The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-03-08
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, d. O., March 3, 1881.
Gen. Garfield arrived In the city yesterday
morning, and will remain at a hotel until he
takes possession of the White House on Friday
morning. Gen. Garfield received hearty
ovation at the depot. But the enthusiasm
came more from the citizens than from the
numerous Committees appointed to receive
him, that committee having through some
misunderstanding wholly their own, arrived
at the depot before daylight and had to walt
till nine o'clock before the Presidential train
arrived. Mrs. Garfield, the Generals mother,
who came with her son went Immediately to
the Executive Mansion to superintend the
placing of Gen. Garfeld's property therein.
Gen. Garfield when he stepped from the train
onto the crowded platform, looked as much
the unostentatious citizen as when he used to
be seen daily during the sessions of Congress
walking to and from the Capitol. He will be
President of the people, for the people, and
by the people.
don't believe the city ever, even in the
stirring times of '8l, filled up with strangers
so rapidly as 1t has since Sunday. Though
many arrived last week and W eek before, this
week the influx has been such that hotels and
boarding houses are full and private families
are moved to extend hospltalities to the
strangers who would otherwise fare sadly.
Every train brings crowds more. The visiting
organizations have not begun to arrive, they
always walt till the last moment, and then, as
when General Grant was last inaugurated,
arrive here in a bunch, overflow the depots
4
tracks for some miles outside the city. OF the
parade itself the English language is too poor
to express what those here are expecting it to
be. Big and Brilliant are about the best words
to think of in connection with it. In fact
there Is so much of IL that only the first two
divisions are to be at the Capitol, the other
two forming on the Avenue and falling behind
the others as they return from the Capitol, the
whole passing in review before the President.
Our District Militia is in high feather. Each
small company has upon Its hands, to enter
tain and lionize, one or two regiments of the
visitors, and they are preparing to do 1t in
grand style. This District Militia of ours is,
by the way rather motley gathering of men.
One company have white coats, another blue,
another red, and two others gray. We had
quite respectable regiment here at one time,
but the strong companies eat up the weaker
ones, and SO the regiment was disbanded.
The decorations are beginning to repay in
beauty for the time and money bestowed upon
them by our nearly exhausted Inaugural Com
mlttee. Many of the private residences along
the line of march, are being handsomely
festooned with national emblems, and the
"Avenue," that beautiful stretch of wide con-
crete, designed especially for the advantageous
display of immense bodies of men, looks as
one flag, from the number Of decorations upon
it. There are no colors, that when blended
give such brilliantly beautiful effect as the
colors of the Union, and this effect is seen to
spendid advantage in looking down Pennsyl-
vania Avenue.