The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1909-08-10
q ALT LAKE CITY, Aug. g.

G. ALT LAKE CITY, Aug. o.
The first day of the forty
- third national encampment of
tthe Grand Army of the Republic
found 10000 veterans and visitors
quartered in this city with the
prospect of having their number
increased to $4,000 by next We'd
nesday. All day trains continued
to arrive. Their passengers were
conducted to their resting places
and soon they were lost in the
crowd. Drum and fife corps pa
raded the streets and at the va
rious headquarters, bands fur
nished martial music. Many be-
lated trains arrived late tonight
and the problem of caring for
their passengers was serious one.
All were tired and travel-worn and
much restlessness was displayed while
awaiting the search for lodgings.
OF the fourteen past commanders
in-chief now living five are in attend
ance at the present encampment.
They are Gen. S. S. Burdett of Wash
ington, D. c.; Eli Torrance of Mime
apolis, Mimi; John r. King of Balti-
more, Md; Corporal James Tanner of
Washington, D. c., and Gen. Charles
G. Burton of Nevada, Mo.
A reception in honor of Comman-
der-in-Chief Nevius was given by the
Women's Relief Corps tonight at the
rooms of the Commercial club. Three
thousand guests were present. In
the receiving line beside Commander
Nevius were Governor Spry and wife
and Mayor Brandsford and wife.
Campfires were held at the armory
and assembly hall buildings which
were addressed by Commander-in-
Chief Nevius, Senior Vice Commander
in-Chief j. Kent Hamilton and Past
Commander-in-Ch Chief Charles G. Bur-
ton, and Eli Torrance, Mrs. Mary E.
Gilman, national president Women's
Relief Corps, and Genevive Longield
Lane, national president Ladies of
the G. A. r. There was much activi-
ty during the day at the headquarters
of the commander-in-chief, closing up
the preliminaries of the encampment.
The political side of the encamp-
ment was made prominent through
the opening of the headquarters of
the rival claimants for coming hon
ors.
The indications are that the fight
between st. Louis and Atlantic City
for the encampment of 1910 is to be
warmly contested.
The result of the selection of the
next meeting place probably rests
with the delegates from New York,
Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana, as
they are the strongest numerically.
For commander-in-chief, Ex-Gover-
nor Vansant of Minnesota, and w. l..
Ketcham of Indiana, continue to be
the active candidates. Friends Of L.
T. Dickerson of Illinois, urged him to
seek the coveted honor but he de-
clined. In consequence sentiment
in his behalf for 1910 is being devel-
.oped
Union veterans are least numerous
in the states south of Mason and Dix
.on's line, but every state of the late
confederacy has a delegation here.
Between them, Louisiana and Missis-
sippi have mustered about is veter-
ans. Texas sends 20. Georgia has
furnished the largest delegation from
the far south. There are, perhaps,
fifty colored veterans at the encamp-
ment. Careful attention has been CIV
EN- to their needs and all have been
uuartered with colored citizens of
Salt Lake.
Late in the afternoon special
train from Kansas City debarked 250
Kansans including Grand Army vet
Grams, their wives, the Modoc Glee
club of Topeka and the Ellis Union
Pacific band. Their march from the
Oregon Short Line depot to the head
quarters attracted the undivided at
tention of the street crowds.
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