Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-06-24
Great Gathering Of Veterans at Annu-
al Encampment of G.. A. R. at
Gettysburg.
ONE OF MOST UNIQUE
EVENTS IN ARMY HISTORY
Celebration of Anniversary Of Battle
of Gettysburg to Begin July
and vii Be Great.
UNITED PRESS I1AsnD WIRE /

Gettysburg, Pa, June 24-With the
opening here Thursday of the annual
encampment of the Pennsylvania G. A.
R., will begin the influx of veterans of
the civil war for the grand reunion
celebrating the 50th anniversary of one
of the greatest conflicts Of modern
times-the decisive battle of Gettys-
burg. The Pennsylvania veterans will
find all arrangements for the great
gathering completed and every aetaa
perfected both as to the care Of the
union and confederate veterans and
the general public. The celebration of
the anniversary of the battle of Get
tysburg will begin on July l and end
on Independence Day with the address
of President Wilson.
For the comfort and entertainment
of the 10000 veterans Of both the blue
and the gray uniform who are expect.
ed to be here, the federal government
individual states, the commonwealth OF
Pennsylvania in particular, the G.. A
R. and the United Confederate Veter
ans have worked increasingly for near
' ly a year and the presence Of the old
soldiers themselves only remains to
make the celebration one Of the mos
unique events in history.
Many Of the veterans will use thu
tents thrown up by the government fol
the use of the reunion participants
For some distance around the border o.
the town the fields are covered will
numberless large brown tents. Each i
provided with cots for five men, am
pie bed furnishings and contain eat
ing utensils which, after being used a
the camp, become the property of tn
man who uses them. The camps ar
laid out in regulation army fashioi
with avenues of large electric lights in
dicating the streets and state sections
Water mains, sewerage pipes and cleo
tric lighting systems today are in opel
alton throughout the tented village
and transportation facilities from tn
nearby towns thoroughly mapped ou
and ready.
! A great tent, seating between 1000
and $4,000 persons has been erecte
adjoining the main camp in which a
exercises and reunions of the veteran
will be held. The Pennsylvania Getty
burg commission, in charge Of the a
rangements for the reunion has urge
, that all veterans, north and soutl
, wear army corps or division badges &
means Of Identification. The con
mission has made no recommendatiC
in the matter of wearing uniforms, bt
each old soldier, whether "rebel" I
, Yank" will be welcomed heartily
! their old wartime costumes.
In order to avoid as far as possib
congestion of the railroads at the st
tions here in bringing and taking aws
l. crowds, the camp will be opened,
: complete readiness, on Sunday the 80
+ and will continue open until the fC
lowing Sunday, July 9th. This appli
to the veterans only.
The entire state constabulary tod
is establishing headquarters here to ?
fice the crowds, which are expected
run up into the hundreds of Thousand
, The encampment grounds, inside al
, out, will be guarded constantly by re
ular army troops. The camp is locat
near the famous battle ground, at
u southwest elge of the town and q
, joining historic Seminary Ridge a
the scene Of Pickett 8 charge.
According to the latest plans Of t
n reunion commission, the first day, Jr
is |, win be "veterans Day." with
d. erciseS under the direction Of the Per
n' sylvania commission, the G. A. R. a
% the United Confederate Veterans Jl
n. will be military Day." when tn,
will be exercises cOnducted nv I