The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1908-current, 1911-05-16
CAPITAL INVADED
BY D|X|E'S HOSTS
CROWDS ,MANACED
OPENING EXERCISES OF VET.
ERANS' ANNUAL CONVEN-
TION ARE HELD.

Little Rock, May 16.-All calcula-
tons by railroad and reunion officials
have been discounted by the crowds
that have been pouring into Little
Rock from every center of Dixie since
early Monday morning. 1t is now es-
| tlnated that by Wednesday morning
there viii be $4,000 visitors here. The
streets and hotel lobbies and public
places are a seething mass of human
Ity, and never before in the history OF
Little Rock has there been such a tre-
mendous crowd.
Every Southern state is represent
ed by delegations of from d few doz
en- to several thousand and the indi
cations are that Arkansas has turneC
out en- masse for the gala occasion
The crowds, arriving at short inter
walls in special trains over the various
roads, are all met at the stations and
escorted to headquarters. The vetef-
ans are assigned to Camp Shaver, in
the City Park, where they are quar-
tered without cost in a tented city of
10000, under military discipline and
organization, and commanded by Gen.
r. G. Shaver. Here provision is made
q L.,
wheer the provisions are ample and
service prompt. The veterans are the
special guests of the city, and every
thing is done for their comfort.
The various official headquarters
and registration booths are scenes of
the greatest activity. Adjt. Gen. W.
K. Mickle and Gen. Gordon have head
quarters at the Hotel Marion. and are
very busy men.
| The weather has been perfect and
every condition propitious. All COM
ers are being provided with quarters
by the lodging and eating committee
which maintains headquarters at the
old state house and the railroad sta
tions. Reservations have been made
in the private residences of the city
for $4,000 visitors, and the hotels.
restaurants and boarding houses have
doubled their capacity. EXtortions to
charges are carefully guarded against
| by the reunion officials, and the first
day one restaurant that was report
ed to have charged 40 cents for TWO
eggs was promptly closed.
The souvenir seller, sandwich and
cold drink vendor are ubiquitous, ana
and literally patronized by those who
like that sort of amusement
The police regulations are adequate
and there has been no trouble up to
the present time. The local force has
been greatly increased for the occas-
ion, and great many officers from all
over the state and detectives from the
big cities are minglng with the vast
crowd to protect the unwary and nal
the crooks who follow all crowds.
Over three hundred members of the
Arkansas National Guard, under the
command of Gen. w. K Surrdge, are
on duty at Camp Shaver, as a guard
of honor for the veteran guests.
Old comrades from Spokane clasp
hands with old comrades from Tampa
who have not met since the war Re
unions of battalions, and regiments,
and troops of cavalry, of companies
depleted to two or three, and of dc
partments are among the unprogram-
ed events of a Reunion so great that
no one man can grasp it completely.
The official exercises began Mon
day afternoon at the city hall with
the meeting of the Confederate
numerous addresses of welcome, and
a response by the president, Mrs. ".
j. Behan.
Last night the United Sons of Con-
federate Veterans held their conven-
ton at the Y. NJ. C. A. hall, one OF
the notable features being the songs
by the United Confederate choirs.
Much to teh disappointment of many,
three of the most celebrated of those
on the program did not appear, Rich
mond Pearson Hobson, John Fox, Jr.,
and Lee Meriwether. The presiding
officers were Commandant W. G. Hut
ton of Robert C. Newton Camp, Brig
ade Commander j. j. Doyne of Con-
way, Arkansas Division Commander
Henry S. Hartzog, of Little Rock,
Department Commander Cloyd II.
Read of Dallas, Tex, and Clarence j.
Owens of Washington, ID. c., COM
mander in chief of the organization.
The convention of veterans opened
at the auditorium at $50 a. m. today,
with Gen. j. F. Smith, commanding
Arkansas division, presiding Here
again the United Confederate choirs
furnished the stirring songs that
reused the patriotic blood of the as
sembled veterans and their descend
ants There were addresses of well
come by Judge w. NJ, Kavanaugh,
Prof. Junius Jordan, Mayor Charles
f. Taylor, Col. George l.. Basham,
Dr. Henry S. Hartzog, Gov, George
W. Donaghey, and response by Gen.
George w. Gordon of Memphis
The oration will be delivered this