Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-07-22
National Encampment Will Be
Held in Washington.
Interesting Program Will Attract q
Large Attendance.
Unusual Interest Among the Veterans
in the Meeting.

public will not open in Washington
until Oct. 6, already several veterans
in Augusta and it's vicinity are max
ing plans for attending the gathering
In preparing for the 36th national en-
campment those business men of
Washington who have undertaken to
provide for the delegates and their
friends have been gratified at the deep
interest manifested in the New Eng
land states. Gagged by the number of
committees which have visited Wash
ingtOn from this section of the country
the attendance during the first weeks
in October will comprise as full a
representation from this territory as
has marked any other encampment of
the G. A. r., even those which have
occurred in Boston and other North
eastern cities. The testimony of the
passenger agents representing Eastern
and Northern railroads is that the en-
campment traffic from New England
New York. Pennsylvania, and Mary
land will surpass that of any recent
Inauguration.
Ordinary business initiative on the
part of the railroads has led to the
adoption of a uniform rate from the
states indicated of less than l cent q
mile. less even than one fare for the
round trip. 1t will thus be possible for
residents of Maine to attend the en-
campment with little more expense
than that of a trip under other cir
cumstances from middle Pennsylvania.
Any program of any national en-
campment of the Grand Army is of
general interest to the people of Mary
land and all Atlantic states north
ward. That offered this year is in
tended. however, to be especially at
tractive to those communities.
Monday. October 6-the first day of
the encampment-has been set apart
for public meeting at which Presi-
dent Roosevelt is expected to speak,
and an extraordinary display of fire.
works, at which Gen. Eli Torrance,
COMMUNICATIVE chief of the G. A. r.,
and the executive officers of auxiliary
veteran associations will entertain as
their guests the President of the
United States, the members of the
cabinet. and many other national
officials. This display will continue
through all three evenings of the en-
campment, and, although SURPRISING
any other program of pyrotechnics
ever presented in Washington, will be
entirely free.
The second day of the encampment
will comprehend a parade of rare pic
turcsqueness. At the head of the line
will be several battalons of Sons of
Veterans. uniformed in dark blue.
The second brigade will consist of the
district militia, in service uniform,
all branches of nn1prn
military activity. But the most bril-
liant color will be that contributed by
the detachments of regulars-en-
gineers in scarlet and blue; marines in
scarlet. blue and white; field artillery.
with waving scarlet plumes and full
service equipment of caissons and
siege guns, and cavalry gathering
along the wide avenue which connects
the capitol and White House in uni
forms of blue and bright yellow.
The third and last day of the en-
campment will be devoted chiefly to
pathetic reproduction of the world
famous review at the close of the civil
war. Instead of division after divi-
sion of jubilant warriors, swayed by
the consciousness of an arduous duty
wonderfully well performed and
patriotic affection for country, splen-
didly exemplified, there will be only
few thousand men, with serrated
ranks. marching only half mile and
holding aloft the tattered battle-fags
which an entire army carried through
four long and trying years. In the
evening 1t is probable President Roose-
welt Will tender General Torrance and
other general officers reception at
the White House, which will have been
by that time completely restored to the
chaste design of it's colonial builders.
This is of course, only a brief out
line of the encampment program, and
Is subject to change, as subsequent
conditions may determine. But there
will be many other occurrences of wide
interest.
Several monuments will be dedicat-
ed. among them one erected by the G
A. r. to DIR. Benjamin F. Stephenson.
founder of the G.. A. r. corps division.
and regimental reunions will be held
throughout the encampment. Separ-
ate conventions will be held by several
important auxiliary organizations-the
Union Veterans union, which will IN
crease the attendance by about 25,ooU
persons; the Sons Of Veterans, VINO
will add about 10000 persons to the
crowd; the Association of Naval Neter-
ans. the eN-Prisoners of War, the Sol
diers of the Battlefield, the Woman's
Relief corps, the Ladies of the G. A.
r.. the National Association of Army
Nurses. the Ladies' Aid to Naval
Veterans. Daughters of Veterans and
Ladies' Aid to the Sons of Veterans.
The city will be wonderfully decor
ated, the encampment committee hav-
ing designed that these decorations
shall consist exclusively of American
flags. Corps badges in flowers VIII
give a special character to each one OF
the 200 or more parks within easy
reach of Pennsylvania avenue. In
front of the Executive Mansion VIII
stand one of the most beautiful and
impressive courts of honor ever erect
ed in the United States. At night the
whole city will glow with appropriate
illuminations. Corps badges in in
candescent lights will be erected along
the main business streets. The high.
white dome of the Capitol will stand
out against the sky in the glare of
dozens Of searchlights, the court of
honor will be entirely outlined in small