Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-08
TO DEDICATE GRANITE
Exercises Over Corner Stone
for Memorial Bridge
AT CAMP ROOSEVELT
SECRETARY ROOT WILL PRESIDE
TOMORROW AFTERNOON.
No Light on Commandership Contest
Over 200, 900 Visitors in Town
Notes Of Reunions.


been transported to Camp Roosevelt and
placed near the speakers stand.
The exercises will be comparatively brief,
but of the most marked interest. Secretary
Root is to preside An address will be de-
livered by Gen. Torrance on behalf of the
north and the veterans who fought with
the northern army. Some officer of rank
In the confederate service possibly Gen.
Longstreet. will attend in the name Of the
south and southern army. Chairman War
ner will speak for the citizens of Washing
ton.
Mr. James F. McHugh. international sec
rotary and treasurer Of the Stonecutters
Association, will appear on behalf Of that
body. Excellent music will be provided.
Copies Of the local daily newspapers and OF
the Stonecutters' Journal, Grand Army
badge and badge of the Stonecutters AS
ISOLATION will be placed In the stone, and
the cavity will then be sealed with slab
Of marble.
1t is the desire of the association that the
block be placed in some conspicuous park,
preferably Lafayette Square, a means Of
exciting interest in the Memorial bridge
project.
Contest for Commander-in-Chief.
Both the headquarters most concerned in
this encampment-that of Gen. Torrance, az
comander-in- chief of the G. A. R., and that
of the citizens executive commttee-were
practically deserted this morning. AS the
day wore on, however interest In the con-
test for the commandership attracted to the
Ebbitt House many hundreds Of the vet
Grams who passed the reviewing stand at
the head of the line and various details Of
the encampment sent many visitors to the
officers of the citizens committee. The work
of this latter body Is now almost finished.
The contest for the commandership, how
ever seems likely to grow to degree OF
intense interest within the next two days.
1t Is most difficult thing to estimate the
comparative standing of the candidates.
Only three of the four are seriously consid-
cred as contestants. Gen. Sickles being re-
garded solely as a receptive candidate and
possible dark horse in case the en-
campment cannot agree upon one Of the
others. The whole number of votes to be
cast will probably be about 1000. This is an
allowance Of 400 delegates as absentees, a
proportion which the campaign managers
seem to think very reasonable. Over 500
votes for one man will thus be necessary for
a conclusive vote and at present none of
the managers, whether for Col. McElroy.
Col. Stewart or Gen. Black, claims more
than $50 votes.
These claims have more than ordinary
force because each candidate comedies to
the two others a total Of about 100 votes
evenly divided. On this basis the three cam
didates will poll approximately equal votes
on the first ballot and no one of them will
have anything like the number needed to
elect. What will happen after the first bal
lot is a matter Of much conjecture.
None of the veterans are diSinclned to
underestimate the "undercurrent." as they
term 1t, which prevails in favor of Gen
Sickles. Neither are any of them willing
to admit that their chosen candidate will
lose votes in Gen. Sickles' favor. Col. Nc
Elroy is regarded as the most growing can
didate of the three. His position as the
youngest Of the four contestants and as
one of the foremost students of the civil
mo mo 10 al i'm, ovttp lor1x
acceptable to the whole body of delegates.
But there is no indication perceptible to the
outsider that the convention can now be
stampeded for Col. McElroy or any one
else. The $50 men pledged to each Of the
three leading candidates are said to be
stalwarts Of the deepest dye.
Calculating the Attendance.
The encampment has now progressed to
such stage that the railroad men are
willing to estimate the attendance from out
Of town. Mr.. w. s. Bronson, general agent
In charge Of the central Office on F street,
indicated this morning that in his judg-
ment about 100000 persons had come to
Washington for the encampment within the
past five days His calculation of this re-
suit was of decided interest.
WASHINGTON is strange CITY," he be-
gan. 1T swallows up crowd as sponge
does water. The only way to gauge such
an attendance as this from the streets is
to view the crowd on special occasions,
such as the gatherings on Pennsylvania
avenue Monday and Tuesday evenings
after the fireworks. 1 never saw such
crowd in Washington as 1 saw then, not
even in 1892
But our railroad business gives us a
better basis for estimate than that So
far we have attempted only to count the
passengers as they entered the local sta
tions. On one evening over 1000 passen-
gers were empt1ed into the station at 9Th
street.
This was nearly all long distance traffic,
Yet the schedules prepared there and at the
Baltimore and Ohio station indicate that
over 100000 persons have come to Wash
ington on long-distance tickets This Is con-
frmed by our business here at this Office
We have had already over 10000 applica-
lions for ticket extension. The real rush
has only begun. BY this time tomorrow we
should have received not less than 1900
tickets and probably very many more Now
the average in this business is about one
ticket in eight-that is, every eighth ticket
holder applies for an extension. On that
gers brought to the city would reach about
10000. The local traffic has been very
heavy. Certainly not less than $1,000 per-
sons have come to Washington from cities
and towns near by. That accounts for my
estimate of 100000
ITO tell the whole truth the railroads
have had all the business they could attend
to- No trunk line which reaches Washing on
than 1t carried during the past few days
and do 30 satisfactorily. AS 1t was every
through train has been about eleven hours
late. The crowd now in the city is large
enough for the railroads. You may depend
on that"
The Duryee Youaves.
Arrangements have been perfected for the
reunion Of the 9th New Volunteer Infan-
try Ouryee Zouaves) on their old camp
ground at Henry House. Stafford county,
Va, tomorrow. This reunion is forty years
after the first of four sojourns on the same
spot. The zouaves will leave Washington
on q special train at 7:40 o'clock tomorrow
morning. very interesting program, in
cluding a number Of surprises. has been
arranged. - 80; Ssf.>.sf. :,
The Sd Army Corps will hold It's reunion
in Farrasut- tent, Camp Roosevelt. tomor-
row. (Thnrsdayl evening at 1880 o'clock.
Maj. A. H. G. Richardson via call the re
union to order. Addresses will be delivered
by Gen. Sickles Gen. Byron R. Pierce
Gen. Horatio G. King and Corporal Tam
ner. number Of musical selections will
be rendered.
Would Meet Here Annually. i
At Q meeting Of the u. g. Grant Post. No
SAT. Department Of New. York. q. A. r..