200 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. the initiative, so by its action were the preliminary arrangements for the entertainment of the National Encampment made. The first step in these arrangements was taken by the appointment of a general committee which met November 10, and selected a special committee to report a plan of organization. The members of this special committee were Messrs. C. D. Firestone, chairman ; C. T. Clark, representing the J. C. McCoy Post, G. A. R.; N. B. Abbott, representing the J. M. Wells Post, G. A. R; H. T. Chittenden, representing the Ohio Centennial Commission ; and Philip H. Bruck, Mayor of the City. At a subsquent meeting of the general committee held December 27, the special committee reported a plan which was adopted in the following form : First.—The Centennial Joint Committee, consisting of the Board of Trade Committee, the Mayor of the City, and committees appointed by the City Council and two Grand Army Posts, shall. at the earliest date possible, elect by ballot a chief executive officer, who, for convenience, shall be officially known as Chairman of the Joint Executive Committee. The Chairman can make such appointments of staff officers as he may require. Second.—The Centennial Joint Committee shall divide up the work into sixteen divisions, or departments, and provide for each division of the work to be performed by a committee consisting of not less than three nor more than nine persons, as shall be deemed proper by the General Council to be hereinafter provided. Third—It shall be the duty of the Chairman of the General Council, within two weeks after due notice of his appointment, to nominate a chairman for each of the sixteen committees provided for in the second section ; these nominations to be subject to the approval of the Centennial Joint Committee. If any of the nominations are unsatisfactory to a majority of the Centennial Committee, it shall be the duty of the Chairman of the General Council to make other nominations until all the positions shall have been satisfactorily filled. Fourth—The sixteen persons appointed as chairmen of the several committees, shall, with the Chairman of the General Council, who shall be ex-officio chairman of the Board, constitute an Executive Board, which Board shall, for convenience, be known as the General Council. The General Council, when it shall have been properly organized by the selection of one of its members as Vice-Chairman, and by the selection of a Secretary (the Secretary may or may not be a member of the General Council), shall have full power and control of all matters pertaining to the entertaining of the Grand Army of the Republic, their powers being unlimited, except in respect to the expenditure of money, as hereafter provided. Fifth—The Chairman of each of the several committees shall nominate as many persons to be members of his committee as the General Council shall deem proper (not less than three nor more than nine, however), and if said nominations are approved by the General Council, the appointments shall be confirmed, otherwise other nominations shall be made until the committees shall have been satisfactorily filled. Sixth—The several committees shall have the management of the details pertaining to their parts of the work, subject, however, to the general direction of the Chairman of the General Council, and shall each report to the General Council, without unnecesary delay, a detailed estimate of the amount of money required. Seventh—It shall be the duty of the General Council to provide the Chairman of the General Council with a suitable office in which to transact business, and such clerical help as may be required to perform properly his duties. Eighth—Each of the several committees shall appoint one of its members Secretary. Such appointee shall keep a correct record of all meetings of the committee, and of the work done, and of the correspondence had, and keep the Chairman of the General Council fully informed of the action of the committee. W hen the work of the committee shall have been completed, the records of the committee shall be transmitted to the Chairman of the Gen- THE GREAT ENCAMPMENT - 201 eral Council, and by him turned over with the records of the General Council to the Secretary of the Columbus Board of Trade, which organization shall be the custodian of, and carefully preserve these papers . Ninth—Subject to the approval of the Disbursement Committee hereafter to be selected by the subscribers to the Centennial Fund, the General Council may place in the hands of the Chairman of the General Council a sum of money not exceeding five hundred dollars as a contingent fund, which fund may be used at the discretion of the Chairman of the General Council when it shall not be convenient to first pass upon the expenditure by the General Council. The Chairman of the General Council shall keep a correct record of such expenditures and report the same at the next meeting of the General Council. Tenth — No expenditure of money other than as provided for in the Ninth Section, shall be made, nor shall any contract be made involving the expenditure of money until such contract or expenditure shall have first been submitted and approved by the General Council. Eleventh — It shall be the duty of the General Council, at the earliest date practicable, to make up a statement and submit same to the Centennial Finance Committee, showing in detail, as far as may be feasible, the sum or sums of money that will be required by the General Council in the proper performance of the duties devolving upon them. Twelfth— Money shall be paid out only by a warrant drawn on the Treasurer of the Centennial Finance Committee, and such warrant shall show what the money is paid for, and shall be signed by the Chairman of the committee in charge of that part of the work for which the debt was contracted, and must be attested by the Chairman of the General Council. Thirteenth — The General Council may add any additional sub-committees and such other rules for their government, or for the government of the several committees as they shall deem desirable, such rules not being in conflict with the rules herein provided. Fourteenth— The General Council may, by a two-thirds vote of all the members thereof, remove the Chairman of any committee. For incompetency, neglect of duty, or for other good cause, the General Council, by a three-fourths vote of all the members thereof, may remove the Chairman of the General Council. Should a vacancy occur in the office of Chairman of the General Council or chairmanship of any committee, either through death, resignation or removal, the General Council is authorized to fill the vacancy by an election by ballot when a majority of all the votes of the Council shall be required to elect. Fifteenth— Suggestions for committees for G. A. R. —1, Committee on Finance ; 2, Programme, Entertainments, Parade, Camp-fires, etc.; 3, Reception of Guests ; 4, Decoration and Reviewing Stand ; 5, Music, Vocal and Instrumental ; 6, Printing; 7, Badges, Emblems, and Souvenirs; 8, Camps and Barracks; 9, Fireworks and Illumination ; 10, Relief Corps (Woman's); 11, Hotels, Boarding-houses and Private Accommodations ; 12, Halls and Headquarters ; 13, Registration; 14, Railroad Transportation ; 15, Horses and Carriages ; 16, The Press. The body which received and ratified this plan immediately, at the same meeting, elected Colonel A. G. Patton, a leading business man of the city and a soldier of brilliant record, as Chairman of the General Council. Meanwhile on December 9, the National Council of Administration of the Grand Army, and its Commander-in-Chief, Hon. John P. Rea, had held a conference at Columbus and had chosen the second week in September, 1888, as the time for holding the Twenty-second National Encampment. On January 16, 1888, the general committee again met, and received Colonel Patton's nominations for chairmen of the subcommittees, these chairmen, in pursuance of the plan adopted, to constitute the members of the General Council. 202 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. After some transfers and changes which took place in the original nominations, this body, constituting a supreme executive committee representing the city, comprised the following members: A. G. Patton, Chairman ; D. S. Gray, C. D. Firestone, John G. Mitchell, A. D. Rodgers, Henry C. Lonnie, Charles T. Clark, Moses H. Neil, N. B. Abbott, David Lanning, Carl N. Bancroft, R. M. Rownd, Gilbert C. Hpover, Emerson McMillin, Theodore H. Butler, Andrew Schwarz and W. D. Brickell. At its first meeting, held on January 17, the General Council completed its organization by electing C. D. Firestone as its Vice Chairman, and— on nomination of Colonel Patton — Alfred E. Lee as Secretary. Regular meetings were held thereafter on Saturday of each week until the end of the Encampment. In the course of business the members of the General Council, as provided in its organic act, selected the associate members of their respective committees, and submitted their selections for approval. The committees as thus constituted, organized and approved, were as follows : Finance —D. S. Gray, Chairman ; W. Y. Miles, Vice-Chairman ; Alexis Cope, Secretary ; George W. Sinks, John Joyce, Theodore Rhoads, Walter Crafts, George M. Peters, William B. Hayden. Parade, Camp-fires, etc.