Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-03-04
GENERAL HANCOCK Ix WASHINGTON
Twenty Mounted Policemen Necessary to
Keep the Crowd from Drawing
Him to His Hotel

Twenty Mounted Policemen Necessary to
Keep the Crowd from Drawing
Him to His HO,el
The great feature of yesterday in Wash
ingtOn was the arrival of General Han
cock, who left New York on the limited
express. He was expected at 4 o'clock,
but was in one of the rear sections of the
train and did not arrive until nearly 8.
At four all the stands were filled with
people anxious TO see him, and several
thousand gathered around the depot. Tie
people waited until 5, when a heavy rain
began, and those on the stands were driven
away, but a dense crowd remained in
and around the depot for four hour until
General Hancock arrived. He was met by
the special reception committee consisting
of General ]. R. O'Beirne, Major Bradley
and Captain Foot. and the executive in
ausuration committee, consisting Of ex-
Postmaster General Creswell, Colonel H.
G. Corbon and COlonelJ. w. Thompson.
Major Bradley, as soon as the cheering had
subsidized, welcomed him in short speech,
to which General Hancock replied with
thanks only. He was accompanied by
Generals Mitchell, Fry and Perry Of his
staff.
1t had been planned to draw his carriage
with team of several hundred men, and
the rope, several hundred feet long, was
in readiness, but upon being informed of
this he discouraged the idea firmly and it
was reluctantly abandoned. Such determ-
inatiOn was shown by some of the men to
de- something Of the kind in his honor
that the prccaution was taken to surround
his carriage with twenty mounted police
men. The cheering at the depot caused
large accessions to the crowd and the pro-
| cession to Wormley's hotel was followed
by a constantly increasing multitude. A
major generals salute was fired at tho
White lot ip honor of his arrival, and
there was Handsome display of fireworks
all along the route.
In front of tho National hotel, extend
ing up the avenue to Seventh street, from
fifteen to twenty thousand people were
gathered in perfect mass OF humanity
SO dense rs to block all travel for q time
save on the street Car tracks, which were
kept clear only by dint of hard work on
the part Of the police. The number of
ladies III the immense gathering was some
thing remarkable. Some of them stood
there four hours, merely to catch glimpse
| Of the famous general. Perhaps no crowd
ever waited more patiently and persistent
q
the presidency and whe had nothing
sideratiOn.
After he had entered Wormley's about
ten thousand men joined in cheering and
calling for him. He was at last forced
to respond. General Creswell introduced
him, and he said after the cheering sub
sided:
Il had noticed that was to be re-
| ceived by committee, but had DO idea
that l was to be escorted to my hotel
either by the military or this great body OF
citizens. l am therefore greatly hOnored.
DOubly SO that you have waited for me SO
| long in this inclement weather. L be-
your pardon for my delay and for the
| weather, and thank you most heartily
for your kindness to INC. bid you good
night.''
The apartments which Hancock Occu
pies at WOrmley S are on tho ground floor,
and are beautifully decorated with flowers
sent by ladies. General Hancock will
open the inaugural ball tonight, but
will not appear elsewhere in the ceremO-
MES.
The tickets to the Inauguration ball are
S. apiece, and supper is to be served 1T 81
a head. The menu includes picked Oys
ters, chicken salad, roast turkey and ham,
ices, cakes, jellies, fruit, lemonade, bread
and butter and coffee 1,50O pounds ol
turkey, 200 gallons of chicken salad and
$50 gallons of coffee are the proportions af
the preparations.
An incident which contributes special
interest of sentiment to the inauguration
| is the presence of the aged mother of the
new president, who half a century ago
gave birth to him in cabin in the Ohio
wilderness seven miles from any human
habitation. 1t is thing notable and
touching to see this venerable woman,
whose carly widowhood was passed in
penury and in Il sore conflict to win for her
children 4 place III the sunshine of life,
entering now in the twilight of her years,
as its most hOnored member, the first Off
cial household of the land.