The Detroit times., 1913-07-02
Hospital Facilities Taxed To Ut
most, As Scores of Old Sol
diers Collapse Under Bis
tering Rays of Sun
VISITORS WOULD SOONER
DIE IN FIELD THAN HOMES
Reading of Gettysburg Address
of Martyred Lincoln Feature
Today

GETTYSBURG, Pa, July 2.-Unless
thore is decided drop in temperature,
or this section is deluged by rain, the
death toll of the union and confeder-
ate reunion. now In progress here,
promises to be very large.
The suffering is. intense. Torrid
heat and a heavy percentage of humid
ity, coupled with the change in their
usual habits Of eating and drinking,
are causing dozens In their usual
habits of eating and drinking, are
causing dozens of the old soldiers to
collapse and the hospital corps is al
ready overworked with three full days
of the reunion still come.
The brown army tents are veritable
ovens. For two days now there has
been practically no breeze. And many
OF the veterans were completely worn
o,i' by the long, hard trip TO get here.
Most of them would have been bet
ter of had they remained at home,
but they were not 70 be denied the
privilege OF moving about among
their surviving comrades and paying
what will probably be the last public
general tribute TO the armies of the
south and Of the north In the days OF
1861. SO the government officials are
doing their best to care for their
charges In every way and are hoping
for change in weather.
To-day 10 Military Day.
This was military day. The forces
OF the north and the south are being
specially honored. In the big tent
where all of the formal functions are
held, the veterans assembled to listen
10 praise Of the heroism shown Ayl the
twtue-soo Eulosjss or the sf6ftn
wsyG B6unded -py-RmaJor general
John r. Brooke, OF Pennsylvania,
While those OF the south were record
Cd by Sergeant John G. Scarborough.
of South Carolina. And as climax to
the two efforts came the reading OF
the martyred Iincoln's Gettysburg ad-
uress by Barry Bulkley
There was a decided check TO the
Wild enthusiasm which has marked
tGe proceedings up TO today. Yester-
d. terrible heat, which lasted we'll
into the night. had taken heavy toll
of the reserve strength OF the old war
ricrs. They did not respond as quick
ly TO the bugle this morning, many
rreferring to go without their break
lasts to leaving the shelter Of their
tents and the hay piled cots on which
they were comfortably resting. There
we're 53 prostrations yesterday, which
necessitated the removal of the vic.
TINS TO the general hospital and there
we're three times that number who
received treatment and were taken
TO their tents TO recover.
The remarkable thing so far has
been the small number of deaths. Only
FIVE have been reported TO date, and
ii is pointed out that this is far below
the average. With more than 90. 900
men In camp all over 6S years of age
the death rate, according to the law of
average, should be much higher. How
ever, the surgeons in charge fear that
rs the camp draws to a close the fig
ures will be increased
Close Saloons Early.
X Ia because OF this that orders
have been issued that the saloons i'm
gettysburg be closed at 30 nightly.
II was feared that the spirit of con-
VITALITY and cOmradeship would cause
some OF the old soldiers TO indulge too
freely and thus injure their health
The commissioners asked Gov. Tener
70 have the drinking places closed
while the camp was on, but he de.
ciafed that he did not have the power
10 DO this, and then. when the burgess
<COntinucd ON Pnge Tcn)