The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-07
KNOWLES STRENUOUS KICK.
BE DOESN'T WANT A MILITARY
CAMP AT PIEDMONT PARK.

Protests to the Board of Directors In
Behalf of the Piedmont Driving
Club and People Along Classic
Peachtree street - He Raps the
American Soldiers Blow by
Charncterizing Them as Drunken
BrnvyIers, Guilty of such behavior
As to shock Common Decency.
Mayor Collier Takes a Hand In the
Affair.
Atlanta. Ga, Sept 6.-Hon. Clarence
Knowles. president of the Piedmont
Driving Club and Democratic nominee for
the House of Representatives, has stirred
up a tempest in a teapot over the pros
pect of the war department locating a
camp for 5000 soldiers at Piedmont Park.
Ever since the war commenced Atlanta
has been trying TO get a camp here,
Piedmont Park and other places being
rendered to the government for use. The
merchants believe that the
presence of a camp would turn loose many
dollars into the channels of local trade.
None of the efforts met with success,
however, while hosulities were in pro-
gress, but after the signing of the pro-
tocol these efforts We're renewed and
board of officers We're sent to Piedmont
Park to examine and report upon its suit
ability for five regiments of volunteers.
This board reported, several days ago,
10 the war department in favor of send
ing that number of troops to Piedmont
Park, provided certain small improve
ments We're made there by the local Off
Gals or citizens. This was agreed to
and Atlanta was beginning to see a mil
starry camp loom up in the distance.
AT this junction, however Mr.. Knowles
appeared suddenly upon the scene from
his summer retreat in the Northwest He
had heard of the negotiations and as pres
ident of the driving club, which is To-
Gated on ground adjoining the exposi-
ton grounds, he conceived il to be his
duty to hurry home and enter a protest.
This he did at meeting of the directors
of the Chamber of Commerce held this
afternoon to consider steps looking toward
the speedy perfection of the park for the
reception OF the troops. Mr.. Knowles,
addressing the directors, declared that it
would be a great imposition upon the peo-
pie living in North Atlanta along Peach
tree street and near the exposition ground,
and especially an imposition on the
driving club, to have a military camp To-
Gated there He roasted the soldiers, de-
scribing them as drunken brawlers who
would insult people and outrage the com
mon decency by their behavior In his
eyes the frequenters of the driving club,
especially the ladies who occa sionally take
a spin in their traps out that way, would
be in constant danger of insult from the
soldiers, while people compelled to ride
on street cars leading to the park, and
which would be used by the soldiers,
would simply endure fortunes by coming
into contact with them at such close
quarters.
tried to get the directors to pass a reso-
luton against the location of the camp at
the park, but the resolution was voted
down upon the ground that while there
might possibly be some little inconven-
hence to the public an the neighborhood of
the park, Mr. Knowles greatly overdrew
the picture and the worst that could be
expected would not justify the action he
proposed, the camp would be a general
benefit to the whole city
incidentally, Mayor Collier took occasion
TO call Mr.. Knowles down by saying that
he lived directly on the only street car
line running to Mcpherson Barracks,
where thousands have been quartered dur
ing the past three or four months, and so
far as his daily observation went the sol
diers were never guilty of any behavior
which would justify the description of
them given by Mr.. Knowles, who called
them such pet names as drunkards
thieves, cut-throaIs and disreputable
pests.