Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-06-12
VETERANS TOMEET
ON BATTLEFIELD
Reunion of Blue and Gray Armies
to Be Held at Gettysburg,
July |, 2, 3.
10000 EXPECTED TO ATTEND
State of Pennsylvania Extends Invita-.
ton to All Soldiers Who Fought in
Conflict Fifty Years Ago
Good Time Assured All.

Good Time Assured All.
Harrisburg, Pa.-Veterans of the
Civil War, both Blue and Gray, will
again meet, after fifty years, on the
battlefield at Gettysburg, Pa, on July
|. This time 1t will be reunion and
past differences will be but a mem
DRY.
The state of Pennsylvania on May
IL, 1903, created a commission to con-
slider and arrange for proper and
hitting recognition and observance, at
Gettysburg, of the fiftieth anniversary
of the battle of Gettysburg; to invite
the cooperation of the congress of
the United States, and of other states
and commonwealths, defined the COM
missions duties and prerogatives and
made an appropriation for prelimin-
AIRY expenses.
Text of Invitation to Veterans.
The invitation is as follows: penn
sylvania, by it's commission formally
invites the congress of the United
4 States and her Sister States and Com
monwealths to accept this invitation
from the commonwealth upon whose
soil the battle of Gettysburg was
fought, to share in this important an
niversary and to help make it an
event worthy of it's historical signifi-
canoe, and an occasion creditable and
impressive to our great and reunited
nation" and likewise invites the CO.
operation and participation of the
Grand Army Of the Republic and of
the United Confederate Veterans.
State viii Act as Host.
Pennsylvania-she providing all en-
tertainment at Gettysburg during July
/, 2, and A. 1918, for forty thousand
(40,000) "honorably discharged vete-
rams of the Civil war" and she and
the national government together, as
provided by the act of congress of
August 26, 1912, by each paying $780,
10000 for the war department with
the $300,000.00 total, to create and
maintain great camp around the bat
tlefield,
Camp Accommodations.
The camp comprises some two hun
dred and eighty contiguous acres,
starting about two hundred yards
from the high water mark monument
on the battlefield, and lying to the
southwest of the town and partly up
on the scene of the first days fight
consists of 5000 tents regularly hold
ing twelve men each, but now to hold
but eight veterans, each veteran be-
ing supplied with separate cot. The
Pennsylvania commission having
charge of the order of exercises dur
ing the celebration; the physical con-
troll of the camp and grounds and the
movements of troops and marching
bodies therein to be in charge of the
secretary of war under such officers
as he may detail for that purpose.
Free Transportation To and From
Gettysburg.
With each commonwealth, state
and territory rests absolutely the de-
termination, as each deems best, 20
what veterans of the Civil war it will
issue free transportation, Pennsyl-
vania's invitation being that to such
''honorably discharged veterans of
the Civil war" as come to Gettysburg
for the above celebration, either upon
free transportation or at their own
expense, and present proper creden-
tfaIs proving them to be such vet
Grams, she will provide, food, shelter
and entertainment during that period
but she furnishes free transportation
to no one, save only to her own vet
Grams or veterans now resident within
her borders, and to them only under
legislative direction, which is now
pending in her general assembly, the
national government furnishing no
free transportation at all
The Trunk Line Passenger associa-
ton in whose territory Gettysburg is,
has granted one and three-ffths
round-trip excursion rate, good going
June % and returning to original
starting point by July Is, twenty
day ticket, good only on same route
going and coming and costing two
cents per mile, but each state must
make it's own arrangements with the
ritory from that state to PennsyI-
vania. The railroads at Gettysburg
refuse, because of lack of room, to
park or accommodate there any cars
on side tracks
Program for Four Days.
The program for the four days ex-
ercises and entertainment is not yet
perfected in detail, but the tentative
suggestions are:
July VETERANS Day Appropri-
ate exercises under the joint direc-