The Bourbon news., 1899-09-05
OLD VETERANS.
Thirty-Third Annual Encampment
Opened in the 2uaker City.
The Avenue of Fame, Which Extends for
Five Blocks, Is the MOss Magnificent
Piece of Decoration Ever At
tempted in Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 4.-The thirty
third annual encampment of the Grand
Army of the Republic began Monday.
The vanguard OF the veterans has
reached this city and found the people
with outstretched hands. Never again,
perhaps, will Philadelphia be the scene
of national encampment of the g. A.
r. Of the valiant men who defended
the cause of the union there remains
but remnant, and with the depletion
of the ranks the welcome is the more
heartfelt and enthusiastic.
Adm. Sampson. with his fleet of
fighting ships, arrived here Sunday,
and this event marks the beginning of
the weeks celebration.
The route OF the veterans parade,
which takes place on Tuesday, is one
solid blaze of color and light. Not a
| building but has its front incased in
the red, wkite and blue. The avenue
of fame, which extends from Walnut
to Cherry street, on Broad, a distance
of five blocks, with the city hall as the
center, is the most magnificent piece
! of decoration ever attempted in this
city. There are two classes of columns.
The larger and more ornate are about
50 1eet in height and are
| placed at the street corners.
The smaller columns, about %
| e do E
street between the larger columns.
The corner pillars are massive, but
graceful, and at the base of each are,
alternately, in heroic size, two soldiers
and two sailors Numerous circles OF
electric lights decorate the piles from
the base to the golden eagles at the
top The columns are connected by
festoons of bunting and laurel, and
strings of incandesccnt lamps give a
brilliant effect at night.
The north and south fronts of the
city hall will be illuminated with
massive electric light pieces 80 feet in
length, representing the G. A. R.
badge. Rows of incandescent lights
extend from the top of Penn's statue,
55 feet above the street level, to the
roof and around the structure, giving
the effect of an immense column Of
brilliant light.
The big parade of Tuesday will be il
twelve divisions. Post No. l, from
Rockford, ILL.,, the oldest post in the
Grand Army, will head the line. a:
the veterans pass around the City Hall
they will be reviewed by President Nc
Kinley, who is expected to arrive here
) Monday night, accompanied by Secre
taries Root and Gage and Postmaste
General Smith. There will be over
~, 900 men in line. A feature of Tues
days events will be the chorus of 500
school children, who will occupy por
ton of the grand stand on the nortl
side of tho city hall. AS the parad
passes this point the children will sins
patriotic airs.
A question of absorbing interest t.
G. A. r. veterans which will be decide
during the encampment is tn
election of commander-in-ch chic
and other officers. Two candidates il
the field are Albert D. Shaw, of 10
Spratt post, Watertown, N. Y, an,
Judge George Rassieur, of St. Louis
''Private" James L. Dalzell, of Com
pany H. 116th Ohio, is also candidate
Others urged by their friends are Col
w. c. Johnson, of Cincinnati, actin,
commander-in-chief, and Brig. Gen
Charles Miller, of Venango, Pa.