Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-07

Union armies to hight. and the children OF
that State saw little. II any. OF actual
warfare. These facts may account for the
lack OF feyer-heat at the Houston re-
union.
The people of Nashyille-the survivors
and their children. too-could not remem-
Der the war as Richmond people do. The
| checkcred fortunes of the Army Of the
Tennessee, victorious one day and van
| auished the next, as at Chattanooga. and
| the gallant blood spilled In vain at
F! Franklin and Nashville. could not arouse
/ the same emotions as the rccOllections OF
! Charlottesville and Cold Harbor. Thus
! il is. perhaps. that when Richmond pep
| pie welcome Confederate veterans they
| are stirred by the proud recoilections OF
| that long series OF brilliant victories which
| those men helped TO win, and, ior the
| moment the check at Gettysburg and
| final disaster at AppomattoX are forgot
! ten.
/ SPLENDID ARRANGEMENTS.
| without considering the reputation for
, hospitality which Charleston, as vel as
| Richmond, enjoys, and assuming that the
warmth of the welcome is largely ahectcd
by the victories which make the place
ton will give the veterans a greeting they
will never forget Fort Sumter Is sti.i
here. and its history Is still remembered.
When il is remembered that this city
has not more than 1Oc0J inhabitants, anu
one half Of them colored; that 1t Is not
a great railroad centre, ana was hol
terminus of Il great system until TINS
week. when the Southern leased the
South Carolina and Georgia raiiroad LOT
thirty years, one wanders az the appa-
rent recklessness of the request for the
Confederate reunion.
Every preparation possible for the com
fort and convenience Of JOOO0 visitors
has been made, and every precaution
taken to prevent extortion or exorbtant
charges for board and lodging. Last
Sunday the Dispatch published list Of
the reunion hotels" dormtories for men
and for women. and a general programme
of the three days proceedings and II
would be useless to recaptulate.
THE AUDITORIUM.
The Auditorium. built at cost of
S5. 900. has lust been turned over 10 the
,ity. and is one Of the handsOmest build
ings of its kind in the United states.
The structure is a most substantial one,
being built Of steel and brick on solid
foundations and will seat comfortably
1859 people and furnish standing-roOm for
800 to 1000 more. holding. in all, about
10000 people. This IS the largest auditO-
rum in the South. 1t is located IN one
sc the city parks Is the property OF the
city OF Charleston, and Is under the con-
troll Of the park commissioners, the inteh-
ton being to use every effort in the fu-
ture to make Charleston a great conven-
ton city the auditorium being public
property. IL will be available for meet
ings of all kinds at practically no expense
TO the various commercial, religious, in
dustrial. political, or other conventions
that may select to meet i'm Charleston.
which city has recently greatly increased
It's attractiveness to visitors.
MUCH MONEY FOR ENTERTAINING.
Seventeen thousand dollars has
been subscribed. mainly by citi-
2ens of Charleston, a few hun
dred coming from various coun
ties of the State, for the welcome and
entertainment OF the city's guests. But
this will give no fair idea of the financial
outlay. for the Executive Committee in
stituted a house-to-house canvass of the
entire city, and every householder was
asked to say how many veterans he or
she expected to board or entertain. The
grand total is amazing and shows with
what spirit the people have gone TO work
to sustain the citys reputation for hos
pitality.
The Sons of Veterans have one Of the