Typed as spelled and written
Lena Stone Criswell

THE MARLIN DEMOCRAT
Thirteenth Year - Number 30
Marlin, Texas, Thursday, September 25,1902

HOW JOE JOHNSTON DID.
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Organized Chartered Association for Reunions
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       Mr. W. H. Herring, of Limestone county, a member of Joe Johnston Camp, Confederate veterans, was among those who attended the Confederate reunion at Marlin.  He is a charter member of the Joe Johnston camp association which owns, in fee simple the reunion grounds at Jack's Creek, near Mexia.  In speaking of the organization of the camp, Mr. Herring said "When we decided to establish a reunion we formed a chartered association and purchased a block of land, which comprises 90 acres, supplied with water from a spring.  We cut the land up into lots of suitable size for camping purposes and platted the land into streets, squares and alleys.  The lots we sold to Confederate veterans at $5.00 each.  From the sale of the lots we derived enough nearly to pay for the land which we had secured at a reasonable price.
       "Every year since organized the Confederate veterans of Limestone and other counties have gone into camp at the grounds for days at a time. The attendance is always large and increases every year, the attendance last year being estimated as high as ten thousand.
       "We have some of the best speakers of the state to address the people such as Lanham, Syers, Bailey, Shaw and others.  Aside from being a source of great pleasure and recreation to the thousands of veterans, their sons, daughters and friends, the chief end, these annual encampments have been more than self substaining.  We have money in the treasury and the net proceeds of this year's encampment amounted to eleven hundred dollars."

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Copyright permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for printing
by The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas