Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-09-12
.ENCAMPMENT OPENED.
The Grand Army Veterans Get
 Down to Business.
ELEoTING A ooMMANDER-IN-oHIEF
I. \. Walker of Indiana Has the Best Chance of Being Chosen, It Is Said, While Louisville Is Counting on the Next En- campment-The Blg Parade.

Chance of Being Chosen, It Is Said, While
 Louisville Is Counting on the Next En- campment-The BIg Parade. PITTsBURG, Sept. Ia. - The twenty eighth national oncampment of the Grand Army of the Republic assembled this | morning at tee Grand Opera House, Fifth avenue. Speeches of welcome to command erin chief and delegates of the encamp- ment were delivered by Daniel c. Ripley, chairman, and W. c. Quincy, chairman committee on invitation and reception. Addresses of welcome were also deliver cd by Hon. Robert E. Pattison, governor of Pennsylvania; B. McKenna, mayor of Pittsburg, and Hon. William NJ. Kennedy, mayor of Alleghany.
 The first session of tho woman's Relief corps was held at the Baptist church, Ross street. between Fourth avenue and Dia- mond street: first session of the Ladies of tho Grand Army of ths Republic was held at German Lutbei an church, corner of Smithfield stree5 aud Sixth avenue; first session of Daughters of Veterans was held at Methodist Episcopal church. corner of Smithfield street and Seventh avenue. An Immense Crowd Present.
 The big parade passed of with fewer accidents than were expected, and none was serious. Several women tainted in the crowds along the sidewalks. and few prostrations among the veterans were re- ported, but such thorough preparations had been made for this class of cases by the hospital corps of the national guard that immediate attention was given and speedy relief afforded.
 Tho police arrangements for handling tho immense crowd, conseryatively esti- mated at 750. 900, were us nearly perfect as possible, and the streots along the route were kept absolutely clear for the use of the marchers.
 A neat tribute the veterans paid the memory of the famous dead was the rev erend raising of hats by each division as it approached the triumphal arch on Fifth avenue. The lifelike statues of Washing ton, Lincoln and Grant surrounding tho arch were given this recognition by almost every division passing through.
 The nearest approach to undue excite ment was when three alarms were turned in for a fire on Union street. just at the foot of Fifth avenue.
 The Union hotel was ablaze, and from it's location in the midst of old and closely built blocks great alarm was felt.
 .kThe fire was soon controlled, but the OK citement among the immense number of promenaders on the streets did not die out for some time
 The national convention of Union cx- prisoners of war met and elected the old officers for another year. No other bus iness of general interest was transacted. The president Is Charles D. Davis of Bos- ton; vice president. George W. Grant of Minneapolis, and secretary treasurer J. L. kilgore. The exprisOners paraded this forenoon.
 Grand Army Politics.
 The c. A. R. politica: situation Is very l..@ 3N E..g, dates for commander in chief are working like beavers for their friends. Indica- tions point to the election of I. N. Walker of Indiana as commander in chief and to Louisville as the place of meeting for the next encampment.
 Judge Long of Michigan last night formally withdrew from the race for com mander, thus leaving the contest practi- cally between the Indiana and Illinois candidates.
 The present commander-in in chief, Ad- ams, favors Walker of Indiana, and so expresses him self privately. but Lawler's s friends are hopeful of success and will not admit that there Is any such thing as defeat
 As Pennsylvania goes, so goes the en- campment, has come to have considora- ble significance, and as Pennsylvania fa- vors Walker and Louisville her votes arc DClHB sought onlO Is hlSO III line for Walker, but insists in the city that secures the cncampment getting a uniform railroad rate of 1 cent within 90 days after selection, and should 1t fail the executive committee shall have the right to select any other city that can provide for the cent rate Indiana Is in favor of Louisville, and of course for Walker also
 St Paul hustlers arc still in limo and working assiduously for their city. It is rumorcd that the convention today will take short recess tn allow Henry Watterson to present the claims of Louis ! vile. It is said he will make the effort of his life.
 The Big Parade. It is estimated that iO OOa men were in line in the big parade.
 The decorations of the two cities were most lavish. It was stated by men who | hnd attended many previous encamp- Inents that. while individual displays may have been excelled in other cities they had never seen decorations on such a gen ! erOus and general scale. Hardly a dwell ing, no matter how poor nor how far | from the route of parade, but at least had a flag and usually n display of bunt- | ing as well, while the business houses in every part of the cities made gorgeous | showing. This was probably the last time the veterans WILL turn out III such form, as it is seriously contemplated by the G. | \. k. officials, in view ol tho advancing age and iniirmitics of the members, to | abandon this most attractive feature of the national encampment Therefore they proposed to make the last parade a sue cess and tramped over the two miles of route with the same determination that | characterized them when they marched | against the southern armies. Governor Pattison of Pennsylvania, | with his staff and n number of notable men and women from all parts of the country, occupied the reviewing stand in the Alleghany park and saluted each di- vision as it swung around and passed in review. The arrangements for the com foIt of the marchers wero excellent. At short distances apart were stationed emer- | gency hospitals, with the red cross fiutter. | ing before the door, while along the route | wero men with cool water and lemonade | for the veterans.
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