The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-09-15
THE RIDE TO THE SEASIDE.
Incidents Attending the Bemoval OF d
President to Long Branch.

Incident. Attending tho ReDoval OF the
President to Long Branch.
The night prior to the removal of the Presi-
dent to Long Branch he slept well, but
awakened at intervals and was alive to all that
was going on. At daylight he was wide awake
and said to DR.. Bliss, "We are going, aren't
we, to-dsy?" ooh, yes" said the Doctor.
"I am glad OF it." was his reply. At half
past five O'Clock the actual removal commenced
by carrying the bed on which he lay from the
room into the hall and moving it along to tho
glass doors which cut of the long hall running
east and west from the balcony at the head of
the main stairs along to the office. When ready
to be started down the stairs and out into the
balcony, the mattress on which he lay was
placed upon litter, which had been con-
structed at the Government shops, and taken
upstairs the evening before. The mattress
consisted of rubber bag filed with water and
had been placed under him in the usual way by
raising him upon the sheets, as had been done
every morning at the change of the bed CLOTH
ing. The litter was so constructed that when
he was placed upon it and carried down the
main staircase into the lower hall, it main
tanned a horizontal position as they proceeded
The President mad been given enemas once
and had also taken a little morphine, SO that
he was only drowsy, but buoyed up by hope at
the removal, and the artificial strength lent
him by the liquor enabled him to sustain the
journey to the foot of the stairs without any
annoyance or apparent fatigue. From the
foot of the stairs to the wide doorway was but
few seconds journey, and the worst of the
trip, as far as the White House was concerned,
was over.
When the President was almost down stairs
the family LASTLY entered their carriage to
precede the wagon bearing the wounded man
10 the depot. In the first Mrs. Garfield, Miss
Mollie, Mrs. Edison and q female attendant sat.
Mrs. Garfeld's face was yelled. Miss Mollie
showed the traces of violent weeping, her face
being red and tear-staine1. In the next car
riage came the female servants, and others Of
the party followed after.
No sooner had the carriage containing the
family driven away, than Drs. Agnew and Rey-
burn came out on the portico to see il all was
right for the patient. The final survey was
satisfactory, and moment later the party
bearing the litter appeared in the doorway,
bearing what looked like q bier covered with
white sheet. It was the President released at
last. He was carried by DR.. Boynton Colonel
onel Rockwell's brother. 1t took but moment
to place the litter on the spring platform
placed for its reception. Colonel Rockwell
guided the burden at the head, and the stall
wart form of Colonel Corbin steadied it at the
foot. Easy said Corbin; "there, now, let
down y and without jar or quiver, all was
arranged. The bed of the wagon was wide
enough to allow the litter bearers to sit on the
edge of the sideboards, and they took their
places within the vehicle.
As the wagon moved away, the President
waved his left hand to those on the porch, and
commenced his journey to Long Branch. His
head was elevated considerably, and good
view of him had. He lay on his back q
sheet and blanket covered his body up to his
arms around the head was bandage of white
saturated With water to keep his temples cool.
Tho morning, even at an early hour, WAS very
warm. His face was pale, but did not look as
wan or as wasted as it was thought by many it
would look. 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 they
thought possible. His face by no means bears
out the reports that he was attenuated even
unto living skeleton. 1t was noticeable where
the whiskers had been cut OF in dealing with
that troublesome gland. ...-
Slowly the wagon moved down the carriage
way. 1t was followed by Steward Crump in a
market wagon, and by Mrs. Garfeld's maids in
carriage, the bed on its springs rose and fell
easily with the heavy but plant motion of the
springs of the express wagon.
The scene IS the President drove down the
south side of Pennsylvania avenue was most
impressive- one, impressive through its very
simplicity only a few hundred of people
standing on the guarded sidewalks Watching
single wagon moving at q brisk rate down the
smooth avenue in the light Of the rising
sun.
As he passed down the avenue he looked
from time to time at the crowded sidewalks.
Eve ybody had q good look at the worn face
Everybody was moved with profound compass
sion. There were tears in many eyes, and
there were hundreds of men, and women, too
who would have been only too willing had any
one given the sign to have taken the sturdy
bays from the great wagon and drawn it them
selves TO the station. But of course no one
gave the sign, and the wagon moved on un-
molested, arrived at Sixth street and stopped.
The horses we're taken out, and strong arms
backed it up to the door Of the Presidents car
In few moments he was placed on the elastic
bed within the car, surrounded by Mrs. Garfield,
Mrs. Rockwell, Mrs. Edison and the surgeons
and nurses.
In the Presidents car were Drs. Agnew,
Bliss, Boynton, Woodward and Reyburn, and
MIR. Brown, Major Swain, Colonel Corbin and
Mr.. Warren Young. There was but moments
delay after the President had been placed on
the springy bed, on which he was to ride to the
Elberon. Then the train steamed slowly out
of the CITY,
In ten minutes the workmen had removed
that part of the extra track which overlapped
the street railway track, and the crowd had
dispersed to breakfast.
ON THE ROAD.
The train bearing the President passed VII
mington Depot, Delaware, at 9:47. It ran
from there to Lamokin, fourteen miles, in
mir nr1fno rrhn orr r,a1 frra
At Wilmington about ], 500 people were gath
cred along the track to see the train pass
through. which ran at the rate Of ten miles an
hour. The train passed Chester apparently
tightly closed, running twenty-five miles An
| hour.
The as.ival at Philadelphia showed the train
| to have run over the P, W. and B. division at
| the rate of forty-nine miles an hour.
| At Philadelphia the President was informed
| that over half the journey had been COM
| pleted, and he said he was glad of it, but, -
said he ''this is the most interesting day I
have had since was shot,
A stop was made at Bay View and the wound
| successfully dressed.
| AT LONG BRANCH.
At II o'clock detachment of troops marched
| up to the Elberon. They had arrived from
| Governors Island on the first train down from
| New York, and were quartered in q vacant lot
between the depot and the hotel. There thew
| pitched their tents and prepared Tor an en-
campmsnt which will not be broken until the
! President leaves the Branch. The officers in
command assigned the soldiers to patrol duty,
| and orders were given to clear the grounds on
| the south side of the Presidents cottage. No
one was allowed within the line Of the railroad
| track On thu north tha peonla we're kent q
hundred yards away from the cottage. The
bluff marked the dead line on the east, while
the hotel formed the western boundary,
beyond which no persons were allowed to
proceed in the direction Of the cottage
About 1890 large American flag was hung
out of the window in the top Of the gable, On
the west side Of the building. 1t was scarcely
moved by the faint breeze. Two magnificent
bouquets were carried into the sick chamber
and their perfume scented the atmosphere OF
the apartment. The preparations for the re-
ception were COMPLETED and the reople anx