The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-19
150.000 VISITORS THERE
Decorations Most Elaborate
 in History of City.
Citizens Have Thrown Homes Open to Heroes of the South-will Hold a Jefferson Davis
 Memorial.

New Orleans. May 1S.-One hundred thousand visitors within her gates and more arriving on every train, ten thou sand veteran soldiers of the Confederacy as her special charge. and hundreds more upon their way; bands of men clad in the ancient gray parading through the streets the crash of bands and the cheers of | thousands who line the thoroughfares that is the situation in New Orleans to- night on the eve of the thirteenth annual reunion of the United Confederate Vete- rahs
 Never in the history of the city have such lavish preparations been made for the reception and entertainment of people from abroad as has been made for this occasion and from all appearances they will be successful to the last degree. The local committees are thoroughly up in their work and quarters are provided for all who come as soon as they ask for them.
 All over the city the hospitable citizens have thrown open their doors the hotels are filled to overf1owing and thousands of the old soldiers have taken quarters in the camp at the Fair Grounds, where ex- cellent arrangements have been made for housing and entertaining them. By to- morrow morning the great mass of vis- itors will have arrived and 1t Is roughly tlA1l A0AAJ 1oV,VoV pSopAU WAAA bu here by the time the conventions opens at noon.
 On all sides it is conceded that the pres ent reunion will be one of the most suc- cessful that has ever been held by the organization.
 No more elaborate decorations have ever been put tip in any city than the citizens of New Orleans have arranged for this reunion. Canal Street is a blaze of crim- son bunting. festooned, grouped. twined, flung loose in streamers and revealed in countless tossing baners. All the side streets are also decorated as are most of the residences in the city, b@t-the espe- cial effort has been made along Canal Street and the effect is most beautiful The old stars and bars form as a matter of course the predominant feature in the scheme of decoratians, but the stars and stripes are seen upon every hand and on the peak of the Auditorium the banner of the republic lives floats two to one for the maner of the republic that died.
 The last finishing touches were put to the great auditorium today, and 1t is now ready for the opening of the conven- tion at F o'clock tomorrow.
 The decorations are exceedingly hand- some and arranged in such a manner that from no part of the hall do they obscure the view of the speakers rostrum, and yet the entire hall is filled with stream CTS and blue crossed flags in endless pro- fusion.
 Outwardly, the arrangements seem per- feet, and there is no reason to doubt that they will prove all they appear when the actual test comes to morrow. The ex- ercises fthe day will open at 10 o'clock in the morning. when under the auspices of the Southern Memorial Association, services in honor of Jefferson Davis will be held in Christ Church. Two hours later the delegates will be called to order by General John B. Gordon, Commander in-ohief of the United Confederate Vete- rans. There will be speeches of welcome to the soldiers by representatives of the State of Louisiana, of the city and of the various local bodies of veterans and af- hliated organizations. It is not likely in fact that the opening session of the con- vention will comprise much of anything beyond the addresses of welcome The session will conclude with the appoint ment of committees on credentials and resolutions.
 In the afternoon the meeting will com- mense at S:30 o'clock and will continue for about two hours Various receptions will also be held in the latter part of the afternoon and in the evening the veterans an dtheir friends will be entertained bv concerts and fireworks