Evening star., 1909-04-30
will fly flags. banners and
Escort and Guard Of Honor.

In addition to the members of A. p Hill
Camp, Confederate Veterans, who have
been asked to take part In the unveilng
exercises, 1t Is planned to have a military
detachment to escort Mr.. Taft to Center
Hill Mansion, where luncheon will be
served and compose part of the guard of
honor for the chief executive when he
delivers his address from a platform on
q knoll in the rear Of the mansion. The
gates will be thrown open to the general
public and 1t is expected 10000 persons
will be present.
The tables on which the luncheon will
be served to 1.5OO persons on the spacious
lawn on Center Hill are unique. They are
made as boxes. which have been filled
with earth, over which sod has been
placed. The sod cutters have procured
hundreds of. blocks of turf which are
thickly covered with buttercups Besides
the turf and buttercups, which Will form
the top Of the table. grass seed has
fresher appearance, and growing flowers
will be placed in the center of the table.
Gov. Stuart of Pennsylvania and his
staff will be in the party which escorts
President Taft to Fort Malone, where he
will unveil the sixty-foot monument and
bronze heroic statue. They will be ac-
companied by large delegation of vet
erans Of the 2OOth, 20Sth, 2O9th. 2O5th,
2O7th and 211th Regiments of Pennsyl-
vania Volunteer Infantry. all of whom
fought under Gen. Hartranft around
Fort Steadman, Dunn House. Fort Ma
hone and the other battlefields lying to
the east of Petersburg.
Gov. Stuart and Gov. Swanson Of Vir-
ginia will breakfast on the train with
President Taft
Gray Veterans Invited.
Mai A. c. Heidekuper of the Pennsyl-
vania veterans will be chief marshal of
the procession. At the request Of the
veterans, who spent $4,000 In rearing a
shaft to the memory Of their comrades
slain in the endeavor to blast their way
through Petersburg to Richmond. the
Confederate capital, the survivors of
Gen. A. P. Hills camp will assist in es-
corting the presidential party to the site
Of the unveiling and take an active part
in the ceremonies.
The members of A. P. Hill Camp. Con-
federate Veterans. have had collected
5000 bullets which passed between the
Federal and Confederate soldiers during
the siege Of Petersburg. These veterans
are able to distinguish the bullets used
by the contesting armies. The leaden
missiles will be suspended by blue and
gray ribbon. and pinned to the menu
dent Taft. The Confederate veterans
have certified to the history Of the bull
lets. the majority of which are muddy
and SCARED.
With a view of having their Southern
brothers join heartily with them in the
dedication and celebration, the Pennsyl-
vania veterans have requested that Con-
federate flags be used to mark one-half
the many battlefields around Petersburg.
while the Stars and Stripes indicate the
other half. Forty-five years after the
memorable ten months of strife here
abouts the Stars and Bars Of the c. S. A.
will again float over breastworks and
parapets. but with different significance
and mission.
Can't Proclaim a Holiday.
Several days ago the common council
and board Of aldermen of Petersburg
passed resolution requesting Gov. Swan
son to proclaim May 10 legal holiday
for the state of Virginia. w. N. Jones
and N. T. Patterson were appointed
committee to present the resolution to
the governor who replied. however. that
he did not have any authority to do this
He said in his letter:
There is no authority whatever In me
tn declare a legal holiday. No such au-
thority has ever been conferred upon the
governor, nor does he remotely possess
this right under the law OF the state. !
write to assure you 1t will afford me
great pleasure as Governor of Virginia,
and also personally, to do everything I
can to extend the hospitality and proper
courtesy of the state to these distin-
guished visitors. l feel sure the citizens
of Petersburg and the surrounding Sec
tion will cordially unite with you in doing
everything possible to make the visit of