The Forrest City times., 1893-09-08
Tne GRAND ARMY.

sierdom Hand to Give the veterans
 Welcome -Ex-President Harrison Warm iy Received by the Neterans-Ihe Soh- test for Commander.
 INDIANAPOLIS. Ind, Sept. 5.-Thanks 10 queens weather and the successful carrying out of the admirable arrange ments perfected by the local commit tees, the twenty-seventh national en- campment of the grand army opened most auspiciously yesterday. So far as the number of visitors from outside points is concerned the success of the encampment is already assured. All day long the railroads poured stream of people into the Hoosier capital. No less than fifty trains with an average of ten cars each are reported by the officials as having , arrived at the Union depot for the twelve hours ending at o'clock last night, and as each car had its full quota of passengers, to say nothing of those in which even standing room was at premium. somewhere in the neighborhood of 30,O00 people must have turned loose into the highways and byways of Indianapolis during the day. Not all of these, however, were veterans. In fact the boys in blue were almost lost in the throngs The hardy, hoop-pole yeomanry of In- diana with their wives and children and other relatives, near and remote, formed a large proportion of the arrl- vals. 1t is only once in a generation that they have a real live national grand army encampment within easy reaching distance, and to keep away from it, would be worse than treason. And so they are here in their tens of thousands, with the prospects that their numbers will be doubled before another sunset.
 HARD TIMES KEEP MANY AWAY.
 As to the veterans, the arrivals, out side of the state posts, are not by any means up to expectations. A good many states send less than half the total that had been scheduled month ago as certain to be here; while few are likely to make even poorer show ing. In the encampment proper fully hundred delegates if not more will fail to answer to the roll call. Hard times and the continued stringency of the money market, especially in the far western states, is the ascribable cause.
 But the crowds are here, and even if there are quartette of civilians to every veteran, Indianapolis is just as well contented and happy.
 CAMP WILDER DEDICATED.
 Almost on the very spot Tn Military park where thlrty-one years ago the cit izens presented to Col. Harrison and his newly Seventieth regiment of volunteers the standards of Indiana and the United States to carry before them to the war, the ex-president, yes terday afternoon, dedicated Camp Wilder" the name bestowed upon some 800 tents in which reunions of regi- ments and old soldier societies will be in full blast for the remainder of the week.
 About 5000 participated in the ex ercises which included addresses by w. A. Ketcham, Gen. John T. Wilder. for whom the camp is named, and Gen. Harrison; patriotic music by the band and the raising of the Stars and Stripes to the top of a towering pole. When the ex-president was introduced he was greated with volley of cheers that was thrice repeated. He apologized 70 his fellow citizens for having re- mained so long at the seashore while they were working so hara for the sue cess of the encampment; admitted that he felt in some degree "a shirk;' in- dulged in some interesting reminiscent ces regarding the park and surround ing neighborhood in the days of the war, and eulogized the bravery and de- votion to the country of the Indiana troops.
 THE CONTEST FOR COMMANDER.
 Now that goodly proportion of the men who make and unmalxe the rulers of the organization are on the ground the woods are full of availa ble cand- dates for the office of commander-in- chief. The list comprises Gen. S II. Hurst. Ohio; Capt. J. c. E. Adams, Massachusetts: Gen. E. E. Burd, Grubb, New Jersey; Edgar Allen Vir- ginia; Charles r. Lincoln, Washington; James A. Sexton, Chicago; Editor I. F. Mack, Sandusky, O., and Charles M Travis, Indiana. Hurst, who appeared to be leading Sunday, has encountered opposition from his own sta te Adams and Lincoln are prime favorites. while the support of the others is confined to their own states Adams friends are sanguine of his success. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have entered the list against Lincoln. Neb.. for the honor of