—C. D. Firestone, Chairman; W. F. Burdell, Vice-Chairman ; S. N. Cook, Secretary ; S. H. Hurst, James DeWolfe, D. F. Pugh, Alexis Cope, E. C. Beach. Reception—John G. Mitchell, Chairman ; James Kilbourne, Vice-Chairman ; William Neil, Secretary ; Walter Martin, Alexis Keeler, A. V. R. Patton, H. L. Rownd, W. F. Goodspeed, H. T. Chittenden, A. W. Young. Decoration—A. D. Rodgers, Chairman ; George D. Freeman, Vice-Chairman ; E. R. Vincent, Secretary ; James DeWolfe, E. N. Hatcher, H. A. Linthwaite, Phil. Clover, C. Jensen. Music Henry C. Lonnis, Chairman ; George H. Cless, Vice-Chairman ; E. W. Seeds, Secretary ; B. F. Reinmund, Fred Krumm, Charles Huston, A. A. Thoman, Frank N. Beebe. Printing—Charles T. Clark, Chairman ; John P. Slemmons, Vice-Chairman ; W. A. Miles, Secretary ; John H. Grove, C. M. Morris, R. D. McCarter, A. N. Ozias. William Wolf, S. Hambleton, Frank A. Davis. Badges—Moses H. Neil, Chairman ; J. J. Barber, Secretary ; L. T. Guerin, J. M. Elliott, W. J. Camnitz, John H. Rees, E. C. Beach, Joseph Amos, Charles H. Neil. Camps and Barracks—N. B. Abbott, Chairman ; E. C. Beach, Secretary ; W. A. Mahony, 0. R. Brake, Joseph Amos, J. T. Harris, H. Heinmiller, George Cunningham, L. N. Bonham. Illumination—David Lanning, Chairman ; E. W. Poe, Vice-Chairman; J. M. Batterson, E. A. Parr, Robert Dent, N. Gundesheimer, Charles A. Klie, A. E. Mayer. Woman's Relief Corps—Carl N. Bancroft, Chairman ; J. K. Jones, Vice-Chairman ; John W. Chapin, Secretary ; W. H. Halliday, Charles H. Parsons, G. W. Early, W. H. Slade, Annie B. Chapin, Caroline Lofland. Hotels and Boarding—R. M. Rownd, Chairman ; A. H. Fritchey, Secretary ; Andrew Schwarz, D. D. Bolenbaugh, S. N. Field, S. N. Cook, R. Albritten, John N. Champion, William Felton, Fred. Krumm. Halls and Headquarters—Gilbert C. Hoover, Chairman ; James H. Neil, Vice-Chairman ; James M. Loren, Secretary ; W. O. Telford, Frank N. Wells, Adolph Theobald, Frank J. Reinhard. THE GREAT ENCAMPMENT - 203 Registration—Emerson McMillin, Chairman ; John Siebert, Vice Chairman ; C. H. Lander, Secretary ; D. S Wilder, Andrew Gardner, Charles H. Durfey, E. Kiesewetter, George N. Smith, John H. Grove, Thomas Jeffrey, S. F. Robinson. Transportation.—Theodore H. Butler, Chairman ; W. W. Medary, Vice-Chairman ; Charles G. Lord, Secretary ; W. E. Reppert, C. F. Evans, H. J. Falkenbach, S. H. Church, J. J. Archer, W. W. Medary. Horses and Carriages.—Andrew Schwarz, Chairman ; Joseph A. Webb, Vice-Chairman Fred Lazarus, Secretary; Theodore Riddle, J. M. Bennett, David Lakin, G. J. Schodinger, Thomas J. Dundon, E. J. Pocock. The Press.—W. D. Brickell, Chairman ; W. J. Elliott, Vice-Chairman ; Leo Hirsch, Treasurer ; C. E. Bonebrake, Secretary ; S. J. Flickinger, F. J. Wendell, 0. C. Hooper, H. A. Reinhard, S. B. Porter. An additional committee representing the Society of the Army of West Virginia, and having its office at the Headquarters of the General Council, was subsequently appointed and organized as follows : J. M. Rife, Chairman ; J. P. Slemmons, Secretary; John G. Mitchell, C. C. Walcutt, S. S. Mathers, Fred Krumm, Alexis Cope, C. M. Bethauser, N. B. Abbott, W. A. Walden, E. E. Ewing. The following sub-committees to the Committee on Parade, Camp-fires, Programme, etc., were, at a later period, appointed by the Chairman of that Committee : Parade.—Emerson McMillin, Chairman ; C. D. Firestone, A. G. Patton, A. E. Lee. Campfires and Entertainments.—S. N. Cook, Chairman ; David F. Pugh, David Lanning, John H. Grove, W. J. Elliott, J. K. Brown, C. C. White, William Felton, J. W. Patterson, James DeWolfe, E. C. Beach. Naval Display.—Symmes E. Brown, Chairman ; N. C. Reed, J. W. Keen. At the request of the General Council, the following Grievance Committee to hear and adjust complaints incident to the Encampment was appointed by the Centennial Committee of the Board of Trade : Walter Crafts, Chairman ; H. C. Godman, F. C. Hubbard, A. B. Coit, D. E. Putnam, William Felton, John T. Gale. On the eleventh of February, the Headquarters of the General Council were transferred from the Board of Trade Room, in the City Hall, to the Ambos Building, on High Street, opposite the State Capitol. The Headquarters remained as thus established until the sixth of May, when, by courtesy of Hon. John C. Brown, Treasurer of State, the General Council was proffered free of charge, and occupied a very commodious and agreeable room in the Capitol, adjacent to the State Treasury. Here the meetings of the General Council were held, and its Headquarters remained, until after the Encampment, when, on the first of October, it returned to the Board of Trade Room. Early in 1888, it became manifest that the attendance at the Encampment would be very large; accordingly, on February 22, a circular was issued from the Headquarters of the General Council, announcing its organization and preliminary plans. In this circular the assurance was explicitly given that the city of Columbus would provide ample accommodations for all who might come, however great their numbers. In the spirit of this pledge the General Council and all its adjunct committees fell to work with energy. The work was systematically 204 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. apportioned in all its details, and estimates of the expenditure necessary to the proper execution of the plans laid out were made. From careful consideration of those estimates it was soon perceived that, entirely exclusive of any expenses incidental to the Ohio Centennial Exposition, or the Annual Encampment of the National Guard, for both of which the support of the city was pledged, the sum of about seventy thousand dollars would be Deeded. The General Council was therefore confronted, at the beginning with the very serious question whether such a sum, additional to $25,000 already promised to the Exposition and $3,000 to the National Guard, could be obtained by contribution from the citizens of Columbus. No government aid, either State or National, was suggested or thought of. The responsibility of raising the necessary funds did not rest with the General Council, that function having been reserved by the Board of Trade ; nevertheless, upon the solution of the question whether the needful financial support could be had would depend the success of all the efforts put forth. Confronted by this unsolved problem the General Council addressed itself to its great task, confiding unreservedly in the people of Columbus to do all that could be reasonably asked of them. This confidence was not misplaced. At an early day an arrangement was made with the railways for a passenger rate of one cent per mile, and free return of camp equipage, to all persons attending the Encampment. A halffare excursion rate out from Columbus and return was also obtained. That entertainment might be systematically apportioned and the extent to which it could be furnished be ascertained, a thorough canvas of the city was made, and its results recorded. At the same time a pledge not to advance the ordinary prices tor lodging and meals was obtained from the proprietors of all the important hotels. With the accommodating concurrence of the officers of the State, arrangements were made for locating the headquarters of the Grand Army, and of nearly all of its forty different departments, in the legislative halls and public offices of the Capitol. By similar courtesy on the part of the Board of Education the use of the public school buildings and grounds for holding reunion meetings was secured. For the same or similar purposes, a considerable number of suitable rooms was placed at the disposal of the General Council, free of charge, by the officers of the City, County and National Government; by benevolent, military and political clubs and societies, and by private citizens. In none of such cases was any charge made unless, exceptionally, that of a moderate fee to the janitor for taking care of the rooms. The church societies, equally generous, placed their edifices at the disposal of the Woman's Relief Corps for its national conferences, and for the headquarters of its various departments. For its national headquarters it was favored with the gratuitous use or the Masonic Temple. For the meetings of the National Encampment of the Grand Army the Metropolitan Opera House was engaged and the sum of $750 was paid. A desire on the part of the Society of the Army of West Virginia to hold its Twelfth Annual Reunion at Columbus contemporaneously with the encampment was accommodated, and an arrangement to that effect made. This arrangement involved the purchase and THE GREAT ENCAMPMENT - 205 shipment from Wheeling of the Society's mammoth tent, at a cost, including freight charges and a quantity of decorating materials, of about $1,500. The tent was pitched upon admirably chosen open grounds on Broad Street, opposite the southern extremity of Jefferson Avenue. Its interior space was sufficient for seating about 10,000 persons. Applications for camping