The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-19
THRONGED BY VETS
IN NEW ORLEANS THERE ARE
100000 VISITORS.
10000 ARE LOOKED FOR
REUNION EXPECTED TO DE VERY
SUCCESSFUL.

New Orleans Is MagnifcentIy Dec
iers - Every Arrangement Made
for Their Comfort and Conven-
ience-1O,OOO Are the speciaI
Guests of the City-Sessions of the
Reunion Are to Commence To-day.
Will Be Speeches of Welcome.
New Orleans. May 1S.-One hundred
thousand visitors within her gates and
more arriving on every train; 10000
veteran soldiers of the Confederacy as
her especial 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 tonight on the eve of the
thirteenth annual reunion of the
United Confederate Veterans.
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 appear
ances 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.
Received Into Homes.
All over the city the hospitable citi-
zens have thrown open their doors, the
hotels are filled to overlooking, and
thousands of the old soldiers have
taken quarters in the camp at the fair
grounds, where excellent arrangements
have been made for housing and en-
tertaining them. BY tomorrow MORN
ing the great mass of visitors will
have arrived, and it is roughly esti-
mated that fully 10000 people will be
here by the time the convention opens
at noon.
On all sides it is conceded that the
present reunion will be one of the most
successful that has ever been held by
the organization. No more elaborate
decorations have ever been put up by
any city than the citizens of New Or
leans have arranged for this reunion
Canal street is blaze of crimson
bunting, festooned, grouped, twined
flung loose in steamers, and revealed
in countless tossing banners. All the
side streets are also decorated, as are
most of the residences in the city, but
the especial 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 decorations,
but the Stars and Stripes are seen on
every hand, and on the peak of the
auditorium the banner of the republic
that lives floats two to one for the BAN
ner of the republic that died.
Exercises of the Day.
The exercises of the day will open
at 10 o'clock in the morning, when, un-
der the auspices of the Southern Me-
mortal Association, services in honor of
jefferson Davis will be held. Two
hours later the delegates will be called
to order by Gen. John B. Gordon,
commander-in-chief. There will be
speeches of welcome to the old soldiers
from representative of the state of
of the city and of the vari-
Gus local bodies of veterans and affili-
ated organizations.
1t is not likely that the opening ses>
sion of the convention will comprise
much of anything beyond the address
of welcome. The session will con-
clude with the appointment of commit
tees on credentials and resolutions.
The afternoon meeting will COM
mence at $3.50 o'clock and will continue
for about two hours.