The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-14
EVERYBODY WORKED TO
 MAKE REUNION SUCCESS
Leaders Commend the Various Com mittees for the Fidelity With Which They Looked After
 the Various Details.

efficient service, and to Capt. Frank P. l G 'Brien for his services. The committee
 aiso issued an address to the people of
 Birmingham which shows them just hos
 the great triumph for Birmingham was 1 accomplished.
 To the Citizens of Birmingham: The executive committee for the enter tainment of the eighteenth reunion of the | United Confederate Veterans feels that 1t
 IS it's duty and pleasure at this time to
 make a brief statement to the citizens of Birmingham that they may be ap-
 prised of some of the important facts going to make up the story of magnificent
 civic cooperation that has fully answered
 the question of Birmingham's ability to house, feed, transport and entertain her guests in no matter what number they
 may come.
 The citizenship of Birmingham, the newest and most cosmopolitan of any southern city, has joined hands, ire spective of birthplace or previous per-
 sonal opinion in wide circle of welcome
 and hospitality; taken into it's midst and cone honor to the men who fought val
 
 | The citizen who has not lent some character of aid is the exception, and no doubt regrets the circumstances, what ever they may have been, that prevented Lis or her cooperation and will at the
 next call be among the fist to respond. We should remember with pride that 1 this work was undertaken in the face of one of the most acute financial panics of | modern times.
 | The chairman of the finance committee with his associates worked in the face of this condition, and with the aid of
 many citizens, succeeded in spite of this l burden in raising a sufficient sum to care | for thoroughly and wholesomelyl every veteran who accepted the citys invitation ! and in addition to provide series of most pleasing entertainments for all Bir- | mingham's guests. Very little of this l IT oney went into tinsel, and yet through | u e efforts of the badge and decoration 1 committees the Veterans and the Sons | received beautiful and artistic souvenirs; | and the bunting on streets and stores |. throughout the city continually spoke welcome, while thousands of flags clapped
 their hands in applause and pleasure. | The homes committee after months of systematic work, was ready with the as-
 .:stance of the volunteers from the Hign | school and many citizens to assign %
 quarters and conduct to homes all in-
 ouiring veterans and visitors.
 The commissary committee was prompt | ly ready at Hotel Gordon to feed, seated | tA fttrr raic1, nj
 beds and cots in nice, ventilated build
 ing for 2OOO, and to amply protect in
 well provided hospital the sick, and
 through special police the sleeping. l The reception committee had all hea1- | quarters, assembly places, all audito- 1 riums for the meeting places of Vet | erans Sons of Veterans, Memorial asso- | citation and others fully ready.
 | The music committee after many re- l countings of the comparatively small amount of money at their disposal, suc-
 ceeded in bringing together many bands
 end musical organizations, some of them
 volunteers without pay and furnished
 splendid music, not only in the two pa | fades, but at intervals, both in the city
 and Hotel Gordon throughout three days and nights.
 The entertainment committee, also linn | ited in funds, continued to work until in | some pleasing way entertainment was | furnished at two or more places in the | city and at Hotel Gordon during every | snare moment of the three days.
 The parade committee, weeks in ad-
 vance, laid off in minute detail the po-
 sitions of all organizations and individ-
 uals taking part in the parade, the exact
 route along which they were to move, | and furnished each with full informa- l ton.
 | The horse and carriage committee hal l a tremendously hard task, Birmingham's supply of both, especially. saddle horses,
 being very limited, but by dint of had
 work they fully overcame their diff 1 culties
 The executive committee. after diligent l inquiry, addressed to those in authority | among the veterans and to cities which 1 had previously entertained the veterans was of the opinion that visitors from a | distance and veterans attending the re- | union would not exceed 25,0O0, and the number of veterans to be housed at Ho- l iel Gordon would not exceed 15OO. 1 When on Monday night and Tuesday | the railroads entering Birmingham de- | iivered more than 37,O00 people and more l than 5000 veterans accepted our invita- ton for sleeping quarters, and 45OO for l meals, the task of homes, commissary 1 and reception committees can be realized. Our sister city of Ensley came to our l help and housed free more than 500; ac- | commodations at Hotel Gordon were rap | idly expanded and the Athletic club and | Y. M. c. A. opened up their gymnasiums. l By ? o'clock Tuesday morning every vet | eran that inquired or could be found was | provided with a place to sleep and on | Tuesday and Wednesday nights provision | was ample the committees having more | than 600 beds ready which were not called | for. The city entertained 6O.0OO during the reunion.
 The U. D. C's through a committee | headed by Mrs. Charles c. Brown, en- tertained most delightfully."- the Confed- erated Southern Memorial association and | thus greatly aided the executive conn mittee. The w. c. T. U. furnished the vet