Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-23
CARE OF VETERANS
/ AT COMING REUNION
Statement by Col. 7. S. Hop
kins Regarding Entertain
ment at Gettysburg.
TENTS PROVIDED FOR 4O5
VISITORS FROM DISTRICT
No Increase in This Number Prob
able-Pennsylvania May Arrange
Extra Accommodations.

DIStrlct or Columbia who Will be enter
tanned at Gettysburg made it necessary
for Col Thomas S. Hopkins. official rep
resentative of the commission for the
Gettysburg celebration, to issue a state
ment. in which he says that 4O6 is the
maximum number which can be provided
for from this city. This number, pub
lished in The Star Of yesterday, cannot
be exceeded. and the fact that 1t has
been published that 700 veterans from
the District of Columbia can be cared
for and that it is necessary only to
present army discharges or pension
papers to be admitted to the camp may
cause trouble at Gettysburg.
Statement by Col. Hopkins.
Col Hopkins said:
The statement has been published that
200 District of Columbia veterans will
attend the Gettysburg reunion. The ex-
act number of District of Columbia
veterans who will be at Gettysburg is
4O6. to each one Of whom 1 have issued
credentials emitting him to assignment
to tent and meals. and to such other COM
forts as are to be provided. And, in
stead of there being ninety tents for the
accommodation Of the District veterans.
the exact number of tents is forty-fve.
which is the proper allotment for the
number of men who will occupy them.
There is a possibility that another
published statement to the effect that an
honorable discharge from the army prop
erly dated. or a pension certificate. Will
suffice to pass the holder through the
guar may result in misunderstanding
and confusion. In order to avoid such a
contingency. 1 wish to announce that
while such papers will allow their owners
to participate In the reunion, they will
not entitle them to tent accommodation
or meals
"As the District representative of the
PENNSYLVANIA commission, am now, and
have been for the past two years, the
only one in the District with authority
to issue credentials to the local veterans
who will participate throughout the re-
union. My report of 405 such veterans
have already received its answer that
forty-five tents had been set aside for the
use of the local delegation
Special Features of Reunion.
One Of the special features Of the Get
tysburg reunion will be an enormous fire
works display on the night of July 8.
On the pyrotechnic program one of the
most interesting numbers will be the
enormous American flag, 200 feet long
and 40 feet wide. displayed in fire on
the summit of Little Round Top. while
half way down the mountain will be lined
out in blazing fire the figures of Union
and Confederate soldier clasping hands.
Ten carloads of other fireworks will be
burned that night. Perhaps one Of the
most interesting features will be the ex-
act reproduction in fire Of the signal code
of the Union army-sixteen set pieces in
red, white and blue fire. Radiant corps
badges of the Union and Confederate
troops engaged at Gettysburg will also be
shown upon the mountain side.
State May Provide.
HARRISBURG, Pa. June &.-Col.
Lewis e. Better, secretary Of the Gettys-
burg semi-centennial commission, who
came here from Gettysburg last night,
said he would take up with Gov. Tener
the question Of caring for veterans for
whom no provision has been made at tho
battlefield. 1t is estimated that several
thousand above the 10000 originally ex-
pected will arrive, and as the War De-
partment has no funds available, accord
ing to a recent statement by Secretary
Garrison, it will probably be a matter for
Pennsylvania to settle
Gov Tener will likely be asked to rec
ommend an additional appropriation by
the legislature. which Is now In session. so
that all veterans can be cared for, and
the state enter into an agreement with
the national government for quarters and
subsistence.
Committee to Represent Senate.
The committee to represent the Sem
ate at the celebration of the fiftieth
anniversary of the battle Of Gettys-
burg was appointed today as follows:
The Vice President and Senators New
lands. Bankhead. Shiveley, du Pont.
Thornton, Nelson, Works and Bradley.