The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-30
THE VETERANS
 FINISH WORK Gordon is Again Elected
 Commander. TO MEET NEXT IN DALLAS Texas City Selected Over Louisville by Good Majority Steps are to Be Taken Immediately for the Erection of . Battle
 Abbey in Richmond,
 Virginia.
TO MEET NEXT IN DALLAS

Memphis, Tenn, May 2e.-With all their work for the year finished. noth- ing remains in the program of the re- union of the Confederate Veterans save the great ball tomorrow evening and the parade which will be held tomor- row morning, If there is no interfer- ence by the elerpents. There was q sharp little thunderstorm this after noon. and the prospect for tomorrow is not entirely favorable.
 The Convention adjourned this even- ing to meet next year in Dallas. Texas. There was spirited contest for the honor of entertaining the Association and the Texas city won by vote of 1,zb3 for Dallas to i.046 for Louisville. the Kentucky city being it's only com petitor.
 Gen. John B. Gordon was reelected commander of the order without oppo- sition, and the scene that followed the announcement that for one year longer he would preside over the work of the organization was touching, the Old sol o,els sprapg to their feet and cheered the General with frantic energy. Dei- egates climbed upon chairs, made the building ring with their shouts and filled the air with their waving hats as they applauded him again and again It was a minute or two before the General could master his emotion suf- fi::ent to express his thanks for the konor awaroed to him and express his gratitude for the expressions of good will with which his reelection had been received.
 The Battle Abbey.
 The convention has been memorable in another respect and that finally 1t has been decided that steps are to be taken for the erection of the Battle Ab- bay in Richmond. The work of erect. ing a memorial to the cause of the South has parsed beyond the ,prelimin- ary stage, and now the actual building will be commenced. Within ninety days the members of the Executive Committee will meet in the city of Richmond for the purpose of complet- ing details for the commencement of the building, and the laying of the cor ner stone. The committee has in hand the funds to warrent the work and from now on it Is expected that there will be no more delay in the erection of the memorial.
 The announcement tsst tss..sss. st i last after their work of so many years, the com mittee saw clearly the beginning of the end. was the start in the enthusiasm of the day which found-fts culmination in the greeting that was extended to the beloved commander of the organi- zation when he was once' more vested with the leadership of the Union.
 Outside of the work of the conyen- A.,,a kaw~a GpVs0 O mass of visitors, was the flower parade of the afternoon, which was one of the most successful affairs of the kind ever given in the city and which 1t would be difficult to surpass in any place al any time.
 Commander Sargent. U. s. N. com mander of the gunboat Scorpion, who was pne of the judges of the flower parade, said after its completion: "l have seen many of these affairs ir Italy and Southern France, and al though there they use the real blos- soms instead of paper flowers, as were utilized in the parade today. I was both astonished and delighted at the show ing made. The parade was much finer than I had expected that 1t would be possible to make 1t.
 The Streets Packed.
 The streets of the city were packed almost to the danger point today and although the police had their handf more than full in keeping an open thoroughfare for the parade, the throng was good natured in the ex- treme and made no more trouble than they could help. They crowded around the stand on which the judges of the flower parade were standing. and which was occupied also by Genera Joseph Wheeler. General Fitzhugh Lee and Senator Bate. cheered them unti they were weary; they climbed ovel the railing to shake tlSe hands of the generals and made the lives of those gentlemen q temporary burden. as thu veterans pushed each other about 1T the effort to shake hands of the ol( cavalry leaders.
 It was only by the utmost efforts O. the police that the crowd in certain parts of the line of march taken by thu flower parade was kept moving in or der that dangerous crushes might b' avoided. The heat for short tim' during the afternoon was intense bu l notwithstanding :his. and the dens' crowding of the streets, there were nc serious accidents. A woman fainteC now and then but was taken care ol with promptitude by the medical corp! and there will be no serious after-ef. fects in any of the cases that called for the ministrations of a physician.
 The ball given in Confederate Hal in the evening by the Sons of Veter. ans. although not intended to riva the great event of tomorrow night when the visiting soldiers will be hon. ored by the citizens of Memphis witt a grand ball, was a most successful affair. Fully 1000 people were upoI the floor when the ball was at iti height.
 Tomorrow will witness the great pa rade of the old soldiers, the laying o the corner stone of the Forrest mOnu ment. and the great ball in the even ing. There will be on the last day O the reunion. as there have been on thu two earlier days. a vast number O. smaller receptions given by the ladies of Memphis in honor of their visitors Adtutant General Moorman has beer reelected by the Executive Committed and his term of office increased from two years to three years.
 Exercises Opened.