Birmingham age-herald., 1895-05-23
YES, THE CROWD WENT WILD When Battle Scared Gordon
 Rose to Speak. HIS WERE BURNING WORDS A Roar of Thunder Greeted the Appearance of
 Miss Winnie Davis
AN lMPR0MPTU LEVEE AT ONCE HELD
Her Tact Came to the Rescue-The Constr tuition Adopted at Birmingham Sus- pended-Memphis, Richmond
 or Charleston Next.

Houston, Tex, May 22.--The fifth an- nual reunion of the United Confederate Veterans was formally inaugurated at the Winnie Davis auditorium by General Gordon this morning amidst scenes which will be remembered long after the last veteran of the cause commemorated today has returned to dust and the great leaders in that immortal conflict have passed away The crowds have been pouring into Houston from every quar- ter of the union on regular and special trains bringing with them tattered bat tie flags and enthusiastic hearts, bring ing with them the sacred memories and yet more sacred scars of hard fought meet and mingle once more with their comrades in arms before they bow to the final conqueror.
 The climax in the matter of numbers was reached this morning and tonight. There are not less than 30,000 visitors in Houston. They are elbowing each other on the streets and in the hotels in cos mopolitan experimentation. Veterans, crippled and decrepid, mingle with the daughters of the Confectionery, wearing their jaunty costume of Confederate gray, while here and there dark com plexion and black hair betoken the American Indian.
 At every possible opportunity the old veterans gather around their respective leaders and shake their hands with cor dial warmth, not infrequently with tears in their eyes.-The morning began with a drizzling rain, which, with few inter- vals, has prevailed all day, dampening the clothes, but not the ardor of the thousands of veterans who never failed to respond to the stirring strains of the numerous bands which are playing war melodies all over the city.
 Nine o'clock was the hour at which the convention was to have been opened, but so cordial were the veterans in their greetings to General Gordon and others that it was nearly Il o'clock when the commander mounted the platform. The auditorium, which is a beautiful piece of architecture, is decorated inside with hundreds of flags and yard after yard of bunting, while a row of palmetto leaves ornament the edge of the huge platform. There was a deafening roar of cheers when General Gordon mounted the plat form. He bowed his acknowledgement. and as the band struck up Dixie" the enthusiasm still rose higher. Seated on the platform were the members of Gen eral Gordon's staff and the major general of the division, each with his res pecuive staff. There were also a large number of ladies. Near General Gordon sat Governor Culberson, Mayor Browne Chaplain-General J. w. Jones, President w. B. Cleveland. Gen. s. D. Lee and others. The convention was opened with prayer by the chaplain general, in which he invoked the blessing of God on the deliberations of the assembly, and asked that the God of Israel and of lief ferson Davis would raise up friends to care for the veterans in their declining years.
 President Cleveland then introduced Governor Culberson, who welcomed the delegates and friends to Texas. He paid a high tribute to southern valor and the justice of the southern cause, saying that it was the proudeSt event of his official career to welcome the veterans to this reunion.
 Mayor Browne followed in a brief ad- dress bidding the visitors welcome to the city.
 General Gordon then rose to respond to the addresses of welcome It was the sig nal for another outburst of cheers from the throats of the 10000 people who were assembled in the vast auditorium, each state under it's respective banner. It was some time before the speaker could be heard. He spoke as follows:
 Governor, MT. Mayor, Comrades and My Fellow Countrymen: It is my official duty and high privilege to respond in behalf of my comrades to this gracious welcome and tender of munificient hos pltaHIy Dy tne clIy or f1OuSIOn anu StdIe of Texas. When have said that they are characteristic of this city and state, my language is capable of no stronger expression. What higher tribute could be paid to this great people than to say that their hospitality is worthy of Texas? Around the name and history of today gather associations glorious and hallow- ed and in her subsequent career are centered high hopes of richest contribu- tions to the future of the republic. In fifty years of statehood she has risen to a commanding position among her sis ters, and the imagination can scarcely keep pace with her assured progress in the fifty years to come. With genial climate and imperial domain; with a soil not only exhaustless in it's fertility. but which like responsive charity, an- swers with more lavish abundance as the demands upon it became more exaction; with a history rich in the memories of her Alamo her Goliad and San Jacinto, as well as in the deeds of her Houston, her Austin, her Travis and her Lamar; with a proud heritage of valor and hero ism bequeathed by her intrepid sons in the mighty conflict of the sixties; with some of the best blood of the republic in the veins of her people, whose indomit- able energy and lofty spirit are equaled only by their princely hospitality; with all these splendid endowments by nature, by ner history and by her character z - xl -l. IL