New Britain herald., 1915-04-15
FOUR CONVENTIONS
 ARE IN SESSION HERE
Annual EnCaDpment Of C. A. R.
 Opcas in State ATn0Ty.
VETERANS ENJOY AUTO RIDE
Deaths in State Organization This
 Year Numbered 2O6-Big Time Is Echcdliled for This Eve
ming.


 ming.
 Although the ranks of the Grand Army of the Republic in this state were thinned by 2O6 deaths during the year, the attendance of the vet erans at the forty-eighth annual en- campment which opened in this city this morning compared favorably with that of gatherings held in recent years and it is estimated that the number who attended the first general ternoon was far in excess of three hundred It is believed that the number will have been increased to nearly five hundred by the time the camp fire is called to order at 8 o'clock tonight.
 At 4:15 this afternoon the veterans were taken in an automobile parade through the city and to Kensington. The most impressive parade, however, will be that from the G. A. R. hall on main street to the state armory, when the veterans will be on foot, accom- panied by Companies E and I, First Regiment, c. N. G., and the six Boy Scout troops of the city.
 Four Conventions Today.
 New Britain is entertaining dele gates to four conventions today. In addition to the G. A. F. encampment there is the thirty-first encampment of the Sons of Veterans of Connecticut and the conventions of the Ladies of the G. A. +. and the Daughters of Veterans.
 The weather has been ideal, the city has been covered with flags, bunting, and welcome signs, the en- tertainment facilities have been eX ceptionallY. good, and the city has ably f.demonstrated it's ability to pro- vide accommodations for the dele gates of all the conventions. t,..s.
 By holding the Made in New Brit ain Week" at the same time as the c. A. R. convention, the Chamber of Commerce has succeeded in adding another feature to the weeks events and as a result the store windows are decorated as they have seldom been decorated before
 Convention Of Auxiliarics.
 The convention of the Daughters of Veterans was opened at 11:30 o'clock this morning in Jr. O. U. A. M. hall. No business was transacted, an ad- .journment being taken until ? o'clock this afternoon, when the ladies got down to the real business or the con- vention.
 The Ladies of the G. A. R. opened their fifteenth annual convention at II o'clock this morning in Jr.l o. U. A, M hall Mrs. Elizabeth Sears of Bridgeport the department president, presiding. Forty-five delegates an swered to the roll call. The principal business of the morning was the visit made to the convention of the Sons of Veterans in session in Judas hall by Department President Mrs. Sears and her staff.
 The Ladies of the G. A. R. is the older of the two ladies auXiliaries to the c. A. R. and has f1ve circles in the state, with a membership of 197. The circles are located in Putnam, Central Village, New Haven, and two in Bridgeport. The financial con diton is reported to be good, The last session of the organization at this convention will be held at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. Visits were fn- terchanged with the other organiza- tions in convention here, the visit to the G. A. R. encampment being made thIs afternoon.
 One of the interesting facts of the convention of the Ladies of the c. A. ! R. is that the auxiliary is in ses- | sion at the same time and place as the G. A. R. for the first time in i the history of the state. Comman- der Streeter of the G. A. R. is re- ] sponsibe for this arrangement.
 Sons of Veterans.
 IT. Fl. Hammer of Reading, Pa, 1 national secretary of the Sons of Vet i erans, was present at this mornings 1 session of that body, and was made i an honorary member of this divi- ! sion in recognition of his faithful i services during the period he has 1 held the office.
 Commander-in- n-Chief Charles r. 1 Sherman made the principal address of the day to the Sons this morning, adding words of encouragement and praise to the message which he was unable to deliver at the banquet held last night at the Hotel Beloin. Stir ring addresses were also made by i Commander s. V. Streeter amt Commander-in-Chh David J. Palmer of the the c. A. R. during the reception given the G. A. R. rep rescntativeS this morning. More than one hundred delegates from all parts of the state answered the roll call this morning.
 Department Commander F. Vii Strceter presided over the opening session of the G. A. F. this after noon. Mayor George A. Quisley de- nvcreu the address of welcome. The