Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1908-06-11


4 -
Birmingham, Ala, June S.-Ihe
Stars and Bars float from every staff
in Birmingham to-day and the martial
music of life and drum echoes through
the downtown streets. The nineteenth
annual reunion of the United Confed-
crate Veterans is at hand and to-day
witnessed the first big rush of visitors.
The advance guard OF visitors put in
an appearance yesterday, but not I'M
til the early trains this morning did
the rush begin in earnest.
Throughout the day there has been
an almost continuous stream of gray
clad veterans between the railroad
stations and the reunion headquarters
at he City Hall. The morning hours
gave evidence of the perfection OF the
local arrangements for the reception
and accommodation of the visitors.
Members of the general reception COM
mittee met every arriving train and
the veterans and their friends were
prom pIly 1uTH4sIOo WILL u AOOOSSoAJ
information and wherever desired an
escort was furnished to accompany
the visitors to the hotels. The Hotel
Hillman and other leading hostelr1es
were 500 filled and the overflow is
being Accommodated in oom1n houses
and in private homes which have gen
erously been thrown open for the ac-
comodotian of the visitors.
The ample accommodations afforded
in Birmingham and its easy accessi-
hility from any point in the South
will combine to raise the attendance
figures to the largest reached in recent
years. From Maryland and Texas.
from Missouri and Florida and from
all the other States intervening the
delegations are pouring into the city.
The death of General Stephen D. Lee,
the beloved commander-1n-chlef OF the
veterans, furnishes the one sad note to
what promised to be n of the hap
piest and most successful reunions in
the history of the organization. A
handsome portrait of General Lee,
heavily draped in black, is the most
conspicuous feature of the convention
hall decorations, and a service in
memory of the klate COMMANDMENTS
chiet will be one of the first things
on the after h reunion
opens.
The formal opening is set for 8
O'Clock o-morroW morning in the
Hippodrome, a large and commodious
building, situated almost in the heart
of Birmingham and of easy walking
access OF the hotels. The auditorium
accommodates over 5000 people and is
remarkable tor its excellent acoustic
properties.
General George P. Harrison. COM
mander of t~heiAlabama division. will
call the gathering to order, and the
invocation will be offered by the Rev.
DIR. J.. Williami Jones OF Richmond.
chaplain-general. Following this Gen
eral H~arrisonswin deliver his opening
addres. The official greetings will be
extended to the visitors by Governor
Conner, Gin behalf of the State of Ala
bama; Mayor George B. Ward, speak
ing for the City of Birmingham; Brig.
General J.. w. Bush, on behalf of the
Alabama veterans; Comrade r. N.
Rhodes, for the Sons of Veterans, and
Mrs. Charles G.. Browne, for the Ala
bama division of the United Daughters
of the Confederacy.
tomorrow afternoon Col. E. L. Rus
sell of Mobile will deliver the reunion
Grafton, and Judge A. o. Wright, OF
Jacksonville, Fla, will deliver his adj
dress on s"The Confederate Navy"
Tuesday night Governor and Mrs.
Conner will give a reception to The
veterans, and there will be fireworks
at the fair grounds.
Wednesday morning the Battle Abbey
committee will report and the place OF
the next reunion will be decided upon.
At noon the annual memorial exercises
will be held.
Wednesday afternoon will come the
reports of other committees and the
election of officers. The floral parade
under the auspices of the Sons of Vet
Grams will be given Wednesday after
noon.
The grand parade of veterans will
take place Thursday morning. General
Harrison, commander OF the Alabama
division, will be chief marshal of the
parade. The route will not be long, be-
cause everything is being done with
consideration for the advancing years