Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-01-30
GETTYSBURG CELEBRATION
Col. Allen Home from Meeting 81
State Commissioners.
Nationwide Interest Felt in AnniycyI
sary Exercises which VIII Occupy
the First -Four Days of
Next July.

Col r. w. Allen returned Tuesda1
morning from Gettysburg, Pa. where h
attended a meeting of the Gettyshur
Battle Anniversary commissioners an,
state Representatives.. who are to a lar9
degree responsible for the arrangement
FOR the celebration which is IN take ntsc
during the first four days Of next July
ana which thousands Of veterans of botl
the blue and the gray from all paris n
.ne country will attend. The plans 70
the handling Of the vast crowds ar
terminating rapidly, and with the co
operation Of the governments of bo+lU
state and nation will be adequate
AS an Indication of the nation-wid
interest feit In the celebration, representa-
o''es "ero present at the conference from
connecticut Delaware, Georgia, Illinois
LOUISIANA Maryland, Massachusetts,
minnesota New Hampshire New Jersey
New York. North Carolina. Rhode Island
South Dakota Texas Vermont. Virginia
Wisconsin. the District Of Columbia an,
Porto Rico
Colonel Allen was Vermort's only ran
resentative, as only the chairmen OF IN
State commissions were invited AL
sociated with him in the work at this O,
OF the trip are Captain Frank KeneaI
OF Morrisvlle and Col. w. l. r. s,aolI
Of Springfield. The Vermont Iegislat,ro|
In an act recently passed. appronria,e
the sum of $1,000 for the transporte tior
of all honorably discharged soldiers "a
either army of the Civil War. ThJ
Governor appointed the commission which,
will have charge of the celebration an,
the working out of the details is left {
AdJutant-General and Quartermaster
General L. s. Tillotson.
At the conference the best Of spirit pre
vailed between the veterans of both
armies, and Governor Tener of Pennsyl
vania delivered an eloquent address od
welcome to both at the opening of thJ
conference The conferees we're the guest
OF the Union League club and were wei
entertained at the clubs headquarters
The tentative program, which is ar1
ranged by a subcommittee, is about Sd
follows:
July l, Veterans day-All survIvinr
soldiers Of the North and South I'D
be Invited TO take part as guests in the
celebration under the command of tho
commanders Of the Grand Army Of the
Republic and of the United Confederate
veterans.
July 2. Military day-Exercises to he
under the command of the chief OF staff
of the United States army. Special de-
tachments of each branch of the army n
be detailed and representatives Of the
National Guard Of different States TO be
chosen according to merit
July g. Civic day-Cnder the personal
direction of the governor Of PENNSYLVANIA.
the participants to he the governors of
different States. their stats and the gen
eral public
July 4, National day-The chief Justice
Of the Supreme Court will preside and
the President, vice-president, members OF
the cabinet, the justices of the Supreme
Court, the speaker, of the House of Rep.
resentatives and the congressional COM
mittee will be thu guests Of honor. At ten
o'clock mass meeting viii De held, at
which the President will deliver an
Grafton. At noon the cornerstone to the
peace memorial will be laid by the Presi-
dent, and that will conclude the official
exercises
The question OF taking care Of the
thousands OF visitors is a large and
difficult one but Is apparently in good
hands. At the conference DR.. Singmaster
president Of Pennsylvania College and
chairman Of the Gettysburg citizens com
mittee reported that a number of the
villages buildings could be converted into
sleeping quarters and that by so doing
the sleeping capacity Of the town could
be increased to 1900 The hotels have al
ready received requests for accommoda-
tons for more than 20 times their
capacity, and a request has been made for
1000 additional cots from the government
Inc camp TO be established under the
direction of the quartermaster's depart-
ment OF the army will be capable Of TAX
Ing care OF 4O,0o0 visitors. The estimates
for the cost OF the establishing and con-
Quoting Of the camp reach nearly $500. 0rN
Eight cots will be placed in each tent
and 5000 tents will be used The land 20
be used for this purpose is about 9l0
acres.
The obtaining of an adequate water
supply IS also troublesome, and artesian
wells are now being sunk for the use
OF the camp. Hospitals indrmaricS,
bakeries, etc, will all be brought into
play to make a tented city of twice The
population Of Burlington, Each cot will
be equipped with blankets, and an cat
ing kit will be furnished to each person.
These may be kept as souvenirs II
desired
The transportation facilities are no, at
the best now but Will be considerably inn
proved Two railroads run into the little
village but they cannot care for more
than 1900 passengers per day and as tho
attendance is estimated at about 5000
considerable difficulty wifi have to be
overcome AT that point,
In speaking at the conference regarding
the probable attendance, General Walker
estimated that not over $500 Coufederates
of the South would attend, as few of the
southern States had made appropriations.
Colonel SHELTON OF Massachusetts, said
that there was lamentahe Indifference
on the part of Maine, and that he had re-
ceived many letters from old soldiers
begging for aid 10 enable them to get
back to Gettysburg. His State would
provide for the transpor' tion Of, he in
mates Of the National Soldiers Home IN
Maine Mississippi has a 100000 deficit
in the State treasury and will make no
appropriation.
Many of the other states are coming
in strong, however, and viii follow tho
action taken by Vermont in appropriatins
money for the TRANSPORTATION of veterans
The Legislature of Minnesota Will act
shortly on bill to devote S25o0 to this
purpose, and similar legislation is pend
ing in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa. Indiana,
Utah, Ohio, West Virginia and other
States
The conference concluded Friday night
with a banquet at the Union club, which
,lnh nns nrnn ynl lllrinn The Il n rl..-.t