The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-24
IT FINDS FAVOR.
The City Park is Coming to
the Front
As a Site For the Soldiers Re-
union Camp.
THERE is FINE SHADE
And the Location is Convenient
to the DepOts.
Several StrOngArguments Made
For 1t Last Night.
1t Is Likely to Be Too Small,
However.

The Committee of Fifteen, the exec
utive committee of the C. A. r. and
members of the local G. A. r. posts are
divided on the question of the location
of the reunion grounds. The depart
ment commander and the executive
committee want the reunion held at
Garfield park The local posts want
the City park selected as the location
and the Committee of Fifteen is con-
sidering the fair grounds and the other
two locations.
A delegation composed of % members
from the local posts attended the meet
ing Of the Committee of Fifteen last
night to insist upon the reunion being
held in the City park
Before they were heard a report was
read from the G. A. r. executive COM
mittee recommending the selection of
Garfield park A letter was also read
from Department Commander D. W.
Eastman making a similar recOmmen-
dation.
Col. F. J. Close who acted as spokes-
man for the old soldiers then said: Il
am interested in the reunion. 1 have
talked with many comrades here in the
city and find the sentiment almost
unanimous in favor of holding the re-
union in the City park / understand
that Garfield park will cost the COM
mittee $3.50 and it will be also necessa-
y ~ pay SOH6IIlnS Tor James park
winch understand will also be used
If the reunion is held there. If the
tents are placed in the James park they
VIII have to be put up haphazard be
cause the trees are too close together.
Then there is the question of distance
which is the most important of all. The
boys are getting old and they cannot
walk long distances. 1t will cost 20
cents a day to ride to and from the
park which means at least 81 POO that
Will come out of the old soldiers. If
the reunion IS held in the City park
they can all walk 1t is in easy reach
of all the depOts and will afford them
an opportunity to spend the nights with
friends in town. There is no one to be
benefited by holding the reunion at
Garfield park except the city railway
and I do not understand that this re-
union is being held for the benefit of
any particular enterprise. It is for the
old soldiers and their comfort should be
the first thing considered
John Carter said: Z want to concur
in what COmrade Close has said. am
past walking any great distance.
believe that the old soldiers want the
reunion held in the City park If you
are to have a parade it would be useless
to expect the old soldiers to march to
Garfield park, they cannot do it"
; NJ. Wilcox said: I'VE are all of
one sentiment. I have talked with
some of the merchants and they too are
IN favor Of having the reunion in the
City park
B. B. Smyth: ''I think that if the re-
tAA4OiA - A4ClQ III the CITY park Smoky
Row will be on it's good behavior and
as there will be great many people
around there all the time the place can
he watched
Dr. A. A. Raub said: st am not well
taken with any of the locations men
Sloned It is a lamentable fact that we
nave not good city park
Major T. J. Anderson said: 'oThe real
question after all is one of finance Two
years ago the camp expenses were 50
4o6-I6 and we received 81. 391 IS for priv
aleges- If the reunion is held at the
CITY park we Will have to give I'D all
idea OF getting anything out of priv
aleges- The subscriptions only amount
to about $1,000 up to date and where
Is the money to come from 1 do not
think 1t good plan to advertise to the
people OF the state the disgracefuI and
d1iapidaIed condition of our fair
grounds and am not in favor of hold
ing the reunion there for that reason.
If anything can be done to induce the
city to spend Is cents on the City park
am in favor of doing it. 1t may be
that it can be done by selecting that
location for the reunion -
Thomas Archer-''You should remen-
Der that any improvements made by
the city in the City park will be per-
manent which is not true of the fair
grounds"
Charles K. Holliday-"This is not a
question Of whom the reunion is to
oenent. No4One wants to reap a har-