Evening star., 1902-01-24
THE MONEY GUARANTEED
FUND FOR G. A. r. ENCAMPMENT AS
sURED BY BUSINESS MEN.
Action Taken at Meeting of Associa-
tiOn DirectOrs-Board of Trade
to Cooperate.

The board of directors of the Business
Mems Association yesterday afternoon de-
cded to guarantee to the Grand Army of
the Republic a sum sufficient to entertain
the visitors to the encampment to be held
here the coming fall. telegram to that
effect was sent to Gen. Ell Terrence, COM
mander-in-chief of the order, at his home in
Minneapolis Mr.. Mitchell Dyrenforth
president of the Business Mems Associa-
tion. presided at the meeting, which was
largely attended
Mr. Dyrenforth called attention to the
statement of Commander Israel w. Stone,
Department of the Potomac, criticising the
association and others for their supposed in
action in the matter. He defended the as
sociation and maintained that active eff
forts had been made and there great
interest on the part of the members to
have the encampment a success. Several
members made remarks on the question,
and the consensus of opinion was that
Commander Stone in his anxiety to secure
the encampment for Washington. had prob
ably been little hasty in expressing HIM
self
The Business Mems Association having
undertaken to guarantee the $4,000 or $15,-
coo that is required, the hope is expressed
that all citizens associations and other
bodies will join with it in making the oc-
easion a great success and worthy of the
national capital.
Work of Forming Committees.
1t is expected that after a response has
been received from the Board of Trade,
committees will be formed and the work in
connection with the affair pushed rapidly.
Commander Terrence is expected in Wash
ington in February, when the Department
of the Potomac will hold it's annual ses-
sion. and al that time the date of the en-
campment will be settled. 1t is more than
probable that it will be held the first week
in October. President Roosevelt will be in
Washington at that time. whereas If the
encampment takes pace in September ne
will be unable to review the veterans on ac-
count of absence from the city.
President Thomas W. Smith of the Board
of Trade has called a meeting of the board
of directors for Monday afternoon at 4:15
O'Clock, to take suitable action with regard
Army of the Republic. Commissioner Mac
farland has already assured members Of
the order that the Commissioners Of the
District of Columbia will do everything
within their power to help along the UNDER
taking.
No Demand Upon Congress.
At the encampment of the Grand Army
which was held here in 1892 Congress ap-
propriated 100000 out of the District funds
for the entertainment of the veterans, but
it is not desired to cause further embarrass-
ment to the municipal finances by such ac-
ton at this time. AT that time, however,
a huge camp ground was laid out on the
Monument grounds, where thousands of the
veterans were housed and fed without cost.
This expense will be done away with large
ly at this time. Already sixty-five hotel
keepers have pledged themselves not to
raise rates, and a cent a mile rate has been
conceded by the railroad companies.
Ten years ago upward of 100000 visitors
were attracted to Washington, and while
the attendance of veterans will not be as
large this time, it is thought that the at
tendant crowd will be as great as at that
time. From now on everything will be
done toward perfecting arrangements for
the coming encampment, and there is no
doubt that the citizens will respond as gen.
erously as before in furthering the project.