The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-09-23
WASHINGTON IN POSSESSION
OF THE G. A. r. VETERANS.
THE TWEN4Y-SIX4H ENCAMPMENT.
The Feature Of the Opening Day the Ded-
icatiOn OF Grand Army Place--Pres-
ident Harrison Sends His Regrets
at Not Being Able to Be Pres
emit - Hosts of Veterans
From All Points.

WASHINGTON, Sept ~. To-day the
Grand Army of the Republic, formed
twenty-six years in Illinois by vet
Grams of the latewar, began the Goth
national reunion since the close OF the
rebellion. For days the comrades have
been gathering from every part Of the
United States. Great cities, small
towns, little hamlets and solitary farm
houses have sent their quotas and the
result is an attendance that no man
can closely estimate, and one certainly
surprising any ever before seen in
Washington
The feature OF the day was the in
auguration and dedication of Grand
Army place, as it is called, which is
known as the White lot, just south of
the grounds of the executive mansion,
a magnificent lawn, comprising many
acres, covered with well kept green
sod and unbroken by u single tree or
bush. In the center of the field, rep
resenting Richmond, is a commodious
grand stand Surrounding it are myri-
ads of tents, set apart for the various
army corps that wound up the war;
Five great tents known as Grant, Sher-
man. Sheridan, Meade and Thomas
separate the four great divisions In
these, of which the Grant tent is the
largest, will be held the reunions of
the various corps The smaller tents
are laid out in regular avenues and
bear large colored symbols Indicative
of the corps to which they arc as
signed. In the place set aside for the
reunion of the naval and marine veter-
ans has been erected a reproduction of
tue famous frigate Kearsarge, which
sunk the confederate cruiser Alabama
after she had made her unparalleled
record as a destroyer of commerce.
The Inauguration of Grand Army
place was preceded by parade Of
considerable portion of the Grand
Army men, the regular soldiers, sailors
and marines stationed in Washington
and the District of Columbia national
guards, which ranks high among the
military organizations of the country.
The procession consisted of five brig
AIDES, commanded by General Eugene
a, Carrusa, as follows: Troop of the
regular army, naval batteries and
marines District National guard,
posts of the department of the
PotOmac,G c.. A. r. and Sons of Veterans.
The procession started at 10 o'clock
from Second street west of the capitol
and proceeded up Pennsylvania av enue
to a stand in front of the treasury,
where it was reviewed by Vice Presi-
dent Morton. The main body Of the
procession continued on its way to
Grand Army place, the cavalry con-
tlngent remaining behind to form an
escort for the vice president.
President Harrison Sends His Regrets.
The formal opening of the exercises
of the week opened with the dedica-
tion of Grand Army place by Vice
President Morton and the reading of
the following despatch from President
Harrison:
LOON LAKE N. Y, Sept. 10. General
John Palmer, commandments G.. a. r.:
had looked forward with much interest
to the great rehearsal in Washington next
| Tuesday of the victors march of 1865. l
would have esteemed it one of tho highest
honors of my public life to have attended
at the national capitol aud to have received
on its historic avenue this representative
assembly Of the men who not only saved
the city from threatened destruction, but
nude it the worthy political capital of an
unbroken union. 1t would have been one
of the most interesting incidents of my life
to have taken these victors by the hand,
but this is prevented by sad duty, and
can only ask you to give all my cordial
greetings and good wishes. Accept my
sincere thanks for your very kind and
sympathetic message
BENJAMIN HARRISON
The Rev. D. Paine of Florida, chap
lain-in-chief of the G.. A. r., offered
prayer, making a special plea for the
restoration to health of Mrs. Harrison.
"The Red, White and Blue" was played
by the Marine band and then Commits
sioner U. w. Douglass of the District
of Columbia spoke and COMMANDMENTS
Chief Palmer delivered the intro
ductory address.
Rarely in its history has the national
capitol appeared more respondent
than now in honor of the Grand Army
of the Republic, Nearly all of the
streets and avenues are deliberately
decorated, but the display on historic
Pennsylvania avenue from the capl-
to- to the Washington statue
at Twenty-second street is
particularly brilliant. Nearly
every building along the route of the
parade is almost covered with flags
and bunting bearing meet legends.
! The public buildings have received
especial care and the White house and
treasury department are conspicuously
elaborate.