The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1913-07-02

''i" 'cIeidhS arriving 10 participate
| in the exercises commemorating the
fftieth anniversary of the battle of
Gettysburg, said to-day that the event
| would go down in history as one of
the greatest Reunions Of it's kind ever
witnessed. The officers said the mag
nitude of the undertaking would be diff
ficult to grasp, even if the encamp-
ment were for the entertainment of
| $4,000 men i nthe prime Of life, but
when one considered that tie average
age OF the veteran is 70 years the
task before those in charge of the
camp must be realized.
The real invasion OF the quaint lit
tie border town began early this morn
ing. 1t is expected to reach it's height
by tomorrow night, and gallantly the
little borough of 1000 has tackled the
proposition of caring for it's guests.
Weather Extremely Hot.
To add to the difficulties and dangers
of situation hazardous under any
circumstances. the weather is almost
unbearable. With a sun blazing saw
agely the humidity Is so high that the
least movement is productive of eX-
haustion. Thus far the veterans al
ready here contented themselves
very largely with sitting about in
shady places talking. Already there
have ben several cases of heat ex-
haustion.
BY the telephone system in the
camp, the construction of which in
volved the strnging of 120 miles of
wire, it will be possible to telephone
fro many point in the camp to any
part of the country reached by the tel
phone system.
The Fratcrnal Spirit.
From shortly after sunrise until late
at night the streets of Gettysburg were
crowded with the veterans, North and
South. Some OF them paraded, cheer
ingng and singing in fartcrniZing ex-
uberance with former foes. while 9th
crs gathered in groups and rccantcd
the stirring times of fifty years ago.
Those overcome by the heat were
, treated at the emergency hospital of
the State department. OF health and all
are out of danger
Veterans arc arriving on every train
and they are in town, but a short time
before n start is made for the big
camp, the scene OF which many have
not visited since the stirring days of
the Gettysburg campaign. In spite of
the heat yesterday the maximum tenn
perature being 9S degrees, many of
them walked over the entire area and
officials in charge said that the small
number of prostrations demonstrated
chat the physical condition Of ne old
| soldiers was of the best.
Two Hospitals Ready.
Elaborate preparations have been
made to protect the health of the vet
Grams while here. There are two large
hospitals with a capacity of 1,SOO de-
signed only for seriously persons.
These are supplemented by three rcgi-
mental hospitals, II Red Cross stations
and 20 first aid stations complete
ambulance battalion of the United
States army with Is horse ambulances
and two automobile ambulances will
take care OF any who fal sick. The
provisional hospitals, besides wards
and diet kitchens. have complete op>
Grating room and the arrangements in
clude everything down to shower
! bath.
I'VE hope the elaborate arrange
ments we have made will not be need
| ed said Major Huntington at the pro-
visional hospital. "It will be largely
question of weather If it is cloudy
we may not be needed at ALL AS it
is, we do not expect an yvery serious
cases"
Representation by States.
Lieut. Simon Bolivar Buckner, son of
the ranking surviving officer of the
Confederate army, who is assisting
Major Normoyle, in command at the
camp, to-day made public the number
of old soldiers that each State expects
to send to the Reunion
Pennsylvania heads the list with IL
$40: New York is second with 9G93
and New Jersey third with ,9S9. Mas
sachusctts will send / ,S3G; Virginia =
S27 North Carolina 1,2l5; Michigan
900: Fest Virginia, $40; Indiania GGG