Birmingham state herald., 1896-06-30
DECKED E A FAIR BRIDE Richmond Is All Ready for the
 Reunion.
A GREAT CROWD EXPECTED
Convention Called to Order at 10 O'Clock To. day-General CoIston Dying-Miss
 Davis Will Not Be There.

udys anu WlnuinB up InurSudy Wltn u
 grand parade and the ceremonies inci- dent to the laying of the corner stone of the Jefferson Davis monument On regular and special trains Confederate camps, troops, delegations and unattached visitors are pouring into the city. and by tomorrow morning the accommodations of virginias capital will be pressed to their utmost capacity. It is utterly i'm possible to estimate what win be the l number of visitors. There are about 300 camps of United Confederate Veterans, and these will be represented in the re-
 union convention by some 22o0 delegates. | This, however, Is a mere drop in the 1 bucket. Virginia alone will send to the city in Confederate camp organizations some 5000 men, and camps and military companies will be here from all over the south. The number of militia to be in | line at the laying of the corner stone is estimated at 5000 outside of the Richmond l militia. Along the line of march of Thursdays procession the stores and residences are beautifully decorated, as are buildings in various other parts of l the city. The Confederate colors pre-
 dominate Nearly every man, woman 1 and child one meets wears a Confederate l button.
 l The convention of the United Confed- crate Veterans will be held at the expo l sition grounds, about mile from the 1 city, in the music hall, which has been 1 enlarged for the occasion so as to seat I 10, 200 persons. This hall is 8 maze of
 bunting, the decorations being elaborate 1 to the last degree and consisting of i streamers, festoons, shields, names of | battles, with Confederate generals who | were conspicuous in them. etc.
 A large United States flag surmounts
 the portraits of Lee and Jackson over l the chair of the presiding officer. The principal business before the convention will be the reception and disposition of \ the report of the committee on southern l history and the determination of the loca- l ton of the southern battle abbey. MT | Charles Broadway Rouss of New York has offered to donate $100.000 towards this object upon certain conditions, and the I final say as to the location rests with the United veterans. Several cities are com peting for the abbey and offering induce ments to secure 1t, and the fight promises | to be an interesting enc. Richmond will | lay claim to it by reason of the fact that ! she has a foundation for it in the Davis l Mansion Confederate museum, upon which has been expended over $60,000 Most of the arrivals so far have been | as individuals. Only a few organized bodies have come, but many will reach
 here tonight. Those already on the ground are the leaders from the, several divisions, who are making arrangements I for the arrival of the camps.
 l The New Orleans contingent came early this morning. Col. J. Pinckney Smith. of I the New Orleans States heads the delega- tion. The. Missouri people are here trying
 ito secure the reunion for next year. Gen. | John B. Gordon, commander-in-ch chief of 1 the Confederate veterans, and Adjutant | General George Morgan of New Orleans | are here quartered at the Jefferson hotel. | Gen. Stephen D. Lee is also here, and | this morning presided over meeting of | the history committee.
 Many of the visiting veterans will be lodged and fed al the exposition grounds Gen. Raleigh F. Colston, distinguished Confederate officer is said to be dying at the Soldiers home here.
 Mrs. Jefferson Davis is expected here l tonight.
 The convention will be called to order | tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock by Gen. John B. Gordon, general commanding | the United Veterans, and most of the | morning session will be taken up in the l speeches of welcome, etc. It is hardly l probable that much real business will be | done before the second day.
 | The feature of tomorrow night in the | city will be the reception at the Davis
 mansion to Mrs. Jefferson Davis Great l regret is expressed that Miss Winnie, I the Daughter of the Confectionery" l cannot be present, but there will be no 1 very material change In the programme 1 The Davis monument will be located | in Monroe park, in the western part of l the city, and the corner stone laying of l Thursday win be with Masonic cere- l monies. by the Virginia grand lodge of
 Masons-. Gen. Stephen D. Lee will be l the orator of the occasion, and there l will be an immense parade, embracing l military, civic and veteran organizations A most attractive feature of the process sion will be 1000 children in uniforms of | Confederate colors.
 meeting of delegates from the various camps of Sons of Confederate Veterans l with a view to forming general organ l fzation upon the plan of the United Con- | federate Veterans.
 Arriving trains tonight brought old Confederates from almost every portion l of the country-north as well as south. l Among the distinguished arrivals ara Congressmen T. c. Catchings and John l M Allen of Mississippi; Dr. J. William Jones, grand chaplain of the United Confederate camps; Brig. Gen. Frank l Phillips of Florida, of Gen. John B. Cor don's staff; Mrs. Jefferson Davis. who l was met by Hon. J. Taylor Ellison and I conducted to apartments at the Jefferson
 hotel; Gen. John Floyd King of Louisi- 1 ana and Gen. H. Kyd Douglas of Mary land. Besides these there are numerous others who are lost in the crowds seeking | quarters in the city.
 Tonight at the Confederate museum, ] formerly the Davis mansion. kettle drum or tea was given the young lady | and the regents by the Sons and Daugh- I ters of the Confederacy, which was a very brilliant and successful affair. A Joint meeting Of the board of direct ors of the Davis Monument association and the Davis monument committee from the United Confederate Veterans was held tonight to award prizes for monument designs. Percy Griffin of New York received first prize: Edgarton A. Rodgers and W. c. Rowland of Rich mond second and third.
 l It Is understood that at a later meeting I Griffln's design will be adopted for the monument. This design is elaborate and | expressive of the sentiment of the south i ern people and if is estimated that 1t will l cost S200, ,000.
 The Battle Abbey committee held a conference tonight, but reached no con- clusion.
 Dr. Hargrove and His Bride. | In Tsrno --<20ocfo1 a-T1x