The Washington times., 1902-10-05
City Has Donned Its Best
Attire and IS Ready With
Extended Hand to Give
Cordial Welcome to Its
Valiant Guests.

structure which will not bear evidence
of the joy that citizens of Washington
feel at the honor the coming encamp-
ment bestows upon them.
Streamers, stars. and rosettes are
much in evidence, while here and there
is the flag of another nation waving in
harmony with the Stars and Stripes.
Over the entrances to stores, business
houses. and public places is inscribed
the familiar word Welcome" No
place is too humble. too lowly, to hang
a flag to the breeze or lift a banner,
each giving testimony'to the same senti-
ment
Everywhere the G. A. R. design pre-
dominates; everywhere these familiar
letters are seen, and there is harmony
in all the myriads of flags, banners, and
streamers. The noise of the hammer
and the buzz Of the saw mingled yes
terday with the ordinary confusion Of
the street, indicating that the work Of
building stands and draping them appro-
priately is being pushed with all pos
sible rapidity. Every branch of the
visitors is in satisfactory condition, and
the decorations simply betoken the fact
that the finishing touches are now be-
ing placed, and that everything will be
in readiness when the advance guard
of the Grand Army of the Republic
pitches its tent in the city where are no
enemies, but where all are its friends.
Mecca for Old Soldiers.
While the committee on decorations
has been unusually active, its main ef-
forts seem to have been directed toward
the Pension Building, which will likely
be the Mecca for old soldiers all next
week Within the walls of the bureau
thousands of claims repose: Survivors
of the civil war, widows and orphans OF
those who participated in the great
strife send their petitions for pensions
TO the bureau and it is there that SO
many hopes are unfulfilled. SO many pa
thetic life stories told. and in some cases
heart made happy by the allowance OF
a claim.
Naturally the veterans will feel a
stronger interest in the Pension Office
building than in any of the other de-
large reception will be given TO Gen.
Ell Torrance, commander in chief of the
Grand Army. and his staff. The hosts of
the occasion will be Hon. Eugene +.
Ware, Commissioner of Pensions, and
the heads of his department.
The decorations are the most artistic
and striking ever hung in the building
not excepting the several occasions
when the inaugural balls have been
given there. On entering the east or
west doors one is greeted by perfect
blaze of the national colors. They hang
from every conceivable nook and corner
of the building. True to custom, on
every occasion of note the Stars and
Stripes form the most conspicuous fea
ture of the city's decorations, but it is
not too much to say that in the case
of the decorations at the Pension Office
they have been utilized more artistically
and to better advantage than on any
previous occasion for many years.
A Festooned Canopy.
Across the entire ceiling of the build
ing streamers of solid red, white. and
blue, in their regular order, are fes-
tconed TO form canopy. In this alone
hundreds of yards of muslin have been
employed. Along the railing of the sec
ond and third corridors around the four
sides the decorator has draped flags as
close together as harmonw will permit.