The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-30
GEORGIA'S CAVALRY
MAY ALL ATTEND THE STATE FAIR
IN SAVANNAH.
col. MELDRIM is INTERESTED.
rs READY TO COOPERATE WITH
THE FAIR DIRECTORS.

Col. MeIdrim Believes the Ten
Troops of the First Cavalry, With
Proper encouragement, Could he
Induced 10 Attend the Fair.
Pleased by the Prizes offered for
TiltinG-PIan Should Go Further,
However, and Contemplate the
Gathering of All the Cavalry.
Troops Could Promise Transport
tatiOn if the Directors Furnished
Quarters and Subsistence for Men
and Horses.
Coz. P. W. Meldrin1, commanding the
First Regiment OF Cavalry, Georgia
State Troops, will cooperate with the
Savannah Fair Association IN making
khe cavalry tilt that has been decided
upon as one Of the features of the State
Fair to be held in Savannah next fall one
of the chief attractions of the event. He
is greatly interested in the prospective
tilt and Is glad that the directors of the
Fair Assocfat ion have seen fit TO offer
such attractive prizes.
The regtmental commander, however.
desires to go further than the Fair d.
rectors have thus far determined to go.
He would like to see a plan arranged
whereby the ten troops of the regiment
could be brought to Savannah to partic-
spate IN the pleasures of the Fair and
at the same time, to afford a decided ad
dition to it's attractions. Col. Meldrim
will not take the initiative in an effort
10 get the troops to attend, but he will
cheerfully second any action that may
be taken by the directors.
At Meldrim, seventeen miles from Sa-
vannah, are excellent camping grounds.
stablished by Col. Meldrim and in read
tness for use with but very little prepara-
tion. There. Col. Meldrim said the cav
alrymen could be quartered and given
passes from day to day to come into the
city. On the occasion of the fitting, the
teams could come to the city to partici-
pate in the contests. The encampment
might be maintained for a week, and
great profit in the way of instruction
and training for the cavalrymen would
result.
Another plan Col Meldrim has consid-
cred is to secure unused stables or ware
houses in Savannah. where the horses of
the ten troops could be kept. If quarters
for men and horses and subsistence for
both could be assured the cavalrymen by
the Fair directors, Col. Meloflm said that
he would undertake to see TO the trans
portation necessary. The railroads par
ticularly the Central, he feels, would
make but a very slight cost for the trans
portation OF the men and horses, as their
presence at the Fair and the military ma
neuvers that would follow, would mean
a greatly-increased attendance and larg-
er revenues from the sale of tickHts to
visitors. The troops, too, would contrib
ute to the expense. so that Col. Meldrim
feels that he can promise that the trans
poutation would not be matter for the
concern of the directors.
His plan would be to bring some of
the nearby troops from the country to
Savannah in the saddle. The troops are
located in Savannah, Liberty county,
bingham county, Mcintosh county.
Wayne county, Tattnan county. Angus
drim looks for the troop commanders to
take UP the matter of the tilt at once,
and he thinks 1t not improbable that the
proper action on the part of the directors
would be followed by a decision on the
part of the commands to attend the fair
and form the largest gathering of cavalry
seen in the state since the Civil War.
Another feature that Col. Meldrim would
like to see introduced Is race for caval-
ryxnen, fully armed and equipped. There
would be no 1obbery in such race. and
the best man and horse would win.
A military day for the Fair is suggest
ed by Col. Meidrim, when not only the
cavalry but the infantry from all over the
state u1iahf attend