The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-06-09
GRAY VETERANS
At BIRMINGHAM
REUNION OF UNITED CONFED
ERATE VETERANS OPENED
THERE YESTERDAY.
DEATH OF CEN. s. D. LEE
Casts Shadow Over Gatherlng--At-
tendance Expected to Be the
Largest For Some Years
Big Ball Feature.

Birmingham, Ala, June 8.-The
Stars and Bars float from e7ory staff
In Birmingham today and the marti Il
mlsic Of fife and drum echoes through
the down town streets. The annual
reunion Of the United Confederate
Veterans is at hand and today wit
messed the first big rush OF visitors.
The advance guard of visitors put in
an pearance yesterday, but not un
til the early trains this morning dil
the rush begin in earnest
The death Ct General Sterhen d,
Lee, the beloved COMMUNICATIVE iet
of the veterans, furnishes the one
sad note to what promised to be one
of the happiest and most successful
reunions in the history of the or.
ganiZation. A handsome portrait of
Is the most conspicuous feature Of
the convention hall decorations, and
service in memory Of the late com
manderin-chlef VIII be one of the
first things on the program af er tle
reunion opens.
The formal opening is set for 3
o'clock tomorrow morning in the
Hlppodrome, large and comma dious
building, situated almost in the heart
of Birminkham and of easy access OF
the hotels. The auditorium accom-
modates over 5000 people and is re
markable for its excellent properties.
General George p. Harrison, com
mander of the Alabama division, WI
call the gathering TO order, and the
invocation viii be offered by the Rev
DR.. ]. William Jones of Richm nj
chaplain general. Following this
General Harrison VIII deliver his
opening address. The official greet.
ings will be extended to the visitors
by Governor Conner, In behalf of the
state of Alabama; Mayor George B.
Ward, speaking for the city of Biz
lmingham: Brig. Gen. ]. w. Bush, On
| behalf Of the Alabama veterans: Com
rade r. ~ Rhodes for the S ms OF
| Veterans, and Mrs. Charles G. Browns
| for the Alabama division of the
United Daughters of the Confederacy
Tomorrow afternoon Col. f. y
Russell of Mobile, will deliver the re
union Grafton, and Judge A. o. WRIGHT
of Jacksonville, Fla. will deliver his
address on 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 Alb
hey committee will report and the
place of the next reunion will be de
cided upon. At noon the annua
memorial exercises will be held
Wednesday afternoon will come the
reports of other committees and tn
election of officers. The floral parad,
under the auspices of the Sons o
Veterans viii be given Wednesda.
afternoon.
The grand parade of veterans viii
take place Thursday morning. Gen
eral Harrison, commander of the Ala
bama division, will be chief marsha
of the parade. The route will not b'
long, because everything Is benz
done with consideration for the ad
vancing years of the veterans.
There will be no end to the socia
entertainment provided for tn
visitors. The chief feature of the ed
tertainment program. OF course. wi
be the big ball under the auspices O
the sons, in honor of the veterans
Sons of Veterans, and sponsors an
maids of honor. The ball will b
given in the big Hippodrome.
+ Regimental reunions will be hel
daily in Capital park, its six acres {
beautiful lawn making 1t an idei
place for such occasions. The par
is only five blocks from the bushes
! center of the city and seven block
from the Hippodrome, where the Sc
, sions of the reunion are to be held.