Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-09-14
Notes OF the Exodus.

From various sources we gather together the
incidents Of special interest connected with the
wonderful removal Of a wounded president lying
at deaths door In the hot malarious atmosphere
of Washington to the healing breezes Of ocean
more than two hundred miles away
THE START.
Throughout the entire night the busy scene of
hurried preparation for the morning journey went
on at the White House. Loads Of baggage and
articles OF comfort were dispatched to the railway
station with that loving forethought and devotion
which have been from the first characteristic Of
the attendants upon the national invalid. Many
beautiful and carefully selected bouquets and
baskets Of fragrant flowers were prepared from
the several public conservatories and gardens and
tastefully arranged In the car he was to occupy
There was no inclination among the inmates Of
the mansion to sleep, and few made the attempt
Every thought was on the president The presi-
dent was doubtless the calmest and most COM
posed person In the siclt-room. GLOW are you
feeling now9' asked Dr. Bliss, about one o'cock.
Better, much better than for many DAYS"
quickly replied the president Then, after a
pause, he added, Doctor, do you think anything
can now happen to stop my trip to the seashore2"
mo, Mr. President we will surely start you
early in the morning. You can depend upon u.s."
said DIR. Bliss earnestly. The president smiled
and said, 81 agree with you" In the three
hours OF restless and disturbed sleep that
ensued, there was an expression OF happiness and
contentment upon the patti flushed face that
Enthusiastically showed with what joy and delight
the antcipations Of leaving the place where he
had suffered 80 long and 80 much filled him.
The president awoke a little after daybreak. DIR.
Bliss was Immediately by his side, but before he
could speak the president said: "when shall we
start doctor; am ready at any time, the sooner
the better" Precisely at sunrise the final prep
aratons for transferring the president to the cars
began The president was taken from his bed
and tenderly and carefully transferred to a
stretcher specially constructed for the purpose.
Upon this he was borne down stairs by the nurses
and surgeons. The president was in excellent
spirits: "Going away at last" said he, "going
away at last" At the bottom of the stairs he
was transferred to a bed which had been prepared
for him. One Of the large wagons of the Adams
Express Company had been backed up to the
door Into this the president was borne and the
bed deposited upon springs arranged for the
purpose The chief surgeons and attendants
took their places around the bed, one with his
fingers upon the presidents pulse, others tanning
him The horses which had been standing in
harness two hours were attached to the pole, and
at slight word pulled over the sand which had
been laid on the concrete walk to the roadway.
As the wagon moved away the president waved
his left hand to those on the porch, and began his
journey to Long Branch. His head was elevated
considerably, and the bed being pretty high up
good view of him was to be had. He lay on his
back squarely; sheet and blanket covered his
body up to the arms around the head was a
bandage Of white saturated with water to keep
his temples cool The morning, even at that
early hour, was very warm. His face was pale,
but did not look as wan or wasted as it was
thought by many it would There was surprise
on the part OF those who had not seen him since
he was shot to note how much better he looked
than it was thought possible after his long suffer
ing Policemen stood at the street crossings to
restrain the passage Of vehicles, people lined the
sidewalks and there were heads in the windows,
but no one made a motion to enter the street or
approach the wagon. The street-car crossings
were covered with sawdust, and the bed on it,
spring rose and fell easily with the motion of the
vehicle The ride from the White House to the
car occupied about eight minutes. The transfer
to the car was accomplished with the same gen.
tleness as had characterized the previous handling
of the president. Mrs. Garfield and family, with
the attendants selected to accompany the house
hold to Long Branch, had preceded the president
in carriages, and at balf-past six o'clock the
throttle OF the great engine No. sos was so deli
cately moved by the veteran engineer William
Page, that the train started without perceptbe
jar. pilot engine preceded the presidential
train by half an hour On receipt of notice that
the presidents train had started, all trains moving
south from Baltimore were stopped at the nearest
station, and the track throughout the entire
length Of the journey was kept clear till the
object Of these careful precautions had passed by
No laundering freight trains, and none of the
noises that smite the ear OF the customary rail-
way traveller, was permitted to imperil the safety
OF this passenger with whom the hopes and fears
of nation were travelling.
AT LONG BRANCH
An experienced engineer familiar with every
curve and grade Of the route accompanied Engi-
neer Page on the locomotive. During part of the
way the train was driven at the rate of fifty-fye
miles an hour, but so complete were the appli-
ances for comfort that the high speed was the
source OF rest and exhilaraton to the weary trav-
eler rather than of discomfort. At half past one
o'clock, just seven hours from the time OF start
ing, the train arrived at the Elberon station, and
the car pushed over the half mile of new track
which had been laid to the door OF Francklyn cot
tage, discharged in perfect safety the freight
which millions had hung in anxious suspense.
The president was carried to a spacious upper
chamber in the cottage, from the windows of
which the ocean is seen and through which its
breezes come to refresh him. There was large
concourse OF people on foot and in carriages as.
sembled to witness the Decentralization. A com.
pany of soldiers from Governors Island guarded
the grounds Of the cottage The people who had
chosen good positions to obtain a view of the
president were compelled to relinquish them, and
there was but one point where a few spectators,
far away from the door of the cottage could OBJ
tain view of the president, even though the
space between the car and the door had not been
covered in with canvas. From this point a mat
tress on which was plainly discernible under
snowy coverings the form of human body was
seem steadily and gently, almost solemnly, borne
from the car to the house, while the spectators
too far away and on too low level to catch sight
of the face, held their breath in sympathy, their
eyes meantime moist with tears they cared not to
conceal, and many doubtless praying with deep
earnestness that this heroic effort to save pre-
cious life would avail. There was not cheer
not an audible sound uttered by any one Few
scenes could be more impressive in their silence
and their sympathy
FRANCRLyN COTTAGE
is within the grounds OF the Eberon about two
hundred feet to the southwest of the hotel. 1t is
in the prevailing Elberon style of exaggerated
Queen Anne design, with peaked roofs of dark
red, many gables, quaint balconies, and sides of
old-fashioned shingles painted black. car
riageway runs clear through the building Upon
the ground floor Is a peculiar combination OF
dining-room and library, the two forming one
large room running through the house, the dining
room facing the sea, and the library behind it
facing the hotel. Opening out OF the library is a
smokngroom while off the dning-room is
small bed room. There are four large bedrooms
and several small ones on the upper story. A
large one in the southwest corner OF the house
was settled upon by Attorney General Mcveagh
as the presidents room. Mr.. Mcyeagh brought
the measurement Of the bed with him, and it was
found that 1t would not pass the doors of the bed
room by four inches, the bed being forty-one
inches wide and the door only thirty-seven inches
wide To meet this trouble force of carpenters
was at once engaged to tear down the woodwork
of the doors. The Francklyn cottage is called
cottage, but is really large house sixty feet long