The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-28
GEN. LEE
TO HEADQUARTERS
Richmond Military Com
panies Will Show Hon
or to Chief.
CITY HALL WILL
BE DECORATED
Texas Making Bid for Next Re
union - Present Gathering
Will Probably Eclipse All
Others in History
Of Organiza
Texas Making Bid for Next Re

! 80 Il LlOll. I.iIl6t{ u
What now bids fair to be the great
est OF Confederate Reunions Will open
Its sessions here on Thursday morning.
Every arrangements for the accomnoda-
tion OF the incoming visitors has been
made, and Richmond stands ready to
throw open her doors with a lavish hos
pitality to the gray-headed veterans
and their wives and children. Deco
lrating has been general. nearly every
important building and large number
OF private homes being beautifully
draped in Confederate colors. The City
Council and the Board Of Aldermen
meet in joint session tonight to arr
range for the decoration OF the City
Hall and make other provisions for the &
care Of the city's guests. At Camp
John W. Gordon the finishing touches
are being put on, and tonight num-
Der Of veterans will sleep under the
canvas and dream OF the days. of '61.2
General Stephen D. Lee commander
in-c chief of the United Confederate Vet
Grams. arrives Tonight. and will be
met by a military escort anS< taken to
the Jefferson Hotel. where he will open &
his Headquarters. Preparations for the
parades Of Thursday and Monday are &
now about complete, the grandstands5 Z
have been erected, many Of the speak,
ers nre already In Richmond, and DUR
ing to-day and tomorrow thousands OF
veterans will be pouring in. Special
trains are coming from q number OF n
points, bringing large parties OF visi-
tors. and the hospitality Of the city
viii be taxed to its utmost limit within
the next few days.
Escort for General Lee.
General Lee has teiegraphed to Gem
eral Chairman John w. Gordon that
he will arrive in Richmond this even
ing over the Southern Railroad on o 4
special train that is dueto arrive hare 4
lnbout 1880 o'clock. .HeSwlll be met at Il
1.-The train by Mr. Ed gar Tay or, Nrr .8a
James n. Boyd and Colonel John W.
Gordon. General Chairman Gordon sug-a
gested yesterday afternoon that It n
would be a compliment that would be
highly appreciated by General Lee, II y
one or more of the military companies,
accompanied by band. would turn
out to meet him at the train and cs-f
cort him to the Jefferson Hotel, his
headquarters.
When this suggestion was conveyed
to Major z. w. Bowles. of the Blues
Battalion het at once offered the SER
vices Of his command as an escort for
the commander-in-chet of the United
will be met by the three companies OF a
the Blues, with staff and regimental
band.
Although definite assurances could d
not be secured last night, 1t Is quite
probable that other companies who
regularly drill on Tuesday night, in
clu1ing the Richmond Howtzers and
one Or more companies from the regi-
ment. may also turn out to honor the
commanding general. Should tho train
be as late as S:30 or o o clock, it Is
certain that large military escort
will be on hand; but 1t was thought
that It would be difficult to secure a
considerable number Of men earlier
than the regular drill hour.
After escorting General Lee to his Y
headquarters at the Jefferson Hotel.
the Blues Battalion will march to the 4
baseball park, which has been offered
to them through the courtesy Of Man
ager Bradley. for battalion drill. with
all three companies In service uniform.
TO Decorate City Hall.
President Peters. Of the Common
Council, and President Turpln. of the Y
Board of Aldermen. have called their
respective bodies to meet tonight
one at 5 and tho other at $3.50 O'clock
for the specific purpose of providing an
appropriation with which to have the II
City Hall decorated for the reunion.
In this connection 1t is significant
that n movement was started yesterday
by certain blic-spirited citizens on
the Tobacco Exchange to supply the s8
omission by the Council to provide for.
tho decoration Of the hall. These gem
tlemen, ono OF whom is a member of
the Council, set out to secure guar
antee fund. their purpose being to raise
sufficient money to insure rle appro-
pirate adornment of the beautiful mu-
nicipal structure. and to pay for the
work, in the event the Council failed 1
to meet and assume the expense. M
A considerable sum was subscribed lj
yesterday. not a man approached res
fusing to contribute. 1t was the pur-
pose of the projectors OF the move
ment to announce the result this even Il
irg, but their initiative in this matter
has convinced the Council OF Its error.
and has served to force action by that
body. The Councilmen do not admit n
tlat they were thus forced to remedy a
serious omission. but that appears to
be very clearly evident
The almost universal and Invariably
handsome decoration OF tho leading u
business houses OF tho city empha-
sized the failure OF the Council to
decorate thu hall, that structure being i
and isolated by reason OF
Its grim unadorned appearance There
Ia little doubt. however, that the Coun-
Gil Will Tonight make ample pro-
vision for properly arrayinE the hall
for this gala OCCASION.
Already the Council has appropriated
100000 for the entertainment OF re-
union visitors. The failure to provide
for decorating the hall was due to a
not unnatural misapprehension OF the
situation. An invitation to Two
branches OF tho Council to participate
IN tho reunion ceremonies ana unSel-
ing Of the Davis Monument on June
Sd had been addressed to President
Feters. but he was unex xpsctedIy away
from the city and did not return un-
I'll after the meeting. AT that meet
Ing the body vote down three sep
arate and distinct propositions to pro-
Vide for decoration. and II was tacitly s.S% 4