Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-05-05
Correspondents Of the Cedar Falls Gazette.
The Funeral OF Abraham Lincoln In Chi.

AN INTERESTING ACCOUNT.
CHICAGO, May LIST, 1855.
Before these words reachsyour readers
all that is mortal of Abraham Lincoln
will have been consigned to the tomb
Thinking they might be not unwelcome
I pen you few items concerning the
solemn funeral ceremonies of our late
President in this city to-day.
Early this morning the people begar
to move, and the streets were soon crowd
ed-thousands being in from a distance
BY 9 A. NJ. every inch of space on the
line of the procession was occupied. In
the immediate locality of the starting o.
the procession, which was at the south
end of Park Row, about a mile and Q
half south Of the Great Union Depot, 9
dense crowd also assembled. The fune'
raj train from Indianapolis arrived a,
II A. M, consisting Of ten passenge,
cars, all beautifully draped in mourn.
ing-among them the beautiful car that
was built expressly for Mr.. Lincoln.
This beautiful car had never been used
until this time. 1t was magnificently
draped in habiliments of woe, at a cost
of two thousand dollars.
AS the train neared the locality, for
the starting of the procession, the Light
Guard Band played beautiful dirge,
which was very appropriate for the oc-
casion. The corpse was then removed
from the car to beautiful catafalque
erected under the most beautiful triple
arch that have ever seen, description
of which you will find in the Tribune
of this morning. After the remains
had been placed upon the catafalque
the mourners gathered around, the band
played the Lincoln Requiem, composed
by Vaas-and what beautiful music
After the band had ceased playing and
short pause, thirty-six young ladies
dressed in white and Grape scarfs came
forward and walked around the dais,
each placing memento Of living flow
ers on the coffin.
The morning promised unfavorable
"CothCis ~ " as SlONOy uOouS "
A. NJ, when the sun shone out in all of
its beauty, throwing rich mellow glow
upon the beautiful scenery in and
around the sacred spot; there to the east
the placid waters of Lake Michigan lay
unruffled. Oh, what a sublime scene.
The waters have come to join the requi-
EN-. The placid deep chants the dirge
in the low beating ripple. Strange sad
ness touches all that behold the beauti-
full scene--something whispered in sill
very tones and seemed to say, q" Passing
away! passing away!" The tolling
bell, the sad and lnournful salute of the
minute gun, all tell the wonderful and
sublime occasion. And as the Tribune
of this morning, in speaking Of May
day of 1865, says: "The Goddess Maia
mourns, for she must lose one Of her
fiesta dies. Her offerings of flowers
the darlings of the spring '-will be
used, not indeed to wreath the radiant
brow Of youth and beauty, but to strew
the bier Of noblest manhood" ..
Before the cortege commenced NOV
ing the sun passed behind cloud, and
during the whole time the procession
was in motion it was obscured, with
now and then slight sprinkle of rain.
And as that vast multitude passed
along the entire length of Park Row in
to Michigan Avenue to the City Hall,
the crowds on the sides of the streets,
in and on top of the buildings, stood
reverently with uncovered heads. You
could see the tear drop. 1t seemed as
if the angels from the other world were
weeping, as the gentle drops fell from
the clouds mingled with those of the
host around. Oh, how appropriate
AS the solemn cortege marched slowly
through the streets with steady tread
the affecting music of the dirge for the
dead the tolling bell the rustling
pe,-the boom of the minute guns
the beautiful flags at half mast waving
mournfully-the festoons of evergreens
and roses, Grape, and black and white
muslins neatly draping from every
building, the scene is one that will new
er be forgotten by all that saw it, as the
beautiful funeral car passed. 1t was SC
constructed that all could see the coffin
Its splendor cannot be described. And
as the car passed slowly by, all uncov'
cred their heads, and death-like silence
prevailed. And as the eye of the watch
er caught the simple word in letters o.
silver on the side and beneath the cot.
fin, of LINCOLN, the tear would start
and audible sobs could he heard in any
direction. The old and young, stout
men, unused to tears, would give way
to the deep grief. Oh, it was relief t.
wcep-to weep for the patriot States
man, martyr dead-weep Columbia
weep.
Never in the history of the world wa
such intense interest manifested at thu
death of public man as that which ha
stirred every loyal heart in this grea
city to-day. We do not propose to write
an eulogy on our martyred President
| for 1t has been spoken IN every hones
heart.
The funeral ceremonies to-day hav'
been participated in by a larger GROVE
than ever before assembled in this cit.
on any occasion. 1t has been estimated
that forty thousand people were in tn
procession, which was nearly five hour
in passing a given point, and was fiv
miles in length.
The remains are now lying in state il
the City Hall, and thousands are con
tinually passing through the building
to take the last look. Lincoln is dead
but God lives! N.
d. w. voorhees,, the virulent indians
copperhead, has flown from his HON
ut Terre Haute to the more congenia
atmosphere Of Canada. The assassina
ton of President Lincoln made hi
home rather disagreeable to him.