room and accommodations began to be received in March. The selection of camping grounds, of which numerous offers were made, teas therefore a subject of early consideration, which led to the conclusion to locate the camps centrally, with a view to the convenience of the veterans in exchanging visits, taking part in the parade, having access to the headquarters of their respective departments and passing to and from the railway station. In respect to the equipment of the camps decision was made in favor of tents as being cheaper and in other respects more desirable than barracks. Contracts were therefore closed, as early as March 17, for the use of tents sufficient td accommodate fifty thousand men, and a preliminary appropriation of $20,000 for the expenses of the Camp Committee was recommended. The use of the tents of the State to be pitched by the National Guard during its annual encampment north of the city was obtained by resolution of the General Assembly. These were sufficient to shelter about three thousand men. During the latter part of April plans were matured for the two principal camps, known as North and South Neil, located on an open tract of ground lying west of the United States Barracks, between Mount Vernon Avenue and the railways. These two camps, being about fifty acres in extent, were deemed ample for the accommodation of 40,000 mon Besides systematic numbering of the tents, and their arrangement in streets, with reserved spaces for dining halls, open air meetings, and an extensive and admirable system of water closets, the plans embraced the sewerage and water supply of the camps, and their illumination at night by electricity. Early in May plans were matured for two additional camps, one to be known as Hayden Camp, located in an open space known as the Hayden tract on Nineteenth Street, between East Broad and Long streets, and the other to be known as Dennison Camp, situated at the corner of Neil Avenue and Goodale Street. Hayden Camp was designed to accommodate 8,000 men, and Dennison Camp 5,000. The plan of making applications for camp accommodations through the authorized officials of Grand Army posts, County battalions and Department organizations was encouraged and generally adopted The assignment to quarters in camp was referred to the Camp Committee by which, as soon as the applications were sufficiently numerous, a roster showing the assignment of each organization was printed and distributed. Before the middle of May delegations representing the Departments of Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky and West Virginia, had visited Columbus and arranged for camp accommodations for their respective Departments. Numerous applications being received for camp lodgings for ladies belonging to the families of soldiers, and to the Relief Corps, a part of the Hayden Camp was reserved for their accommodation. Grand Army organizations desiring to do their own cook- 206 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. ing were assigned to the North Neil Camp. All camp accommodations, excepting only the ladies' section of the Hayden Camp, were reserved for members of the Grand Army, and were furnished, inclusive of light, water, fuel and straw for bedding, free car charge. The sale of intoxicating liquors on the camping grounds was forbidden. A large quantity of buckeyes collected by the Grand Army Posts at the suggestion of Captain William Felton of the Board of Trade was turned over to the General Council, and placed at the disposal of the Committee on Badges. At a moderate expense 100,000 of these buckeyes were strung singly upon loops of cord, and distributed gratuitously during the Encampment week. A delegate badge of original and beautiful design was also prepared under the direction of the Badge Committee, and furnished without charge to the officers and delegates of the ;stational Encampment, in accordance with custom. This badge was in great demand as a souvenir, and was not surpassed, if equaled, by anything of the kind which had preceded it. About the first of May, intimations were received that the Grand Army delegation from the Department of California desired to obtain accommodations for an exhibit of the fruits and minerals of that State. Accordingly, the City Hall was engaged by the Hall Committee for that purpose, and in due time arrangements were perfected for what proved to be a very attractive exposition of the products of California, under the joint direction of the Grand Army delegation and Board of Trade of that State. A similar exhibit of the products of Oregon was made during the Encampment week in rooms obtained for the purpose on South High Street. At the suggestion of C. 0. Hunter, Esq., the Secretary of the General Council was directed to make an effort, by correspondence, to obtain for the Encampment week a loan of the locomotive engine known as The General, then owned by the Western & Atlantic Railway Company, of Georgia, and famous for having been captured and used by the Andrews raiding party in 1862. The Secretary succeeded not only in obtaining the loan of this engine, but in having it brought to Columbus and returned to its owners free of charge. Its guardian while it remained in the city was Captain S. B. Porter, to whose company of the Second Ohio Infantry several members of the raiding party belonged. Under Captain Porter's supervision it was sidetracked by the Little Miami Railway conveniently for exhibition, was handsomely decorated and was carefully guarded. Owing to its limited financial resources the General Council undertook no general decoration or illumination of the city, but, under the joint direction of its committees on illumination and decoration, eleven gaslight arches were thrown across High Street, at regular intervals, between the Union Station and the Courthouse. After the encampment, during which were added greatly to the evening beauty and enlivenment of the street, they were relegated to the disposition of the City Council. The Capitol was decorated on the outside at the expense of the State, under the direction of Adjutant-General Axline. The buildings and grounds of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb were handsomely dressed for THE GREAT ENCAMPMENT - 207 the occasion, as were other public edifices, most of the business houses and many private residences. Despite its limited resources, the Music Committee contributed a great deal to the attractiveness of the encampment. Under its direction, a male chorus of 300 voices was organized, and also a children's chorus of about 1,500 voices. The concert given by these choruses on the eastern terrace of the Capitol during Wednesday afternoon of the Encampments week was magnificently sublime and impressive. The children, arrayed in the national colors, and so arranged upon the terrace as to represent the American flag, were accompanied in their singing by the Grand Army Band, of Canton, Ohio. The concert was listened to by a vast concourse of people, crowding the roof, porticoes and grounds of the Capitol, and the streets adjacent. The journalists who received the hospitalities of the Press Committee numbered 281, and were admirably entertained. Complete registration of all the veterans attending the Encampment was meditated, but, after careful consideration, was not attempted. The difficulties of executing such a project, never previously executed successfully, were found to be insurmountable. Application for rooms and halls suitable for holding military reunions began to come in early, and were very numerous. Reunion meetings were held by about one hundred and twenty different military organizations during the Encampment week, and a large proportion of them were numerously attended. The assignment of these reunions to appropriate places of meeting was made by the Secretary of the General Council, with the concurrence of its Chairman. The National and Department headquarters of the Grand Army were assigned in the same way. Timely measures were taken to secure suitable police, medical and hospital service during the Encampment Week. The good order of the city was well provided for by the Mayor and Chief of Police, by the organization of a special force of watchmen and detectives. The amount of disorder was very small, however, considering the vast crowds which thronged the city. Comparatively few arrests were made, and these exclusively for petty offenses. The commanders of the camps were expected to preserve order within the limits of their respective jurisdictions, and had no difficulty in so doing. Their reports showed no infractions of the rules, and no complaints. Special mention should be made of the excellent guard and semi-police service performed during the Encampment Week by the Fourteenth Regiment, Ohio National Guard, Colonel George D. Freeman, under instructions from the Headquarters of the General Council. A Volunteer Medical Corps, under the direction of Doctor Norman Gay, was organized for the Encampment Week by the physicians of the city. To this Corps tents were assigned by the Camp Committee. The Corps was also reenforced by the medical force and hospital equipment of the Fourteenth