Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-05-14
PLAN BIG MEETING
Committees Arranging for Nation
al Encampment of Ct. A. r.
VETS TO MEET IN san FRANCISCO
Inhabitants of Pacific Coast to Join in
Giving Royal Welcome to Boys of
Sixties = Are Expecting Record
Breaking Gathering.

With nearly four months remaining
before the beginning of the national
encampment of the Grand Army OF the
Republic practically none of the mem
bers of the Ottumwa posts have yet
made definite arrangements to attend
this gathering. However, there is con.
siderable interest among the veterans
of the civil war in the coming meeting,
and judging from the preliminary ar
rangements that are already beng
made this encampment, to be held on
the western coast, it will be one of the
most notable ever held.
The people of San Francisco and of
all California seem to appreciate the
fact that these veterans may never
again gather in an encampment on the
shores of the Pacific and are eXerting
every effort to make this encampment
one OF the most successful ever held.
Concerning the encampment and the
preparations that are being made, Isai-
ah Choynski of San Francisco, mem
Der of the general committee. says:
No other organization holds the af-
lection of the people as does the one
composed of the veterans. the defend
ers of the union, of liberty and right
The veterans residing in California
and Nevada arranged preliminaries for
the encampment. but all the people of
California and of the Pecific coast are
enthusiastic on that topic now, and
working hand in hand with the COM
mittees to make this encampment
eclipse all formal fraternal gatherings
From the governor of the state to the
humblest citizen, everyone is imbued
with the idea that San Francisco and
California must give the veterans the
most rousing welcome they ever had.
Merchants, manufacturers, farm ers
and miners, all are eager to make the
visit of the veterans a pleasant and
memorable one. They are determined
to show the visitors the famed beauties
of the western 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 Car
loads of fruit-the most delicious in
the world--fruit bearing trees, the
giants of the California forests, and
other wonders that have made the
Golden state famous, will be on exhi-
bition throughout the city for the bene-
tit of those who cannot visit every
section of the state. The famous gar
dens of Santa Clara, Marin, Sonoma,
Alameda, Contra Costa and other adj
jacent counties will furnish the mate
rial for the grandest floral display
ever seen. Quartz and hydraulic min
ing 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 illum-
nations are to surpass even those
which have made San Francisco fam
GUS during the Knights of Pythias en-
campment in 1902, and We're consid-
cred the finest ever seen. 1t will be
the grandest sight to behold the vast
hosts of veterans marching through
the streets of San Francisco beneath a
canopy of flowers, and under garlands
and domes woven of myriads of incan-
| descent lights, turning night into day
and making the scene one of fairy
land For the illumination and decora-
ton, though much of it is owned by
the city and is given free of cost, and
the flowers are donated, the legisla-
ture has appropriated $4,000 for that
purpose, and the citizens expect to
raise three times as much by volun-
tary 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 thermom-
eter registers 65 to rs degrees, rarely
a degree more or less, whether mid
day or midnight. Two hundred thous.
and visitors can be easily accomodat
ed in the city at one time, and have
been carefully housed on two former
occasions.
col oNiES oE wopID