Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-04-16
PLANS FOR
entertaining
At Annual Reunion of Con-
federate Veterans In
Birmingham.
MUSIC A FEATURE.
Number of Entertainments
Planned for the Pleasure
of the Veterans.
(BY JAS. B. KEELING.)

WOrK OF preparation HAS DSeu ROlHS
on, increasing in size every day,
while nearly the same length of time
intervenes between now and the
holding of the reunion in Birming-
ham next June.
Birmingham's civic pride is being
exenplified in the manner of her
preparation for this great event.
Solid, sturdy business men with
heavy business cares upon them are
devoting hours of their time to the
making Of the reunion a success. 1t
is safe to say that it would be impos-
sible to contract with any of them
to devote the same amount of time
to an ordinary business proposition
for a salary of less than several hun
dred dollars per month. And yet the
many committees, and especially the
executive and finance committees,
have been holding meetings two or
three afternoons week for the last
eight weeks planning for the best way
of entertaining the old fighters, and
it rarely happens that a member of
the committee is absent.
The first thing, that which is re-
garded above all others, is the care
and comfort of the veterans. This
is to come first and the entertain
ment of the sponsors and other So
cial affairs afterward. Nothing will
be left undone to make the heroes of
'61-65 feel happy and contented while
they are Birmingham's guests.
There will he thousands Of them,
but Birmingham will be equal to the
occasion. To those who do not feel
able to pay for their lodging and
Board especial attention will be paid,
One Of the largest buildings at the
fair grounds will be converted into
a hotel for their accommodation.
This hotel will bear the name of John
B. Gordon.
Several thousand cots will be
placed in the building and the only
request made of the veterans is that
they bring blankets. Accommoda-
tons of all kinds will be supplied,
while everything palatable in the
eating line will be provided. Huge
kitchens will be fitted up, while ex-
pert barbecue cooks will be kept
steadily at work from the time the
reunion begins until the finish.
There will be no limit either as to
the amount of food. A veteran
may eat once, twice or dozen
times day if he wishes. as the din
ing room will be open all day.
The Hippodrome Skating Audito,
rum will be used as convention
hall The acoustics of this building
are very good and the seating ca
pacity will accommodate more than
5000. The grand ball will also be
given in the Hippodrome. From
the fair grounds to the Hippodrome
is ride of only II minutes.
General headquarters for the as
signment of rooms and other work
of the reunion will be in the City
Hall, while the different generals
will establish separate headquarters
for their commands. Reservations
for headquarters are being made
right along, among those being Gen.
Stephen D. Lee and Gen. William
E. Mickle, who have reservations at
the Hotel Hillman, while General
Tyler has reserved headquarters at
the New Morris Hotel for himself
and the surviving members of For
rests Cavalry. Requests for reser-
vations are being received daily.
Regimental reunions will be held
in Capital Park, its six acres of beau
tiful lawn and closeness to the heart
of town making it an ideal place for
such occasions. 1t is only five blocks
from the corner of Second avenue
and Twentieth street, the business
center of town. and seven blocks
from the Hippodrome Skating Au-
ditorium. the convention hall.
There will be number of enter
Aainrnants for the nlaaallra of the