Regiment, Ohio National Guard, generously tendered to the General Council. The invitation of distinguished persons to attend the Encampment as the guests of the General Council was referred to its Chairman and Secretary, and the Chairman of the committees on 208 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. Parade and Reception. Invitations were extended to numerous eminent men and women. As finally completed and equipped the camps had an aggregate capacity to shelter not less than 55,000 men. As early as June 30 applications had been made for camp room for 41,000 men, and by September 1 the applications reached an aggregate of over 70,000 men. By vote of the General Council the Camp Committee was directed to discount the applications by twenty per cent. in order to cover shrinkage in estimates; nevertheless there was apparently good reason to believe that there would remain, beyond the capacity of the camps, a large body of men who would have to be sheltered under roof. How the great army in camp was to be fed was a serious problem. In May the Camp Committee advertised for proposals at not over thirtyfive cents per meal, but the lapse of a month brought no responses. At this juncture Messrs. Butler, Crawford & Co., who were camp purveyors of experience during the late war, and business men of wellknown personal and financial responsibility, came forward with a proposition to provision the camps, provided suitable dining halls, kitchens, lunch counters and other conveniences of a certain capacity should be furnished them, and provided further that, with the exclusive privilege of furnishing provisions in camp, they should be permitted to charge at the rate of fifty cents per meal. Should these proposals be accepted, Butler, Crawford & Co. proposed to pay to the General Council ten per cent. of their gross receipts, out of which sum it was hoped that the eating houses, estimated to cost, gross, about $22,000, might be paid for. Before these proposals could be accepted, it was necessary, on account of the shortage of funds at the disposal of the General Council, that sufficient guaranty should be given for the net cost of the eating houses in case that ten per cent. of Butler, Crawford & Co's gross receipts should fail to pay for their erection. This guaranty to the amount of $14,000 was promptly furnished by twenty-one responsible gentlemen, several of whom were members of the General Council. Thereupon the Camp Committee (on the fourteenth of July) closed its contract with Butler, Crawford & Co., and began at once the erection of the eating houses, pursuant to agreement. By the twenty-fifth of August the buildings, twentythree in number, were all under roof, and by the eighth of September they were entirely completed. They were of great extent, were admirably arranged, and were illuminated by gas and electric light. On the twenty-third of June camp commanders were appointed, and at a later date rules for the government of the camps were adopted. The commanders of the several camps were as follows: Neil Camp (North and South), Moses H. Neil ; Hayden Camp, E. J. Pocock ; Dennison Camp, Thomas Jeffrey ; Army of West Virginia Camp, J. M. Rite. By the eighteenth of August 600 tents had been pitched, and by the ninth of September the great camps were fully completed and ready for occupancy. The tents were all provided with an abundance of fresh, clean straw, a large part of which was donated by the farmers of Franklin County. A humorous parade of wagons bringing in contributions of straw took place on the sixth of September. THE GREAT ENCAMPMENT - 209 Applications for hotel, boardinghouse and residence lodgings began coming in early in the year, and continued coming, in increasing proportion, until the date of the Encampment. During the six weeks next preceding that date they were received in great numbers. The work of receiving, distributing and escorting the arriving organizations was performed by the Reception Committee. During the Encampment Week, and for some days preceding, the chairman of that committee, and his organized corps of helpers, were on duty, by reliefs, day and night, at the Union Station. The prompt and orderly conveyance into and out of the city, by the railways centering here, of the vast crowds of people attending the Encampment, although a task of stupendous magnitude, was performed without accident, or cause of serious complaint. By joint action of the railway companies, extensive temporary buildings were erected for the exchange of tickets, and the care of baggage, and sidetracking amply sufficient for the great mass of sojourning special trains was provided. Probably no city on the Continent could have received and discharged such a crowd with more alacrity, or less inconvenience to all concerned. The crowning event of the Encampment was the parade. Custom requires that this proceeding, which is supposed to signify the arrival of the Grand Army of the Republic, should take place not later in the week than Tuesday. It was confidently expected that a larger body of men would take part in this demonstration than had participated in any similar event since the review of our returning armies at Washington, and this expectation was fully realized. The impromptu formation of so large a column, and its prompt, unbroken and orderly movement, without confusion or serious fatigue to the participating veterans, presented very great difficulties, which were overcome only by diligent effort and thorough preparation. The Chairman of the General Council being charged with the command of the parade, appointed as his Adjutant-General the Secretary of the Council, who proceeded at once to organize a uniformed general staff of fifty men. Eugene F. Weigel, of St. Louis, was appointed First Assistant Adjutant-General ; with this and a single other exception the members of the Staff were all citizens of Columbus. The city being held responsible for the organization and success of the parade, as indeed, of the entire Encampment, the Staff, like the General Council, in whose immediate behalf it should act, was chosen so as to represent the varied interests of the city, as well as the Grand Army. As fully completed and organized, the Staff was as follows: GENERAL STAFF. Adjutant- General, Alfred E. Lee. Assistant Adjutant-General, Eugene F. Weigel. Second Assistant Adjutant-General, J. P. Simmons. AIDES DE CAMP,-FIRST SECTION. Subdivision 1—W. D. Hamilton, Samuel Bachtel, Alexis Cope, Starling Loving. Subdivision 2—Andrew Schwarz, Robert L. Sweeney, George K. Nash, Henry C. Lonnis. 14* 210 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. Subdivision 3—J. M. Rife, A. G. Byers, George W. Bright, Amasa Pratt. Subdivision 4—George M. Peters, James H. Neil, A. G. Gault, R. W. Stevenson. Subdivision 5—Isaac B. Potts, Fred. W. Herbst, Emory Huff, S. S. Mathers. Subdivision 6 -James D. Harris, D. D. Bolenbaugh, J. B. Osterhause, George W. Early. SECOND SECTION. Subdivision 1—Eugene F. Weigel, J. P. Slemmons, M. C. Lilley, James De Wolfe, C. H. Lander. Subdivision 2—George B. Simons, A. V. R. Patton, John J. Lentz, Edwin Eberly. Subdivision 3—T. Longstreth, C. 0. Tracy. J. B. K. Conelly, John Beatty, Junior. Subdivision 4—G. K. Jenkins, D. E. Bushnell, A. F. Emminger, David Greene. Subdivision 5 —J. P. McCune, Winfield S. Huff, S. D. Hutsinpiller, W. H. Halliday. Subdivision 6 -Charles R. Wheeler, H. S. Abbott, Charles S. Lilley, William El. Roney. By request and with the concurrence and advice of Mr. C. D. Firestone, chairman of the Parade Committee, Chairman McMillin, together with the Commander and Adjutant-General of the parade, proceeded to prepare a plan for the organization and movement of the parading column. The limited space as well as time available for systematizing and moving such an immense body of men suddenly brought together from all points of the compass, made it necessary that this plan should be worked out with extreme care in all its details, and that its execution should be directed with trained intelligence, and watched with the utmost vigilance. There were also questions of courtesy and precedence, some of them quite unsettled, which had to be managed with tact and delicacy. After careful examination of the whole ground, it was deemed most advisable to mass the column by divisions on Broad Street, and the streets leading into it from the north, in the eastern part of the city. The reviewing stand was then located on the south side of Broad Street, just east of the north gate to the Capitol Square, and a line of march 2.65-100 miles in length, was adopted as follows : West on Broad to Third, south on Third to State, west on State to High, south on High to Fulton, by countermarch north on High to Naghten, by countermarch south on High to Broad, east on Broad to Third and north on Third to Gay, Long, Spring, Chestnut and Naghten, where the parade would be dismissed. The advantages of this arrangement were these: It would afford a short, plain and direct route from the principal camps to the place of rendezvous. It would place the divisions, while awaiting movement, upon wellshaded, pleasant streets. The column would move on streets which were