The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-03-25
THE BANQUET.
A FEW INCIDENTS OF THE
CINCINNATI FESTIVAL.

SlNSANNAIt EESE1fALa.
Tuesday Of last week, in company
with the Cleveland delegation, W,
boarded the cars bound for the Cincin.
natl Banquet. On the train we me
with several Of oar East TENNESSEE
friends. among whom were w. 4.
Campbell and II. L. Graves Of Charles.
ton, John Whitman Of Mouse Creek
Frank Hutchinson Of Sweetwater, and
others too numerous TO mention al
bound for the same place.
The excursion train left Chattanooga
early Wednesday morning, with every
scat occnpicd-the East Tennessee par
~ boarded the second train. Every
thing passed rs pleasantly as any one
could wish. After leaving Chattanoo-
"a it was not many hours till we struck
the mountain scenery al6ag the line.
Grand [! yes grand beyond description
We were amused more than once to
hear expressions Of delight from those
Of the party that reside in the flat-wOods
Of Mississippi. They were delighted
even excited over the scenery.
There is no railroad in tie nation
that win compare with the Cincinnati
Southern for grand scenery on its
route, and bat very few that compares
with 1t in any other way: The road
has a 6 in. ballast of solid rock all the
way, and the rail is the "fish bar" steel.
The bridges are all iron, and there is
no jolt in the running of the cars, but
instead is a constant roar. The cont
mittee In charge of the train were A.
Goldsmith, j. l.. Burdsal, Stewart Shil-
Tito, Jos. Ilargraye, b, W. WATSON, G.
Bauer, CD. Penny and James j. Hook
er, all Cincinnati merchants. There
was nothing left undOne by the com
mittee-every arrangement imaginable
for the pleasure Of the party had been
thought Of aud attended to. There
were on the train two cars, one loaded
with eatables, and the other with beer
ana cigars-all free of charge. High
bridge over the Kentucky liver was
passed az night, us the train had
been delayed Two hours at Somerset,
caused by hot journals and broken
brasses. There are twenty-seven tun-
ucls on the line-bOis road to ride Oh
with your sweetheart. The train ar
rived in Cincinnati at II p. NJ, and we
found the city illuminated and every
boIy happy.
Thursday morning the streets were
alive with the excursibnistS and visitors
from near towns and cities who had
to ''see, the Southern rebels" a.
some expressed il, The day was passed
in visiting points Of interest and seeing
At night came the banquet
the greatest ever on the American con
Though eight o'clock was announced
as the hour ,or beginning the banquet,
it was forty minutes later before the
doors were thrown open to the guests.
eight, however, the band took
up is station in the balcony, which
filled up with ladies and theil
escorts who had come to grace the fes-
ial scene with their preScncc. The
magnificent Music Hall, from its pecul-
construction, admits of but little
ornamenmtion. 1t Is well that
such is the case, as no festoUns or
could add one iota to its SPLEEN
dor. TO tighten its massiveness, how
ever, a number Of flags Of different ma
were swung IN trios from the cap
itals Of the columns and the desired eff.
feet was obtained. The band was sta
on a raised platform in the bow
Of the balcony facing the grand organ.
Three large American flags formed the
ornamentation Of the stand. When the
doors opened and the van of the dis-i
tinguished procession made its appear.
anCc, they were hailed with q salyo OF
applause from the balcony, and the
band struck up the jubilee. The labor
ri seating the guests, though necessarily
I little slow, was attended with less con
than could be thought possible.
The music hall is the largest in the
States.
Its handsome exterior, and the severe
simplicity Of its interior, alike won the
,nc0mIums of the visitors. Tie grand
too, was a subject of wonder and
admiration to the Southern guests. On
heir first entry they were struck with
surprise ut its grand proportions, but
when, under the master hand of the
Jrganist it began to breathe its melodi-
Jus but powerful sounds, they were
overwhelmed. As IL pcaled out, and
he deep, rich notes poured forth, re-
1erberating from the sides and ceiling
the capacious hall, graNdly swelling
lntil they seemed to I'LL the interior
With harmony, astonishnlent first, and
next, seized upon ali, even the
east attentive, aud expressions Of won
Ter aud qualification were heard on all
sides.