The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1895-09-12
IN BLUE AND GRAY
Confederates Welcome Union
Veterans to Louisville.
HOSTS ARE ON VHf WAY
Indications Point to the Largest Gather
ing of Old Soldiers Since
the Civil War.

the Civil War.
Louisville, KY, Sept. 8.-Louisville
has opened wide her arms to welcome
the men that wore the blue. The prelim-
inaries of the twenty-ninth annual en-
campment of the Grand Army of the
Republic have been inaugurated, al
though the encampment proper will
not be called to order until noon of
Thursday. The veterans, however, are
taking time by the forelock. and for the
last "a hours they have been pouring
into the city on regular and special
trains. The citizens are putting the
finishing touches to the street decora-
tions, and the triumphal arches. and
by dusk tomorrow both the residence
and the business districts will present a
beautiful appearance At different
times during the week no less than six
national conventions will be in session.
These comprise the national encamp-
ment OF the Grand Army and the ma
tional sessions OF the Womans Relief
Corps. Ladies' of the Grand Army, Ma
tional Association of Naval Veterans,
National Association OF Daughters OF
Union ex-Prisoners OF War. In addi-
ton to these events there will be score
or more Of camp fires, at some Of which
ex-President Harrison. Governor Nc
Kinley, ex-Speaker j. Warren Keifer
and other men of national reputation
have promised to deliver addresses. The
ubiquitous Private Dalzelr' Of Ohio
is early on the scene, and is booming
himself as a candidate for commander
in-chief.
LARGEST IN HISTORY.
Visitors poured into the falls city to-
day, from the south as well as from the
north side of the river. Veterans who
OF the G. A. r. say they never saw such
large attendance on the first day of
the great reunion week. All the rail-
ways had extra trains which were
heavily loaded.
Many Sons of Veterans are here, en-
route to their national encampment at
Knoxville. There are others here who
are now en- route to the reunion of the
army of the Tennessee at Cincinnati
the first OF next week, and to the dedi-
cation Of the National park on the bat
tlef1eld Of Chicamauga the last of next
week
This is the first national encamp-
ment ever held south Of the Mason and
Dixon line There Is no doubt of the
fulfllment of the general prediction
that there will be more Union veterans
together this week than ever before.
The losses by death yearly increase, but
the desire to visit the battleflelds and
confer with confederate veterans who
are doing everything to entertain their
northern visitors, attracted thousands
who have not heretofore attended ma
tional encampment.
The confederate veterans are here in
force. The Union comrades hunt up
members of their old regiments and
brigades and then meet confederates
belonging to regiments and brigades
that opposed them, when they confer
about how things went on both sides
and have such reunions as have not
been seen since the service OF 30 years
ago. The decorations may have been
richer in triumphal arches and other
designs at one or two other encamp-
ments, but never was city so profuse-
1y or generally decorated with American
flags as In Louisville today. Its busi-
ness blocks and private buildings are
literally covered with festoons of red,
.
as the center piece of every conceivable
design The flag is the thing that Is
displayed everywhere and no city ever
had more bunting than this city shows
today. The distinctive features of the
decorations is the use Of red, white and
blue to the exclusion of every other
color, even the evergreen arches. The
portraits Of all Union generals are dis
played in unlimited profusion. The
confederate veterans participated In all
this decorating as well as in the en-
tertaining.
Ample accOmmo latiOns have beer
provided for those of the visiting vet
erans who, for one cause or another
will not avail themselves OF the facil-
tiles of the hotels, boarding and lodg.
ing houses. Hundreds Of tents have
been erected in each Of the city parks
while all the city school houses, and 8
number of halls and other meeting
places, have been cleared OF their fur
niture, and will be used for temporary
sleeping quarters. The largest CAM
is located on Oak street, and consists
OF $50 large hospital tents which hav'
been loaned by the war department
These have been arranged In rows, ant
the space intervening In each row ma
been variously designated as Lincoln
Grant and Sherman streets. Strict mil
itary discipline will be enforced an
guard duty will be done by Unite'
States regulars. Twenty-Five hundre'
men had been assigned to this camp VI
to noon, and accommodations remain
ed for that number additional. Tn
posts Quartered here come from doze
points in Michigan, as well as froT
Chicago, Philadelphia, points In WIS
consin. and 20 cities in Ohio and Ind
ana. Chief Lawler an
stan, under escort Of Columbia post
Chicago, arrive here tomorrow. On tn
headquarters train are also Mrs. M.
M Wallace, national president OF tn
Woman's Relief Corps, and the men
bers of her staff. Both delegations VI
be received by the reception committe
and escorted to their headquarters
the Gait house by long procession I
local posts.
NEW COMMANDER
The sentiment OF the delegates to II
encampment already on the grour
seems to favor the selection OF Colon
1. N. Walker of Indianapolis as Il
next commander-in-chief. Colon
Walker was senior vice command
from 1893 to 1894. and would have bet
promoted to the highest ONCE IN u
gift Of the order at Pittsburg last ye'
but for the unexpected fight, that VI
masIe bv the friends OF Colonel LAwl