRIBUNE.
COLUMBUS, O., Sept. 0, 1888.
Never has the staid little city Of Columbus
never has any city on the continent-staid or
frivolous, big or httle-seen such swelling,
sweeping tide of humanity flowing down upon
her from every point OF the compass as she is
seeing. If we call it a tide, it must be one of
the Bay of Fundy kind-au unparalleled, over
whelming insweep that swirls and sways over
everything.
Even the great gathering of the volunteers
at the Buckeye Capital when the war clarion
sounded in 1861 seem small by comparison,
for they came in by tens Of thousands, and
the 100000 men whom Ohio sent to the
front were four years in arriving. If all re-
ports are to be believed fully that number will
gather here inside of three days. The esti-
mates of the incoming guests swell hour by
hour. 1t is now alleged by those claiming to
know that 225000 railroad tickets are already
reported as sold, and the end--hardly the be-
ginning of the ends not yet Eighty carloads
were reported at Chicago this morning, and
from Cincinnati, Pittsburg, Indianapolis, Cleve-
land and elsewhere come similar reports
The managers of the local arrangements are
enthusiastic as to the prospects, and calmly
confident as to their ability to take care of all
who come, even if the highest reports be justi-
fed.
I'VE have tent capacity for 10000 men,"
| said Capt A. E. Lee, the Secretary of the Local
Committee, to-day, and this is only the be-
ginning. Our Room Committee reported last
night that they had still 1900 beds unas-
! signed, and if the necessity comes We can
| double or treble our accommodations. We
have fully appreciated the magnitude Of the
occasion, and have worked hard, comprehen-
| sively and intelligently, to prepare for it,"
! From what l can see he is entirely right
! They have large number of active, enterpris-
| ing business men in Columbus. The entire COM
munity is permeated with this spirit. They all
| feel that the 22d National Encampment is TO be
one of the biggest occasions in the history of
their city, and that its success will be an i'm
meuse advertisement for their city. Like all
/ bustling, progressive Westerner5 they feel that
big advertisement is one of the choicest bles-
sings that befall their city and they all unite
| in working for it, Therefore they accomplish
more than a city several times their size could
where only portion Of the citizens took an
active interest ia the matter. Substan-
tally every building in the city is in
some way made available or ready to be made
available for the Eucampment Private
| houses, from the hest TO the poorest, accom-
modate guests warehouses are converted into
| lodging houses and impromtu restaurants and
/ the great asylums for the deafand dumb, blind,
/ imbecile and insane, the State Capitol and the
] r(f,o III \
! the purposes of the Encampment. In short,
/ the city is given up to it with a thorough
ness never even approached by any other place
| in which the Encampment has met. Only the
| penitentiary and the police stations have been
left out of the calculation, and doubtless these
will also be utilized if occasion requires
| So far as / can see nothing has been neglect
| ed which viii contribute in the largest sense
to the entire success of the Encampment, and
| if the weather turns out TO be as good as hoped
| for, the 22d Encampment viii be the largest
ever held, or that ever will be held, and the
most satisfactory in the way of bringing about
Reunions of the greatest number of comrades
The decorations are profuse, and give bril-
liant appearance to the city, though they are
not so elaborate and expensive as those at St.
Louis and San Francisco.
Everybody is in the highest spirits Tie
weather is delightful, the accommodations sub
stantial and ample and so far not a cloud as
large as man's hand has developed anywhere.
ENcAMPMENT NOTES.
Gov. j. B. Foraker has returned badly used
up from Indiana having 65 engagements at
Reunions and Campfres for the week. all of
which he expects to ell.
Gen. w. I. Sherman went from the Army of
the Tennessee Reunion at Toledo to his early
home at Lancaster guest of Mrs. Gen. Reese,
his sister. He was on the ground early Mon
day morning, and will give the entire week to
the boys. Gen. Sherman is losing his zest for
social episodes and savs MAINLY that ba r,rafare