The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-13
Snecial to The cloha

Special to The Globe.
WASHINGTON, d. c., July Eek
tensive preparations, which are at the
same time detailed and businesslike,
have been made at the national capital
Tor the 1902 encampment of the Grand
Army of the Republic, which is to oc-
cur IN Washington during the second
week in October. Ten years ago the
veterans of this organization were en-
tertalned as, the cityS guests, and the
reception then accorded the members
OF the Grand Army proved to be one
of the most notable experiences in the
history of the organization. 1t is the
purpose of the business men who have
interested themselves in the reunion
TINS year to make the encampment
even more noteworthy.
Three days, Oct. 6, Z and S-Mon-
day, Tuesday and day-have
been chosen by Gen. Ell Terrence and
his associates of the G. A. r. executive
committee, as the period of the ma
tional convention. The entertainment
of the veterans and their guests, how
ever, will cover an approximate week,
beginning with the Thursday or Fri
day preceding the convocation of the
delegates.
Monday has been set apart for the
first days session of the convention,
and a special and elaborate display of
fireworks, at which all the officers Of
the organization then assembled in
Washington and the president of the
United States are to be present. On
Tuesday the convention will continue
and conclude its annual session, while
the general visitors to the city will
view the attractive and picturesque
parade by the Sons of Veterans, who
meet simultaneously with the G.. A. r.,
a regiment of militia from the District
of Columbia and several battalions of
uin
cavalry and artillery-from the bar
racks about Washington The third day
has been set aside for the parade of
veterans, a sentimental desire on their
part that none but soldiers who have
seen service at the front should partic-
ipate having been recognized by those
who have framed the programme In
the evening it is probable that Presi-
dent Roosevelt will tender Gen. Tor
renee and his associate general officers
of the auxiliary organizations a recep-
ton at the White house, the display
of fireworks will be presented a third
time, and several smaller receptions
will be rendered by the officers of the
woman's organizations by local chap
tiers of those bodies.
Preparing for Great Crowd.
This is a brief and tentative state
ment of the programme so far agreed
change to conform with the later wish
es of Gen. Terrence. An extensive
schedule of regimental, division and
corps reunions has been arranged to
cover the first two days of the encamp-
ment. Conventions of less noteworthy
significance than that of the Grand
Army will be held at the same time by
various associations of survivors and
auxiliary organizations. Numerous
excursions will be made to nearby
points OF historic or legendary inter
est such as Mount Vernon and Brad
docks Rock and the 200 or more bat
tleflelds within easy reach of the Po-
omac river. All the public buildings
VIII present particularly inviting dis
plays of the work done by the several
departments of the civil service, and
encampment week will otherwise af-
ford the general visitors to the city
an exceptional OPPORTUNITY for inspect
ing that part of Washington not init
mately associated with, but neverthe-
less affected by the coming of the vet
Grams.
All the advices received in Washing
ton, either by members of congress
whose constituents are interested in
the encampment or by those
who have charge of the en-
campment preparations indicate that
this gathering in the capital of the
nation forty years after the period of
service at the front is exciting extra
ordinary interest throughout the coun-
try. The expert testimony of the
passenger agents whose roads reach
Washington directly or Indirectly,
IS that the crowd will surpass even
that of 1892. The officers of the local
Grand Army posts speak confidently of
a larger post attendance than at any
other encampment in the history of
the society. Gen. Terrence refers to
the encampment as likely to prove
the most interesting, the most signifi-
cant and the most memorable reunion
OF veterans in his knowledge of the or
der. and that knowledge began almost
with the foundation of the Grand
Army of the Republic.
Will Supervise Decorations.
National pride in the city of Wash
ington as the capital of the nation
gives any convention held here a
heightened interest Indeed, this is so
true that except during the
months of July and August rarely less
than three conventions are in pro-
gress in Washington at the same time
and the city has acquired an indiffer-
ence toward ordinary conventions
which contrasts curiously with the
active pursuit after such meetings by
municipalities less fortunately situa-
ted. But in this instance Washin-
ton is wide awake both to the attrac-
lions and the honor of the G. A. A. en-
campment.
The whole city will be handsomely
dressed for the occasion. A conspicu-
Gus feature of this decoration will be
that it consists almost exclusively of
American flags hung at an angle from
all buildings along the line of the vet
Grams march and from most houses
within reach of the business section
OF the CitV. Local OOipiOu &c CtroYor
against the distortion of the beautiful
ARCHITECTURAL lines of the public build
1ngs. On other occasions the splendid
ly proportional pediments of such
of such buildings as the treasury and
the patent office have been marred by
flags being hung more or less grace