Evening star., 1903-08-31
FIRST TO REACH HOME.
Returning Delegates to 9. A. r En-
campment Report Delightful Trip.

nSIUIu1uS DS1e&6teS 10 ". - IL Ell
campment Report a Delightful Trip.
OF those who left Washington August 0.
at 11:10 pm. on the special Pullman train
for the national encampment at San Fran
cisco. Col. J. J. Freeland and DR.. Lawrence
Wilson Of the pension office are the first to
return. having reached Washington Satur-
day at 4:3O pm. Department Commander
Kimball and members of his staff and
others chose to visit the National Park on
the Yellowstone. via Portland, Ore. The
official train. consisting of four Pullman
and one baggage car. and carrying l0S
members of the G. A. R.. ladies of the w.
R. c. and others, travelled to San Fran
cisco via the Chesapeake and Ohio rail-
read to Cincinnati. thence to Chicago,
Omaha, Denver, Colorado Springs. Pueblo,
Salt Lake and Ogden stopping to permit a
view Of Denver, Pixies Peak and Salt Lake
City, reaching San Francisco without acci-
dent or mishap Monday morning. the 18th
instant. The route included the Denver
and Rio Grande railroad, enabling those
aboard the train to see the Royal Gorge
and other magnificent scenery along that
route
San Francisco, with its magnificent build
ings: San Francisco bay. the Golden Cas-
the Cliff House, Golden Gate Park and lie
great city of Oakland, where thousands OF
the business men Of San Francisco reside,
were thronged with sightseers. The dec
oratfons in bunting, flags and electrical
display. were to the last degree tasty and
beautiful. The Loyal Legion. Grand Army
posts and county headquarters kept open
house. and the quantities of fruits thus
gratuitously distributed were enormous
The grand parade Wednesday. the return
ing delegates say, was a perfect success,
both as to the number in line and the peo-
pie present as spectators. Wednesday. Au-
gust 10, at from to II pm, Commander
kimball and his staff, with the comrades
and ladies of the w. r. c. held reception
a hn hoo I,,ra >f %IA nay~r nf
the Potomac at the Palace Hotel. where
hundreds of the various departments called
to pay their respects. pleasant feature
of this program was the presentation of a
Masonic pin to Commander Kimball by
Comrade Vanderhoof and a set of silver
souvenir spoons to Mr. Freeland by jerome
F. Johnson on behalf of the Washington
cor Etingent small token of their appre-
citation of the manner in which these gen.
tlemen had provided and arranged for and
conducted the trip. The recipients were
captured unarmed and unprepared. yet
both, in brief. well-chOsen words, expressed
their appreciation of the good will thus
shown them
The Goth and 21st the sessions of the ma
tional encampment were held. Gen. Nelson
A. Miles, who was invited to be present
and address the encampment was most
cordially greeted, and was cheered to the
echo.
Saturday. August o. the party went to
Los Angeles. where the train was held up
for about twelve hours by derailed cars,
reaching Los Angeles Sunday at noon. The
city of Los Angeles, Pasadena. the Sol
diers' Home at Santa Monica and the beach
were visited. And here the command dis
persed, Commander Kimball and others
going north and on to Portland and Yellow
stone Park. while others came home via
Ell Paso, Kansas City and st. Louis.
The entire party, with few exceptions,
enjoyed the best of health and had a most
enjoyable and delightful trip. Col. Free
land and DR.. Wilson, after giving Califor-
n fnr oil tic pfr,anC her
and wonderful fertility and productiveness,
have concluded that personally they prefer
to remain in Washington to going west to
grow up with the country.