Marietta Daily Leader

BY THOUSANDS

The Veterans and Their Friends Are Pouring Into St. Paul.

Great Delay on All the Roads on Account of the Crush.

Several Crack Posts Give Exhibition Drills on the Streets--Commander-in-Chief Walker and Wife Given a Reception, Attended by Thousands.

ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 1.--It is estimated that there were over 30,000 strangers in the city Monday night, and trains are still coming into the union depot every few minutes. The crowd is beyond expectations and it is estimated that there are 40,000 people to come in on the trains Tuesday.

There is great delay on all roads on account of the crush.

Gen. Walker and staff arrived at 1 p. m., and were received by Jos. J. McCardy, commander of the department of Minnesota, and escorted to the Hotel Ryan, where addresses were made by Mayor Doran and others.

Monday night several of the crack posts of other cities gave drills in the streets. Monday evening Commander-in-Chief Walker and Mrs. Walker were given a reception at Hotel Ryan, which was attended by several thousand people. At the same hour at the state capitol a general reception in charge of the Minnesota Relief Corps was given to the Grand Army proper. This was attended by 20,000 people.

The chief event of the morning was the parade of the naval veterans. Their numbers were not as large as in former years, owing to internal dissensions in the organization, but with their parading allies they made a good showing.

First in the line came the escort of the Third U. S. infantry from Fort Snelling. Col. Edwin C. Mason commanding, headed by the regimental band. Uncle Sam's regulars were followed by the members of the Naval Veterans' association, Capt. J. F. R. Foss, commander of the Minnesota association riding at the head of the column of 200 old sailors in the absence of Rear Adm. Sears. Nearly half a thousand ex-prisoners of war keeping soldierly time to the music of a band.

The Sons of Veterans in attendance at the encampment brought up the rear.

The line of march was the same as that ordered for Wednesday's grand parade.

Reunions by army corps, regiments and posts were in order all day in various halls and public buildings.

This feature of the annual encampment is always enjoyed by the veterans from private to general more than anything else as it brings him in close social fellowship with those under whom or with whom he handled rifle, bayonet, saber or gun.