Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1898-08-27
ANENr THE REUNION.

This year has proved an eventfui
year in American history and the
same date will mark an important
epoch in the history of our Inter
State Soldiers Reunion.
For six years we met on what was
called the BATTLE Ground;" but II
was not the battle ground, but mid.
way between the camp where the
first engagement took place and
where Gen. Blunt's men were sur
prised and captured. Many OF the
soldiers were young then and
could endure the blazing sun, but
as time told upon them they con-
cluded they would prefer a grove
where they could find plenty OF
shade. A committee was appointed
and examined three different places
and finally decided on what was
christened Camp Logan. There the
reunion gathered in 1889. The new
grounds were the admiration of all
present and the attendance was in
creased several thousand.
The next reunion and the second
held on Camp Logan began Tues
day evening, September q, 1880 and
proved in many ways an eventful
gathering. All day Monday the
weather looked threatening and
Tuesday morning was ushered in
by drizzling rain which contin-
ued from Tuesday morning until 4
o'clock Friday afternoon when the
clouds rolled away and permitted
the sun to shine upon the camp.
Notwithstanding such week OF
rain there was not standing room
in the pavilion or tent which was
the largest that could be procured
in the state of Kansas. II was near
the close of the week just before the
sun groke forth on Friday after
noon that c. W. Daniels proposed
the plan Of buying and fitting up
the site Of the grounds as a per-
manent place for holding the re-
unions.
A charter was procured and a
deed was secured for the lands and
when the next reunion opened 1t
began for the first time on Monday
night and continued through the
entire week. Monday night opened
with the dedication of the new au-
ditorium which building has con-
tributed so much to the enjoyment
of the veterans and their many
friends. That first night there was
a grand audience and the dedica-
torial address was delivered by
Rev. H. NJ. Hackney then of Joplin
and since of Kansas city. The ad-
dress was worthy of the occasion.
The number present that year sur.
passed by many thousands any
previous year and since then the
numbers have annually increased
until they have surpassed any
other annual encampment in the
United States.
As the crowds have increased
year by year for the past ten years,
the association has felt that Camp
Logan had become too small to &C.
commodate the increasing numbers
and a committee was appointed to
purchase additional lands or select
q new site with ample room. Upon
canvassing the matter II was found
impossible to purchase the ad.
joining lands for reasonable prices,
and several circumstance occurred
last year which, by some, may be
considered providential in opening
the minds and eyes of many that
were present. For several years
previous, just before the reunion,
nature opened the windows of hea-
ven and sent abundance of rain and
thoroughly prepared the grounds,
but last year we were left without
that precious preparation and in
addition to the loss of heavens
copious sprinkler she sent a con-
tinuous wind that sent the dust and
sand through the camp and town
that all true enjoyment of previous
years was wanting. This fact with
many others which we have not
time and space to describe infiu-
enced the committee to act far more
wisely than II might have done had
the conditions of previous years ia
vored. Fortunately for the future
of Baxter Springs and equally for.
funately for the increased happi-
ness of old and young soldiers, and
the sons of veterans of two wars to
whom this inheritance must pass,
the committee has selected 100 acres
to be dedicated August 20, 1898. We
hail the present change az the most
propitious in the history of our In
tcr-State Soldiers Reunions. Each
succeeding year will add new i'm.
provements and new interests to
these new grounds until they will
rival anything west of the Mississ-
ippi river.
Basklsn's Arnies Saive.
The best salve in the world for
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