Deseret Evening News

MEMORABLE PARADE OF
GRAND ARMY OF REPUBLIC

Saratoga, N. Y., Sept. 11.—With the booming of three guns shortly after noon today, the thousands of veterans assembled here for the Grand Army encampment, met in Woodlawn park, to begin one of the most memorable parades in the history of the order. Thousands of people lined the streets and cheered the aged veterans, clad in faded blue, who marched slowly past to the tune of martial music.

The line was formed with the left of the column resting on Broadway, so that marching into place every command, from the right of the column, passed every other command. The line of march was just one square more than a mile in length over a smooth macadamized avenue with a slight descent, and shaded from end to end by huge elm trees on either side of the street.

This evening there will be a muster at Convention hall, for members of the Grand Army only. The business session will also be held by the Women's Relief corps, the Ladies of the Grand Army, the Daughters of Veterans and the Naval Veterans association.

Tomorrow evening the great camp fire will take place at Convention hall, with three-minute speeches from representatives of each of the state departments. The election of officers will take place tomorrow afternoon or Friday morning.

Supporters of the several candidates for national commander-in-chief are waging a spirited contest, but sentiment apparently favors Charles Q. Burton, of Nevada, Mo. Other leading candidates include Patrick Conney of Topeka, former Kansas department commander; J. T. Wilder, the famous commander of Wilder's "Lightning Brigade," now a citizen of Knoxville, Tenn.; Chester Burrows, of New Jersey, and C. E. Adams, a banker of Superior, Neb. Many delegates favor Gen. Wilder, believing that the election of a southern man would result in increasing the good feeling between the Union and confederate veterans. There is little competition for the minor officers.