The National tribune., 1903-04-30
THE NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT.
The People of San Francisco are Making
Great Preparations for the Entertainment
of the Veterans.

The Citizens Executive Committee of
circular:
''The Thirty-seventh National Encamp-
ment, Grand Army of the Republic. which
is to be held in San Francisco during the
week commencing Aug. II, 1903, is des-
tined to become one of the most notable
gatherings, iii point of numbers, magnifi-
cence and splendor, in the history of Cali
fornia, as well as in the annals of the
fraternity. The people of San Francisco,
and of all California, fully approaching
| the fact that these veterans may never
again gather in an Encampment on the
shores of the Pacific, will exert every eff
fort to make this Encampment the most
memorable one i'll the history of the G. A.
X. No other organization holds the af-
lection of the people as does the one COM
posed of the veterans, the defenders of the
Union, of liberty and right. The veterans
residing in California and Navada ar
ranged the preiminaries for the Encamp-
ment. but all the people of California and
of the Pacific Coast are enthusiastic on
| that topic now. and working hand in hand
with the committees to make this Encamp-
ment eclipse all former fraternal gather
ings. From the Governor of the State to
| the humblest citizen, every one is imbued
with the idea that San Francisco and Cali
| fOrnia must give the veterans the most
rousing welcome they have ever had. Mer-
chants, manufacturers, farmers and
miners all are eager to make the visit of
the veterans pleasant and memorable
one. They are determined to show the
visitors the famed beauties of this West
ern Wonderland, which must be seen to
be appreciated. From every County and
section of the State the choicest products
will be brought to San Francisco. and be
placed on exhibition, that the visitors may
| feast their eyes upon them. Carloads of
| fruit-the most delicious in the world
| fruit-bearing trees. the giants of the Cali
| fornia forests, and other wonders that
have made the Golden State famous, will
be on exhibition throughout the city for
the benefit of those who cannot visit every
section of the State. The famous gardens
of Santa Clara, Marin, Sonoma, Alameda.
Contra Costa and other adjacent Counties
will furnish the material for the grandest
| floral display ever seen. Quartz and
| hydraulic mining will be demonstrated on
miniature mines, and oil wells are to be
bored in the city, in sight of the visitors.
The electrical display and the illumina
tons are to surpass even those which have
made San Francisco famous during the
knights of Pythas Encampment in 1902.
and Were considered the finest ever seen.
Ii will be the grandest sight to behold the
vast hosts of the veterans marching
through the streets of San Francisco, be-
meath a canopy of flowers. and under
garlands and domes woven of myriads of
incandescent electric lights, turning night
into day and making the scene one of
fairyland. For the illumination and the
decoration. though much of it is owned by
the city and is given free of cost, and the
flowers are donated, the Legislature has
appropriated $4,000 for that purpose, and
the citizens expect to raise three times as
much by voluntary contribution. to defray
the cost of dressing the city in holiday
garb.
The climate is the most agreeable that
can be imagined; the temperature the year
round is mild and pleasant. In August.
with no rain, the thermometer registers 65
to % degrees, rarely degree more or less.
whether midday or midnight. Two hun
bred thousand visitors can be easily ac-
commodated in the city at ono time, and