Evening star., 1898-08-11
Coming National Enoampment of the
G.. A. B.
ELABORATE PLAN OF ENTERTAINMENT
Private Soldiers to Share Equally
With the Officers.
THE SPECIAL FEATURES
Special Correspondence of The Eveaing Star.


CINCINNATI. August s. 1895
All indications are that the thirty-seconi
annual reunion of the Grand Army of the
Republic will be the greatest in the his
tory of the order except, perhaps, that at
Washington some years ago.
The encampment, as heretofore stated in
The Star. will open in Cincinnati Septem-
Der 8. and continue until the 10th inclusive
The central idea of the reunion will be to
afford pleasure to the man who carrie I'D the
musket during the war, and the program is
that the private soldier shall have as much
enjoyment here during the reunion, at
least SO far those having the arrange
Tents are concerned, as will be furnished
to any of the officers. not excepting even
the commander-in-chief. With this end in
view, the citizens committee, headed by
Mr.. NJ. E. ingalls,, president of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio and Big -Four Railroad
Companies, and Mr.. William b. Melish,
executive director, have been laboring since
October 1 of last year. The great bulk OF
the work has fallen upon Mr.. Melish. who.
although president of a large manufacture
ing concern, has labored with untring zeal
TO bring the arrangements to the perfec-
ton which has been attained.
Since the appointment Of the committee
nearly a year ago. several changes in its
personnel have taken place. Two CT its
members have died and several c.hers are
al the front in command either of a regi-
ment or a brigade.
School Buildings Quarters.
An idea of what is in store for the vet
Grams who attend the reunion may be had
from the statement that the sixty-six pub
lie school houses located in the different
W Yards of the city have been placed at the
disposal of the citizens committee and the
committee will provide, free of expense to
the visitors, mattresses, basins and soap.
All provisions will be made in the buildings
for sanitary regulation, and they will be
under guard day and night.
Camp Sherman, which has been planned
to accommodate 15UU0 veterans, viii be
established at Chester Park This can he
reached by three lines of electric cars, also
by the Big Four railroad and one or two
other lines, all, Of which will convey pas
senSers directly to the different gates en-
tering the grounds This camp is heau.i-
fully situated in the Mill Creek valley
away from the dust, smoke and noise of
the city. and will be arranged with ade-
duate sanitary appliances, electric lighta
ater. &c. The time consumed in reaching
the camp by either OF the railroads above
mentioned or the electric street railways
will not exceed twenty to thirty minutes
from headquarters or the central part of
the city.
The camp will be in charge of one of
the officers of the United States army.
floors and supplied with mattresses. The
whole grounds will be thoroughly drained
thereby securing dry and comfortable
camp facilities
committee for the holding of camp fires
in public halls, churches and other inclos-
ures. at which places there will be assign
ed distinguished military and civic per-
sonages to address the visiting veterans
1t will be arranged SO that the most prom
ineut of these speakers will be in attend-
ance at several of the. camp fires each
evening, which will prevent the overcrowd-
ing of any one assembly hall Unless
otherwise notified these camp fires VII he
Eeid Tuesday, Wednesday and THURSDAY
evenings of the week of the reunion
There is no feature of the work Of ar
ranging for the coming national encamp-
ment of the Grand Army of the Republic
ttat has been given more attention than
that cf providing free medical attention
for the visiting members of the different
posts. DIR. ]. c. Culbertson is chief of the
corps. and he has organized it so that tie
members all well-known resident physi-
clans and uniformed. will not only be at
the differ ent- railway stations during en-
camprnent week and at convenient points
along the line of march on the day of the
parade. but will also make regular calls
every day at the school houses where posts
that come in a body Will be quartered Tho
regulations of this march will be mos. ade-
ou2te-
President McKinIey's Promise.
President Mckinley, the committee
states, has given his promise to be present
at the reunion. Major Mckinley, as his
comrades in Canton still love to call him.
has also promised to spend some time with
the members of his own post from Canton
and to visit the boys when quartered in one
of the school buildings
Cincinnati will afford unusual opportuni-
ties for amusement during the national en-
eampment. The old soldiers will have free
access to all the summer resorts about the
city, and special features will be arranged
FOR them at all these points AT the. La
goon, which is sheet of water comprising
about $50 or 100 acres, a miniature sham
battle will be fought every day at a certain
hour, and Dewey's or Simpsons or Schley's
Geet will regularly annihilate the Spanish
fleet with terrible results AT Coney Island
there Will be unusual attractions. while
Chester Park will be one grand collection
OF interesting entertainments and artrac-
tions. Camp Sherman is located at Chester