Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-23
Special Provision Probable for
Their Entertainment.
ENCAMPMENT PLANS
CONFERENCE WITH PRESIDENT
REGARDING. DETAILS.
Participation of G. A. r. and W. r. G.
in Flag Day Concern-Com-
mittee Meetings.

national encampment committee this morn
ing over the active interest that the Presl-
dent and Secretary of the Navy are taking
in the coming encampment, particularly IN
the naval matters. Col Michaels, chief
clerk of the Department of State who is
chairman of the naval reunion committee,
had very pleasant interview with the
President yesterday. In accordance with
the request of the President that the matter
be laid before him formally. Col. Michaels
addressed him as follows:
1.-THE national encampment of the Grand
Army of the Republic as you are already
advised. will occur next October. 1t is the
earnest desire of the general committee, as
well as the committee on naval veterans
| of which 1 am chairman, to have one or
more men-of-war ordered to Washington to
remain during encampment week. Thou
sands of veterans will visit Washington
during the encampment who would consider
the privilege of inspecting United States
warship an important event In their lives.
l am aware that it will be necessary for
the vessel to be of light draught owing to
the depth of water in the Potomac, yet
even vessels of this class would possess
great interest for the veterans, and would
lend eclat to the occasion Of their visit to
Washington.
Feature of Former Encampment.
Ten years ago I was chairman Of the
| naval committee, and projected and carried
out a program which involved the build
ing of a fac-simile of the old Kearsarge as
she was originally launched and appeared
in her successful combat with the Ala
bama. In carrying out this feature Of the
program, President Harrison and the Sec
rotary of the Navy extended to me every
aid proper and practicable. | was given an
| order on several navy yards for masts
| yards, ratings, awnings, a wheel and bin
4 nj he q
| struction of the Kearsarge, to be returned
| within a reasonable time after the close OF
| the encampment. The building of this YES
| sci for headquarters for the naval
veterans was highly appreciated by them,
| and gave to the encampment a distinctive
| naval feature. 1t was the first time in the
| history of the Grand Army OF the Repub-
| lie encampments that the navy had ever
| received such recognition.
| at is the desire of the general as we'll as
my own committee to treat the navy with
| as earnest and as cordial recognition at the
| forthcoming encampment as was shown ten
| years ago. Your assurance of your deep
| interest in the success of the encampment
| was to be expected owing to your general
and lively interest in the army and navy
| old and new, and l beg to assure you of
| the high appreciation of our committees,
! who satisfied that you will do all that
| is necessary to be done to help them to
make the encampment the greatest and
| grandest in the history of the Grand Army
| of the Republic"
Letter to Chairman Warner.
! Today Chairman B. H. Warner received
the following letter from Col. VIM. H.
Michaels. who intends to move at once in
the matter of preparing for the reception
of the naval veterans, and in measure
outlines his policy:
| II have the honor to report to you,"
| Col. Michaels writes to Chairman War
ner, that in pursuance of your letter Of
| the 18th instant. calling attention to the
| desirability of having one or more United
| States men-of-war visit Washington during
encampment week. 1 called on the Presi-
dent and the Secretary of the Navy and
discussed the subject with them. The Pres
| ident assured me that if it could be done
| he would see that vessels were brought
| here. He suggested that the vessels would
necessarily have to be small ones. owing
| to the depth Of water in the Potomac He
assured me that he had a keen interest in
| the forthcoming encampment, and that he
would do whatever he might be able to
do to make 1t successful.
| THE subject of the naval program Of the
encampment was incidentally talked over
| between the President and myself and he
seemed to think that the building of the
| kearsarge ten years ago for headquarters
| of the naval people was a happy concep-
| ton and novel feature. He thought that
! If the Hartford could be built this time 1t
would be interesting historically and would
| lend picturesquesness as well as useful
| ness to the encampment The Secretary Of
| the Navy Of course, Is under the direction
of the President, but independent of that
| fact the Secretary expressed himself as
| being deeply interested in the success of
| the encampment. and assured me that he
| would do whatever was within his power
| to do in meeting our wishes.
Vessel as Headquarters.
ut is my judgment that the naval vet
Grams of the country would be more largely
/ tal h
satisfied with their recognition if a vessel
were constructed for the headquarters. The
material used in the Kearsarge and the
labor cost the sum Of 81 $50 in cash. The
| committee furnished me 200 Of this sum
and the balance l paid out of my own
| pocket. AS you stated to me in our con-
! versation on Wednesday of this week. ma
terial and labor have increased % per cent
over the cost of material and labor in 1882.
| Add this to the actual cost of the kear-
sarge and we have the sum of $3,6s7 and
some cents. The Navy Department loaned
me in 1902 about 1900 or $4,000 worth OF
material, which was returned after the en-
| campment was over I do not recall what
the material used in the .Kearsarge sold
for. but, of course, whatever 1t did sell for
| should be deducted from the cost of ma
! terial.
I'm my judgment vessel should be built
! to be used as headquarters for the visiting
veterans. 1t will cost very little more than
! suitable provision of different character,
and would be very much more satisfactory
to all concerned. / would recommend,
therefore, that vessel similar to the Kear-
sarge be constructed to be used at the
Grand Army encampment in 1902"
Subcommittee on Entertainment.
At a recent meeting of the entertainment
committee, Gen. s. 8. Burdette, chairman,
| a subcommittee of seven was appointed to
ascertain the amount of money that would
be allowed for entertainment, and to out
| line plans of work 1t was a big meeting
and full of interest. The subcommittee, as
announced by the chairman, Gen. S. S.
| Burdette, consists of Mr.. T. B. Janney
chairman; Dr. Franklin T. Howe, Messrs
Frank Hume, A. H. G. Richardson, ]. H.
| Wilson, James e. Bell and j. b. Hammond
| The meeting was called to order by Chair
| man Burdette, with Secretary G. M. Hustled
occupying the secretarys table.
| Gen. Burdette said that the committee
had about $4,000 to spend ten years ago.
but it would have nothing like as much
this year The big reception at the pen
sion Office had cost about 5000 alone
Nothing Of that kind would be attempted
| this year. he thought. He said that not
many of those for whom these entertain