wide, smooth and agreeable for marching, and upon which an immense number of people could comfortably witness the parade. The two long countermarches on High Street would afford the participants in the parade excellent opportunities for seeing each other. The review would take place upon a broad and ample streetspace, where it could be witnessed by a vast multitude of spectators occupying the Capitol Square, and the streets and buildings adjacent. The parade would be dismissed at or near the camps, whither many of the men would naturally desire to go after the march was over. In its organization the column comprised eighteen divisions constituted and posted for movement as stated in general orders issued by the Commander and Adjutant-General of the parade. To these divisions commanders were appointed as THE GREAT ENCAMPMENT - 211 follows: First Division, N. B. Abbott; Second, C. D. Firestone; Third, Moses H. Neil ; Fourth, Emerson McMillin ; Fifth, John G. Mitchell ; Sixth, Thomas B. Van Horne ; Seventh, W. D. Hamilton ; Eighth, Charles T. Clark ; Ninth, David Lanning; Tenth, W. L. Kellogg; Eleventh, Robert N. Rownd ; Twelfth, Eugene Powell ; Thirteenth, John C. Brown ; Fourteenth, J. F. Oglevee; Fifteenth, Gilbert C. Hoover ; Sixteenth, David F. Pugh ; Seventeenth, Horace Parks; Eighteenth, E. W. Poe. The Ninth Division was composed, in part, of the Naval Squadron, under Symmes E. Brown, Esq., Chairman of the Subcommittee on Naval Display. The Squadron represented one ironclad gunboat, one war sloop, one monitor, two mortar boats and five cutters, all mounted on wheels, and appropriately manned. The ironclad and monitor were propelled by steam, and were provided with mortars from which pyrotechnics were fired during the movement of the squadron. The naval display proved to be one of the most interesting and attractive features of the parade. The Eighteenth Division was composed exclusively of members of the order of Sons of Veterans. In accordance with custom which gave precedence to the Department in which the Encampment was held, the Department of Ohio held the right of the line, comprising the first nine divisions, all led by Department Commander Joseph W. O'Neall. Prior to the Encampment many of the veteran soldiers of Ohio had made known at the headquarters of the General Council their very earnest wish that the Union battle flags, in the Custody of the State, should be carried in the parade. In pursuance of this wish the survivors of each organization to which the flags originally belonged were requested by the Secretary of the Council to select not more than five of their number to carry the flags, permission for which being first obtained, in the usual form, from the Governor and Adjutant-General of the State. Captain J. B. Allen, of the Adjutant-General's office, who lost an arm in the service of his country, was appointed to command the battalion thus formed, which comprised about 500 men, many of whom had borne the flags they now carried in the battles of the late war. This battalion was given the place of honor, preceding the main column, anal immediately following the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army and his staff and escort. This exhibition of the old flags, and of the veterans who had carried them through the smoke and flame of battle, was one of the most impressive sights ever seen in a parade. Following the Battleflag Battalion, and preceding the First Division, marched a battalion of soldiers' and sailors' orphans from the Home at Xenia, commanded by Major Noah Thomas. This battalion, together with the other orphans of the Home, who occupied a platform erected for them near the Reviewing Stand, fur nished an object lesson of the war such as has been seldom seen. Each division was followed by an ambulance accompanied by a physician of the Volunteer Medical Corps, for the benefit of any marching veterans who might be overcome by heat, illness or fatigue. The streets along the line of march were kept clear, partially by ropes stretched along the curb line, but chiefly by the diligent efforts of the Fourteenth Regiment, Ohio National Guard. That regiment, about   212 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. 500 strong, was detailed for this service by Governor Foraker, at the request of the General Council, and contributed very materially to the success of the parade by the efficient manner in which it performed the duties with which it was charged. A signal corps for the parade was organized of veterans of that service by Colonel Samuel Bachtel, of the General Staff, and was prepared for active duty, if needed. Owing to the admirable manner in which the streets were cleared, it was found practicable to communicate orders along the line much more readily than was anticipated, and the corps was not brought into requisition. At ten minutes past eleven o'clock, A. M., the formation of several of the leading divisions being complete, and that of the remainder assured, command was given to fire the signal for the start, and the march began. From this moment until the last battalion passed the reviewing stand at fifteen minutes past five, P. M., the movement was continuous, steady and unbroken. The sidewalks and open spaces along the entire line of march were crowded with tens of thousands of spectators, as were also the windows, balconies and roofs of buildings. The correspondent of the Cincinnati Daily Enquirer wrote thus in description of the scene: This country has never witnessed but one parade of uniformed men equal to that of the Grand Army veterans today. That was the review of troops in Washington just after the close of the war. The procession which inaugurated the Twenty-second National Encampment was a magnificent and incomparable spectacle. It brought together not only fifty thousand men who fought the battles for the Union, but one hundred thousand people came there to witness the splendid array of warriors and rejoice with them in celebrating their achievements. The Grand Army of the Republic had today the most notable gathering in its history. The parade, in all probability, will never be equaled by that order again, and the marvelous multitude of marching men was a sight which will be recalled as one of the notable events in the lives of those who participated and those who were only spectators. It was a perfect day. Not a cloud obscured the sun, which beamed benignly, and not too warmly, on the devoted heads of the fifty thousand patriots. Such delightful weather contributed greatly to the numbers and success of the parade. The arrangements for the affair could not have been more complete, nor more admirably carried out. Among the vast crowds of men, women and children there was no disorder, confusion or accident. The citizens of Columbus proved themselves equal to the occasion, and no city in America could have managed an affair of such magnitude with more smoothness and order. The Capital City was in holiday attire. Every dwelling, though ever so humble, bore some mark of respect to the veterans. On the principal streets all the business houses and private residences were decorated. It seemed that there was a spontaneous effort to make the visitors feel that they were welcomed, and among the countless throng not one word of complaint was heard. . . . During the entire parade there were no blockades, no delay, and all the divisions passed the reviewing stand promptly and in perfect order. The veterans marched with firm step, and in the ranks were many soldiers who would answer the call to war again if the country needed their services. . . . All estimates agree that there were as many old soldiers in the city who did not take part in the parade as there were on the line of march. The National Tribune, of Washington, D. C.—national organ of the Grand Army—referring to the same subject, said : THE GREAT ENCAMPMENT - 213 The Twenty-second National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic is now history, and it is difficult to write that history in cool, temperate phrase. The temptation is almost irresistible to go off into panegyric—to use nothing but superlatives. . . . The parade was a pageant, the like of which has not been seen since the grand review in 1866, and probably will not be seen again in this generation. The lowest estimate by competent observers of the number of veterans in line was 40.000, and from that the estimates range to 70.000. The lowest figures make a host more numerous than the army which Grant commanded at Shiloh, or Rosecrans at Stone River. It was nearly four times the men that Scott led in triumph from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico. Hosts much smaller in numbers, and inferior in warlike spirit, have frequently overturned kingdoms, and changed the course of the world's history. . . . The arrangements were perfect; and were carried out as ordered in every detail. There was not a hitch, or a failure of any kind to mar the perfection of the programme, and as a result there were no long breaks in the procession, nor waits to make the crowd impatient, but an almost unbroken succession of mounted aids, playing bands, and the solid tramp of