Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-03


contempt for age and its ills. they gave
| proof that a soldier is never half so
| old as he looks.
CONVENTIONS CLOSE
THEIR BUSINESS SESSIONS
Yesterday saw the end OF tho re-
| unions business sessions. More and
| more the annual gatherings OF the old
soldiers find the volume of business be-
fore them diminished. Their biggest
battles and readjustments have been
| fought. 1t is time to rest. The sons
OF the veterans must complete what
their fathers have not found time to do
When the dusk descended yesterday
every committee had reported its
years work, every address had been
delivered. a new commander had been
| elected. and a great Southern city had
been chosen as the seat of next years
| reunion. The work was over and
there remained only the big spectacle
of to-day.
The day witnessed the arrival of the
Governors Foot Guard OF Connecticut
the knlGhtly Yankee troop that will
march shoulder to shoulder to-day with
their friends. the enemy. In the af-
tcrnoon came the cadets from the Vir-
ginia Military 1nsutute-the South's
West Point. whose schoolboy soldiers
left their textbooks and playing at
war to earn lasting fame at New
market.
GENERAL HOLIDAY IN
RICHMOND TODAY
In honor OF to-day's event, industry
has stilled its wheels and commerce
has closed its doors. Factories. shops
and department stores, scores and
hundreds OF them, notified their work
ers yesterday that they need not re-
| port for their daily tasks to-day. The
Mayor has proclaimed n city-wide holt
day, applying to every employee of the
| city. excepting only those to whom
| Richmond looks for instant protection
against riot, pestilence or fire.
Never in the history of the city have
| its residences and business houses
dressed up for a patriotic occasion as
| they have for this years reunion
Even during yesterdays driving rain
belated citizens and merchants be-
stirred themselves to decorate their
| domicilcs and places of business with
! the colors of the Confcderacy.
Optimists pointed out the fact yes
terday that. while the rain descended
numerically during the two business
days of the reunion. il interfered in
| no way with the general program, eX-
| cept to break up few tennis sets. 1t
| interfcred. it is true, with the floral
| parade, which was to have taken place
| yesterday afternoon, but only to post
pone it until to-day, and make it add
to the glory of the reunions closing.
HOPES VETERANS MAY
SEE SIGHTS OF CITY
&c
thing about the rain" said President
Peters. of the Common Council last
, night 1T kept within doors thous-
ands of veterans and visitors who
would have spent tho days riding about
| the city and suburbs and becoming
| acquainted with its objects of art and
| history. Many of them contrived to
| visit the most important points Of in
| terest in spite of the rain. but thous-
ands found ii more comfortable to re-
main at the hotels and camps. Let us
| hope that we viii have the oppor-
| tunity 81 entertaining these visitors
| again under better weather conditions
Il have seen most OF the big gather
| ings that have been in Richmond in
the last twenty years. The crowd that
| is attending this reunion. however is
| by far the largest that has ever been
in the city. II is an occasion of which
the city may be proud"
| While the grand parade, which will
start at IL o'clock this morning from
Capitol Square. will be the outstanding
event Of the day. at least .hree other
events will demand a share OF the honor
! The parade will be followed by the
I laying OF the corner stone OF the Stone
wall Jackson Monument. upon which
.Stn
be delivered BY Major William a. An
derson. formerly Attorney General of
! Virginia.
WILL. PROCEED WITH
| CORNERSTONE LAYING:
| I'VE are proceeding on the assump-
ton that tomorrow will be clear. and
that the cornerstone laying will take
place without discomfort" said Judge
George l.. Christian. of the Jackson
Monument Association. last night. Rain
or no rain. the cornerstone will be
! laid II the weather conditions, in
spite of our hopes and beliefs to the
contrary, should prove adverse pro-
visions will be hastily made to insure
some degree OF comfort to those par
| ticipating in the exercises"
| Al o'clock this afternoon will tako
place the automobile floral parade.
| postponed from yesterday. Chairman
Moses Thalhimer, OF the floral parade
committee. directed yesterday that all
machines entered for this even, he IN
! their appointed places at $40 o'clock
| in order that there may be no DELAY
| in starting. The floral parade vii,
start from the Broad Street side of the
| City Hall.
| Blake Not Candidate
| George Med. Blake, who several DAYS
| ago tentatively announced his candi :
dacy for the Legislature, from the CITY