The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-11-20
GRANT.
His Reception by the People OF Chicago.

O~-~C0s
had, been devoted, was everything that the most
devoted admirer of the ex-President cou d
nave desired or asked for. The people of the
city turned out by the hundreds of thousands
and were reinforced by hundreds of
thousands frem abroad, SO that there was
no lacking in numbers; of enthusiasm
there was also an abundance, and the
procession was the largest, the finest, and the
best gotten-up affair of tie kind perhaps ever
witnessed in the West From the Chicago
papers we condense the following account OF
the reception exercises:
The train bearing the distinguished visitor,
which came over the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy road from Galena, arrived at Park row,
on the lake front, at o'clock p. m. The rain
began to pour down. but the thousands of peo-
pie who thronged the Lake park and all
the adjacent streets did not seem to heed it in
the least, but pressed forward to get as near
as possible to Gen. Grants carriage. In spite
of the disagreeable weather, the decorations,
the gay uniforms of the militia, the thousands
of wagons carrying flags and notices, and the
smoke from booming batteries on the lake
front, presented a scene at once beautiful and
grand Haste was made to set the huge pro-
cession in motion. The rain pouring down
in torrents made this matter of great diff
Guilty, but finally the column began to
move down Michigan avenue, which was
crowded with moist spectators from one end to
the other, as far as the line of march extended
Rv- and hxyf IA cir ro1oo
and made everything infinitely brighter. The
militia led, followed by all the veteran organ
izations; then came the civic societies. with q
largo number of carriages, and finally the fire
department, with thousands of vehicles of
every description, with all sorts of notices
The head of the column had reached a long
distance down town before the wagons had
fallen into line. The police had
great difficulty in clearing the way. Grant
was everywhere greeted with the most
vociferous cheering. AS the procession moved
down town toward Washington, State and Lake
streets, the jam of human beings became, if
possible, greater than ever. Bye o'clock the
Washington street and Fifth avenue. The sky
was now perfectly clear. and the streets along
which the parade passed we're literally impass
able. Every available inch of standing room
on sidewalks and steps was occupied, and ev-
cry window had it's spectators.
The South Side, in the neghborhood of the
Palmer House, was the destination of visitors
and residents alike. From early morning
until noon, from all sections of the city there
was rush to the section named. At noon on
State street, from Lake street up to Harrison,
there was perfect jam. Once in the crowd. it
was an utter impossibility to advance or recede
Not only was the street packed, but the win
dows were black with human heads
This crowd was not confined to State street.
but all along the line of the procession the
streets were densely packed while every win
dow, every roof, every housetop was crowded
by spectators to it's very utmost .
The procession, as seen from State and Wash
ington street, was grand and imposing beyond
description AS far as the eye could reach
flags f1uttered to the breeze from every window
and point OF vantage. The frouts draped in
fbunting-the red, white and blue-showed
that the city had put on holiday attire
The sidewalks and streets were blocked
with people, crowded 30 closely together that
passage was impossible-a vast multitude, in
which the movement of individuals was
scarcely perceptible--a closely packed throng.
the riders, and which constantly threatened to
verge upon and precipitate iteelf upon the
procession. Standing for hours, many of
them in the mud and water that had collected
from the rain, every head was turned
and every neck was craned forward,
is the nsad of the grand o1ea made made
from Washington street. A cry went up from
the throng in the street that was echoed from
the windows and porches, also black with peo-
ple-cheers that drowned the music of the
bands, the trampling of the horses and the
tread of the rapidly marching host-voices that
were hoarse with long waiting and standing in
hn nd or \ 1Io< Il
in volume as the contagious enthusiasm spread
instantaneously through the throng
AS the carriage in which Gen. Grant sat, fac
ing Hon. Thos Hoyne and Mayor Harrison, made
it's appearance, drawn by six horses and guard
ed by q platoon of police on each side, the
vast multitude broke into cheer that extend
ed all along the street, in universal, hoarse,
deep hroated, shout of welcome ami !
AS the shout went up all along the long
route, Gen. Grant raised his tall silk hat, and
bowling silently, kept his head uncovered for
few minutes. AS soon as he had replaced it.
another shout would again cause him to re-
peat the operation. He wore heavy black
overcoat, with nothing about him to indicate
his distinguished position as the guest Of the
city. @ ~
I A clear, rudy color in the face, the beard
but slightly grizzled, the hair hardly tinged
with gray, the face without a wrinkle or fur
looked in the very prime of manhood and
vigor.
On the arrival of the long procession at the
Palmer House, the General was met by the Re-
ception Committee of 500 prominent citizens of
Chicago, and Carter H. Harrison, Mayor, made
a speech of welcome. After the conclusion of
Mayor Harrison's short welcoming address,
Gen. Grant stepped to the front of the balcony.
and, in low voice, unheard by large ma
jority of the large crowd, spoke as follows:
Mr.. Mayor, and Gentlemen of the Committee of
the Chicago Reception, and Gentlemen of Chica-
go and of Illinois:
feel very much honored by the welcome
which am receiving at your hands to-day. I
feel highly honored by the speech of welcome
that has just been uttered by your worthy May
or. 1t is something so personal to myself that
it would hardly be in good taste for me to re-
spond to the language of it, and it leaves,
therefore, nothing further for me to do than to
repeat my thanks to this committee and to the
citizens Of this city for the hearty reception
which they have given me.
+ In regard to one allusion to my reception
abroad, will say that in every case I felt that
it was a tribute to our own country. will
add. further, that our country stands diff
r