files of marching veterans in blue. . . . It would be useless to pretend to give a detailed description of a spectacle of such magnitude, and of evervarying character. There was a constantly changing appearance to the line, owing to the numerous bands, the specially uniformed companies, the banners and devices carried by the men. There had been issued 630 tickets of invitation to the reviewing stand. Among its most prominent occupants additional to the reviewing officer—Commander-in-Chief Rea—and his staff, were Ex-President R B. Hayes, Mrs. Hayes and daughter ; General W. T. Sherman, Governor J. B. Foraker and Mrs. Foraker; Mrs. General John A. Logan, Hon. Austin Blair, Hon. Allen G. Thurman, Colonel F. D. Grant, Hon. Jeremiah M. Rusk, Governor of Wisconsin ; Hon. John M. Thayer, Governor of Nebraska ; General Thomas J. Wood, U. S. A.; General B. F. Kelley, of West Virginia ; General Lucius Fairchild, of Wisconsin ; Mrs. Rebecca M. Bonsall, Hon. J. H. Outhwaite, Hon. Russel A. Alger, Past-Commander-in-Chief John S. Kountz, General R. P. Buckland, General J. M. Duval, General J. W. Keifer, Hon. Warner Miller, General John C. Lee, General E. E. Kimball, General N. M. Curtis, and others. The dismissal of the parade, which presented one of its most serious problems, was accomplished smoothly and promptly, without obstruction to the marching column. Opinions naturally differed much as to the number of men in the line, but those who had the best means of information concurred in the belief that the aggregate was not below fifty thousand. The time occupied by the column in passing a given point was four hours and fortyfive minutes, and tests by actual count indicated that not less than two hundred men passed per minute. The divisions were intended to average about four thousand men each, and some of them exceeded that number, while others were much below it. The long wait which some of the later divisions were obliged to undergo before reaching their turn to march naturally caused the men to scatter, and it is quite true, as stated in the remarks above quoted, that there seemed to be as many men in Grand Army uniform looking on as there were who took part in the parade. Estimates also differ very much as to the number of strangers in the city on the day of the parade. On this subject the National Tribune remarked.: 214 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. The attendance was unprecedented in the history of the Order [G. A. R.] Never since the war-seasoned veterans of the Army of the Potomac, and those who had followed when Sherman marched down to Sea, swept through Washington in resistless tide of armed power had there been seen such a gathering of citizen soldiery. To say that there were 100,000 old soldiers in the city, and 150,000 of their wives, children and friends, does not seem a high estimate to those who were there and saw the immense throngs which filled the acres of tents, the streets, the hotels, the private houses and public buildings of the city of Columbus. The railroads reported 250,000 tickets sold up to the Saturday night before the Encampment met, and this did not represent the attendance by many thousands. There was a constant suprise at the numbers which had come from great distances. It was naturally expected that there would be an immense turnout from the country within easy reach of Columbus, for nearly 1,000,000 soldiers went to the front from the region, within a day's ride of the Ohio Capital, but far off California, Oregon, Montana, Dakota, Texas, Florida and Maine were represented by strong battalions. The same paper truthfully remarks that " the people of Columbus entertained all corners with a generous, far-reaching hospitality that left nothing to be wished for. They comprehended in advance the magnitude of the occasion, and made their provisions with wise liberality." Some hearsay declarations the opposite of this, made by a few envious newspapers directly after the Encampment, excited universal indignation and protest from all parts of the country. Not only were all comers entertained with a generous hospitality which "left nothing to be wished for," but there was no time during the Encampment Week when the General Council was not prepared to provide with food and lodging not less than 25,000 more people than had applied for such accommodations. It should also be stated that while the capacity and readiness of the city to entertain were far in excess. of the demand made upon them, the prices charged were almost without exception moderate. Indeed many of our people charged nothing at all for entertaining the guests whom they accepted. The Grievance Committee had practically nothing to do—it was the only committee of which that may be said—and the only serious complaints which reached the General Council are those of persons who fitted up comfortable lodging places which were not nearly filled. The camps were full but not crowded. The official programme for the week, of which 125,000 copies were printed and distributed was, in brief; as follows : Monday — Reception and escort of guests, Grand Army posts and other visiting organizations. Parade of Sons of Veterans at 6:30 P. M., and evening mass meeting under the auspices of that organization at the Big Tent. Meeting of the National Association of Naval Veterans at the Capitol. Tuesday —Parade of the Grand Army at ten A. M. General reception to the Grand Army at the Big Tent. Reception addresses and responses by Governor J. B. Foraker, Mayor J. P. Bruck, Commander-in-Chief John P. Rea, Ex-President R. B. Hayes, General Stewart L. Woodford and General S. H. Hurst. " Campfire " meetings in all the camps, Reception to the Woman's Relief Corps in the parlors of the halls of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. Wednesday — Opening of the National Encampment at the Opera House. Opening of National Convention of the Woman's Relief Corps at the Second Presbyterian Church. National Convention of Ladies of the Grand Army, at Elks' Hall, Commercial Building. Twelfth Reunion of the Society of the Army of West Virginia, Big Tent, on East Broad Street. National Reunion of Naval Veterans, Sullivant School Building. Reunion meet- THE GREAT ENCAMPMENT - 215 ings ; open air concert, 4:30 to 6 v. at., by the Children's Centennial Chorus, 1,500 voices, at the East Terrace of the Capitol ; W. H. Lott, Musical Director. Evening campfire of the Army of West Virginia, at the Big Tent, East Broad Street, Hon. R. B. Hayes presiding. Evening campfire at the East Terrace of the Capitol. Evening campfires at Camps Neil, Hayden and Dennison. Thursday— Business meetings of the National Encampment of the Grand Army and National Convention of the Woman's Relief Corps. Reunion meetings of all organizations. Closing reunion meeting of the Army of West Virginia, at the Big Tent. Campfires at all the camps. Friday — Concluding business meetings of the National Encampment and Convention. Reunion meetings pursuant to adjournment. Last day in camps. In the course of the week reunion meetings were held by the following organizations : Ohio Infantry Regiments — First, Second, Third, Eleventh, Fifteenth, Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Twenty-first, Twenty-second, Twenty-fourth, Twenty-fifth, Twenty-sixth, Thirtieth, Thirty-second, Thirty-third, Thirty-sixth, Fortieth, Forty-fourth, Forty-seventh, Fiftieth, Fifty-first, Fifty-second, Fifty-fourth, Fifty-fifth, Sixty-sixth, Seventy-fourth, Seventy-sixth, Seventy-eighth. Seventy-ninth, Eightieth, Eighty-first, Eighty-second, Ninetieth, Ninety-fourth, Ninety-seventh, Ninety-eighth, Ninety-ninth, One Hundred and First, One Hundred and Second, One Hundred and Fourth, One Hundred and Twentieth, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth, One Hundred and Thirty-third; One Hundred and Sixty-fourth, and One Hundred and Eightieth. Ohio Cavalry —Fourth and Fifth Independent Battalions ; First, Second, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Twelfth and Thirteenth Regiments. Artillery —First Ohio Light Artillery (Regiment) ; First, Second, Eighth, Tenth, Twelfth and Seventeenth Independent Batteries ; Battery E (Edgarton's), First Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery ; First Ohio Heavy Artillery. Illinois—Twenty-fourth, Thirty-fifth and Forty-seventh Infantry. Indiana —Thirty-eighth and Eighty-eighth Infantry and Fourth Cavalry. Minnesota —First Independent Battery. Missouri —First, Second and Seventh Cavalry. West Virginia—Eleventh West Virginia Infantry and Second and Seventh West Virginia Cavalry. Wisconsin—Tenth Infantry. Brigade Reunions —First Brigade (Carroll's), Third Division, Second Corps ; First Brigade (Cruft's), First Division, Fourth Corps ; Second Brigade (Keifer's), Third Divison, Sixth Corps ; Thirteenth Corps Brigade ; Second Brigade (McLean's), First Division, Eleventh Corps ; Second Brigade (Mitchell's), Second Division, Fourteenth Corps ; Second Brigade (Scott's), Third Division, Seventeenth Corps; Regular Brigade, Fourteenth Corps ; First Brigade (Harrison's), Third Division, Twentieth Corps ; Third Brigade (Robinson's), First Division, Twentieth Corps ; First Brigade (Pardee's), Third Division, Twentieth Corps ; First Brigade, First Division (Twentyfourth Corps); the Sherman Brigade ; Streight's Brigade ; Schenck's Brigade. Division Reunions — Sheridan's Division (Second, Fourth Corps); First Division (McArthur's), A. J. Smith's Detachment, Army of the Tennessee ; A. J. Smith's Division (Second Division, Thirteenth Corps) ; Shields's Division. Until the engagement to contribute $25,000 to the Centennial Exposition had been fulfilled nothing could be obtained from the general subscription for the use of the General Council; its first fourmonths work was therefore performed practically without funds. Nor was the amount of its available resources known until after June 1; by careful sifting of subscriptions it was then ascertained to be not in excess of $42,500. Apportionment of this sum was made to the different com- 216 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. mittees as follows: Headquarters of the General Council, $1,500 ; Finance, $50 ; Campfires, Parade, etc., $1,000; Reception, $200; Decoration, $2,000 ; Music, $1,500 ; Printing, $1,000 ; Badges, $1,500; Camps, $28,000; Illumination, $1,000 ; Woman's Relief Corps, $750; Hotels and Boarding, $500; Halls and Headquarters, $1,000; Registration, nothing ; Horses and Carriages, $500; The Press, $1,000; Army of West Virginia, $1,000. Total, $42,500. From these appropriations all the committees had a residue over their expenditures, excepting those on Printing, Badges, Camps, and Horses and Carriages, and excepting the deficit of the Camp Committee there remained a net residue over expenditures of $226.73. The aggregate gross expenditures of the Camp Committee amounted to $54,057.13. The total expenditures of the other committees reached $14,900 ; making $68,967.13 as the total cost of the Encampment. This, however, was the gross cost. From sales of materials and other sources the Camp Committee realized about $5,000, thus reducing the actual cost of the Encampment to say $64,000. The Committee also realized a considerable amount by donations, and rebates on bills, so that its deficit, as it stood on the sixth of October, was, approximately, $21,413.56. For the purpose of assisting in the liquidation of this deficit, arrangement was made with the management of the Centennial Exposition by which a certain proportion of the net receipts thereof for one day, to be called Columbus Day, should be so applied. The sum realized in this way was disappointing, but was so far reenforced by donations, rebates of account and further sale of materials as to reduce the deficit by December 15 to the sum of $11,188.77. The Camp Committee's excess of expenditure over its appropriation was due, in part, to contingent necessities naturally unforseen in an undertaking so novel and so great as that with which the Committee was charged. In this connection special mention should be made of the immense water closet arrangements, and amount of sewerage required which were as necessary for the sanitary welfare of the city as for that of the camps. Another important cause of the deficit was the sweeping and disappointing failure of the camp eatinghouses to realize the financial results expected of them. From the pledge of ten per cent. of the sales of Butler, Crawford & Co , the Committee realized but $979.87 instead of the net sum of $17,000 which the eatinghouses cost. This delinquency was simply the accident of a new and untried business venture for which no one could be blamed. The task of extinguishing this debt devolved almost entirely upon the General Council, the members of which had already contributed liberally of their means as well as of their time and labor ; but by persistent effort, generously responded to by citizens—conspicuous among whom by reason of his large and redoubled donations was Mr. William G. Deshler—the entire remaining deficit was finally covered. Probably no similar body ever undertook a more responsible and difficult task than that which was thus completed. The magnitude of the work undertaken and of its peculiar difficulties, some of the most serious of which were not known to the public, fully justifies the remark that only men of a very high order of executive and business capacity could have achieved the brilliant success which THE GREAT ENCAMPMENT - 217 crowned the efforts of the General Council. The Columbus Encampment has been studied as a model by the managers of those which have followed it. The beauty, variety, promptness and smoothness of its parade the greatest of the kind which has yet taken place on the American Continent—were commended in enthusiastic terms by General Sherman. Throughout the vast host which Columbus had been called upon to entertain there was but one voice as to the hospitalities bestowed, and that was the voice of unstinted praise. Throughout its great work the General Council acted in perfect harmony. No serious differences ever disturbed it. When difficulties arose they were met with an undivided front. When work was to be done, no matter how exacting, willing and capable hands were ready to perform it. From beginning to end clearness of judgment and promptness of execution characterized every proceeding. The Chairman, whose great energy and rare executive ability were equal to every emergency, was seconded with like zeal by men of like qualities. The result was one of the finest achievements in the annals of Columbus. The Metropolitan Period. CHAPTER XVII. CURRENT EVENTS SINCE 1865. While the Civil War made a great drain upon the commercial and industrial population of the country, it imparted a corresponding stimulus to industrial and commercial progress. In the capital of Ohio the public expenditures incident to the war were necessarily large, and the flush times of 1812 were reproduced on an immensely greater scale. Improvement was in most respects rapid, and large acquisitions in wealth and population were made. The streets were neglected ; many of them were about as bad as they could be ; but new buildings were erected by the score and many venerable remnants of the past gave place to handsome edifices of recent type. One of the most interesting events of this kind is thus recorded under date of March 21, 1865 : 1 Among the many changes in our city none will be more apparent than the demise of the Clinton Bank Building which, in the last few days, has become a thing of the past. That peculiar old house, standing on the most conspicuous and valuable corner in Columbus, whose walls for the last ten years have been more like a huge billboard than the outside of one of the most successful monied institutions of the State, was the first three story brick building erected in this city. It was built about the year 1814, by Mr. John L. Barr, of Baltimore, under the direction of the late Samuel Barr, the brickwork of the, at that time, wonder of the town being done by " old Billy McElvaine," as he was familiarly called by the original settlers. Mr. Samuel Barr occupied it as a store wherein all kinds of goods were to be found for either " cash or barter," until about 1817. He was succeeded by Osborn & Leiby. Mr. Osborn, the father of the wellknown merchant James Osborn, and Mr. Joseph Leiby, who is yet a resident of this city, composing the firm. After them came Neil & Evans—Mr. William Neil and Mr. Harvey D. Evans, two of the most enterprising of Columbus men of those days. In 1830, the property was purchased and occupied by D. W. Deshler as a store until 1836, when he sold it to the Clinton Bank ; since which time up to the day before the workmen commenced its destruction it has been continuously occupied as a banking house. In 1863, the property was purchased by W. G. Deshler, the present owner, who will erect upon its site a modern banking house for the use of the National Exchange Bank. On August 29, 1865, Governor Brough died at his residence in Cleveland. While his funeral was in progress in that city, September 1, minute 'guns were fired in Columbus, business was suspended from nine o'clock A. M. to three P. m., and demonstrations of respect were made by the German societies then attending a Sangerfest in the city. [221] 222 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. On May 25, 1867, Columbus was visited by a party of Philadelphia officials then making a tour to gather information which might be usefully applied in the expenditure of one million dollars which their city had appropriated for the erection of school buildings. The party visited and inspected the school buildings of the city, was dined at the Neil House in the afternoon, and was given a social reception in the evening at the residence of Mr. John L. Gill. In 1868, the northward growth of the city began to be notable, and many striking improvements in that quarter are referred to. Among the finer residences mentioned were those of W. B. Hubbard, E. L. Hinman, J. R. Hughes, H. Winterbotham, John Short, P. Fisher, J. J. Rickly, H. N. Neil, S. Doyle, S. V. R. Carpenter and L. Hillery. Progress in the erection of B. E. Smith's elegant residence, now the Columbus Club House, on East Broad Street, receives mention in June, 1869. Twenty members of the Philadelphia City Council visited Columbus September 27 to 29, 1869, and were entertained by the city authorities and prominent citizens at the Neil House. Twelve members of the Indiana legislature were in like manner received and banqueted February 28, 1871. Another party of Philadelphia officials was received and publicly entertained July 27, 1873. Governor J. D. Williams and several other officials of the State of Indiana, visited Columbus May 22, 1879. They were intercepted by Governor Bishop at Springfield, and upon their arrival were escorted to the Park Hotel. During their sojourn they visited the public benevolent institutions and the State University. A party of Philadelphia Councilmen sojourned briefly in the city August 26, 1879. The North End Markethouse was completed in 1876. The present City Hall, on State Street, was begun in 1869 under engagement for its completion by January 1, 1871, at an aggregate cost of $124,400. Its actual cost when completed was about $175,000. Its formal opening took place March 28, 1872. The building is an expensive failure, of dismal interior, bad arrangement and nondescript architecture. It will doubtless give place in due time to one worthy of the city. Bids for a new iron bridge over the Scioto at the foot of State Street were opened August 6, 1868, but a writ of injunction against the location of the bridge was immediately served and stopped for the time being all further proceedings. The enjoining parties desired to have the bridge located at the foot of Rich Street. Their petition contained the following statements: The bridge will cost $25,000, and the Commissioners have not submitted the question as to the policy of such outlay or expense to the qualified voters of said [Franklin] County, either at a spring or fall election. . . . State Street is 658 feet south of the National Road bridge. The Harrisburg bridge is 3,110 feet south ; Town Street 1,066 feet south, and Rich Street 1,536 ½ feet south, and a bridge at either Town or State street is more in accordance with the purpose and intent of said law. After much tedious legal contention the bridge was completed and opened for travel July 11, 1870, Samuel Doyle, contractor. Its cost up to that date was stated at $39,000. A contract for the socalled Infirmary Bridge over the Whetstone was let April 20, 1870. It was intended to furnish access to the County Infirmary, the CURRENT EVENTS SINCE 1865 - 223 location of which, west of the Whetstone, was then proposed. The cost of this bridge was about $19,000. A contract for the superstructure of the Green Lawn Avenue bridge was awarded by the County Commissioners November 12, 1875. The movement which resulted in the construction of the present iron bridge over the Scioto at the foot of Broad Street had its beginning August 31, 1880, on which date a committee of citizens represented to the County Commissioners the importance of such an improvement. The members of the committee were F. C. Session s , A. D. Rodgers, W. B. Hawkes, William A. Platt and James Clahane. Preliminary plans for the bridge were at the same time presented by County Surveyor B. F. Bowen. The bridge was erected in 1883-4. In the spring of 1891 a substantial iron bridge was thrown across the railway tracks on North Fourth Street. One of the finest iron bridges in the county is that over the Scioto on Mound Street. It was built in pursuance of an act of the General Assembly passed March 21, 1890, and was opened for travel February 13, 1891. The cost and dates of completion of the different bridges within the corporation limits, as shown by the official record are as follows : State Street, new superstructure, built in 1883; cost $18,000 ; $20,000 bonds issued for this purpose and repair of foundation. Broad Street, 1881; cost $148 000, bonds $52,000. Third Avenue, 1890; cost $25,000; bonds $18,000. Dodridge Street, 1890 ; cost $35,000; bonds $24,000. Rich Street, 1891; cost $50,000; bonds $35,000. Mound Street, 1891; cost $40,000; bonds $38,000. Lane Avenue, 1891 ; cost $25,000 ; bonds $23,000. Fifth Avenue, 1892 ; cost $47,000 ; bonds $35,000. Leonard Avenue, 1892 ; cost $70,000; bonds $45,000. Town Street, to be built soon, $50,000 appropriated. Alum Creek, East Broad Street, to be built soon, $50,000 appropriated. Fourth Street Viaduct, completed June 17, 1891 ; total cost $134,175.61. High Street Viaduct, now in construction ; estimated cost $413,000, of which the rail ways are to pay one half. The disappearance of an "old landmark " is thus recorded, under date of September 8, 1879 The oldest brick building on High Street, located just north of Councilman Frech's new threestory building, corner Mound and High streets, has been torn down to give place to a new threestory business block. It is owned by Michael Karrer, of Dublin. The old building was erected in 1823 by Doctor Ashbury, whose son is residing at the present time in Worthington. On October 29, 1879, the following, communication signed by several scores of representative citizens, was forwarded to General Ulysses S. Grant, Ex-President of the United States, then traveling eastward from San Francisco on his return from his journey round the world : SIR—The undersigned, on behalf of the citizens of Columbus, have the honor of tendering you a cordial invitation to visit their city at such time as may suit your convenience. Trusting that your arrangements will not prevent your acceptance of this invitation, we remain your obedient servants. A committee, of which George W. Manypenny was chairman, was appointed to convey this invitation to General Grant at his home at Galena, Illinois. This action was directly followed by a meeting of citizens, at which a resolution was 224 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. passed authorizing its presiding officer, Colonel George W. Manypenny, to appoint an Executive Committee of fifteen, of which ho should himself be a member and chairman, to prepare a programme of reception, raise funds for expenses and appoint additional committees. In pursuance of this resolution the following committee was named : George W. Manypenny, chairman ; William G. Deshler, William B. Hayden, John Short, D. W. Brooks, T. Chittenden, William W. Medary, Theodore Comstock, W. N. Dennison, P. W. Huntington, S. S. Rickly, C. C. Walcutt, Samuel Thompson, A. D. Rodgers and P. M. Wagenhals. To cooperate with this body representing the citizens a committee of three was appointed by the City Council. The Executive Committee completed its organization by naming David W. Brooks as its secretary, and apportioned among its members the chairmanships of the subcommittees as follows : Reception and Entertainment, George W. Manypenny ; Programme, William G. Deshler; Finance, P. W. Huntington ; Military, C. C. Walcutt ; Invitation, W. N. Dennison ; Decoration and Illumination, H. T. Chittenden ; Societies and Organizations, A. D. Rodgers ; County and City Officials, W. B. Hayden ; Instrumental Music and Salutes, Theodore Comstock; Vocal Music, P. M. Wagenhals; Schools and Clergy, S. S. Rickly ; Railways and Carriages, W. W. Medary ; Press and Printing, John Short; Capitol and Police, Samuel Thompson ; Auditing and Secretary, David W. Brooks. The committees appointed by the chairmen were very large, that on reception containing about one hundred and fifty members. On November 27 General Grant telegraphed from Galena as follows to Hon. William Dennison : I will expect to reach Columbus Friday, early in afternoon, December 12. Nobody with party but Mrs. Grant and self. Mrs. Grant prefers quiet dinner at hotel so as to be rested for evening entertainment. Will sleep in car to be prepared to start any hour Saturday morning. I will be entirely at command of the committee during our stay. After receipt of this message preparations for the reception were carried on with great alacrity and zeal. The entire population of the city seemed to be helpful in the work, regardless of partisan differences. Arrangements for excursion trains and rates were made with the railways, and a general programme was prepared and announced by the committee on that subject. General C. C. Walcutt, chairman of the Military Committee, was appointed Chief Marshal of the parade, and selected a numerous staff. 3 The escorting procession, it was announced, would move from the railway station south on High Street to Fulton, then countermarch and move north on High to Broad and east on Broad to Third. Arrangements were made for a dinner in the Portrait Room of the Executive Office in the Capitol at 7:15 P. M., and for a grand reception ball at the City Hall in the evening. The ball was to be given under the auspices of the Governor's Guard, and was to be accompanied by a supper served in the rooms of the Tyndal Association. Prominent parts in the programme were assigned to the musical societies of the city and to the public schools. The rendezvous appointed for the school children was the High Street sidewalk, east side, west of the Capitol. The pupils of the Deaf Mute Institution were also to assemble there. After the procession should pass, going south, the children were to proceed to the Capitol, and there await its arrival.