The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-11-20
Last NIGHTS Dispatches.
THE BRAVE THOMAS.
dwelling of the Statue.

the Army or the Cum oeriand had meet
ing this forenoon. Upon the platform
were Gov. Mathews and Generals Hart.
} ranft, Butterfeld ande Kim ball sThe meet.
ing was called to order by Gen. Jas. A.
Garfield, who stated that owing to the
illness of the President of the society, Gen.
Z. H. Sheridan. he was unable to be pres.
ent. Gen. Jeff G. Davis, Vice-President
was unanimously elected presiding officer
and made brief address.
District Commissioner Phelps bid the
society welcome to the city. Gen. Sterum
follo4e with short. .eulogy upon General
George Thomas, whose name would 90
down to posterity second to that of no man
who ever walked the earth. A commuui-
cation was read from Gen. Sheridan ex
pressing deep regret at his absence and
com mittees we're appointed to nominate
officers of the society for the ensuing year,
to decide upon the time and place for the
next annual meeting and to select an ora
tor for that occasion. After some routine
business, the meeting was adjourned and
memb bers went to positions in the the
procession.
The city presents a gala day appear
ance. The streets are througed with peo-
pie, seeking places from which to view the
march of the army of the Gum berland and
unveiling the statue of General Thomas.
Buildings, public and private, along the
route are very generally and handsomely
decorated. The Quartermaster Generals
building is profusely decorated with the
National colors and displaying a large
number of flags torn and riddling on the
battle6elds of the Mexican war. Stretch
ed across the street is we'll executed
portrait of General Thomas. The
decorations at Fourteenth street circle
| where the statue is erected are very rich.
Around the circle are 38 lofty poles uni
ted by rope of eVerereens, each pole
oearlnS the design and coat of arms of a
state. and panel commemoratiug battles
10 which the army of Cumberland was en-
gagged, or the name of one of its deceased
general officers. AT each of the four COR
ners OF the pedestal upon which the statue
stands there Is pole corresponding with
poles representing States. and fanked bv
stacks of muskets and pieces, the spaces
| Intervening being ornamented with pyra-
ramids of cannon balls. The procession
was composed of five divisions, and was
one hour passing given point. General
| Crittenden was Uhiet Marshal, assisted by
| the following Marshals of Divisions, each
of whom were ATTENDED by brilliant staff;
Generals E. D, Mussey, II. V. Boynton.
Il. A. Carman. 4. Grafton and Col r.
II. Hammil. Upon arriving at the circle
where the statute is placed the ceremonies
OF unveling were begun by prayer. Hail
TO the Chiet" and Star Spangled Banner"
were sung by grand chorus, with band,
drums corps and artillery ACCOMPANIED.
The statute was then unveiled. people at
distance being informed of the fact by a
salute of thirteen guns from Fort Whipple
Grand hymns were then given by shorus
OF 100 male voices, supported by the mii-
tary band. drums corps and artillery At
the conclusion of the hymns Stanley Matt
hews delivered an oration. The presenta-
ton of the statute was made as an Offering
from the army of the Cumberland TO the
nation. and President Hayes accepted the
offering on behalf of the people of the
United States.
Tie President said: In the name of the
peop!e OF the United States. accept this
noble statue, so worthy of its object.
erected in homer of the General George Il,
Thomas by his comrades of the lilustrious
Army of the Cum beriand. The exercises
a, the circle occupied two hours, 1t was
| estimated $4,000 people were in the crowd
that surrounded the enclosure A general
holiday was observed throughout the city
and the entire populace appeared to be in
the streets. The military features of the
procession surpassed anything that has
been seen in the city since the Grant re-
view at the close of the war. The process
sion on the way to the Circle passed the
White House, where the President, ,Secre-
tsTy Sherman, Secretary Evarts, Sec
retary McCrary. Secretary Thorn pson,
Secretary SchuEz and Postmaster Gen
eral Key occupied seats upon a platform
erected for the OCCASION The band at the
head of the procession played Hail to the
sc ~ Al IL
stand ACKNOWLEDGED the salute, as they
did that of each successive band and di-
vision. The capitol, treasury department,
and several other buildings were ilumin-
ated with electric lights.
This evening when Pennsylvania avenue
was ablsze with gas and densely thronged
with people, rockets and bombs were sent
up from the south front of the Treasury
Department and FIR IN various parts of the
CT The grand tent erected ulol tie
grounds south OF the w bite House was the
main point OF attraction for mem bers of the
army of the Cumberland. invited guests,
and citizens generally. At o'clock when
the exercises began, about 5000 persons
wee packed within, while twice as many
more throDged every approach The tent
was brilliantly Illuminated with eordOns of
gas jets surrounding the seven central
pOies. WHICH SuppOTttU tue CHuFdes, duQ
presented an animated kaleidoscope o.
glitteriug uniforms and gorgeous toilets
The exercises were begun by prayer by
Rev. II G. McCauiey, of All Souls Unita-
risn church. of this city. Judge Arthur
Macarthur delivered the address of wei
come op behalf of the city, After music
by the West Point band aud Centurion
Choir. General Arson s.. McCook deliver
ed the Grafton
MAINE
AUGUSTA, Nov. I0.-Governor Garce
lon sat with the council to-day, both in
the forenoon and afternoon session. Hon.
Andrew Lacy, of Wiscasset, called at the
council chambe 10 the forenoon to see the
returns from Lincoln county. He stated
that he had been promised by the governor
that he might see them. The governor
stated that the conversation related to the
returns of election of county officers and
not to those of senators and representa-
tives. Lacy then stated bis desire was to
see the returns of the county com missioner