River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-03-31
An Imposing Funeral.

An imposing Funeral.
Mr.. George Augustus Sofa tele-
graphs from st. Petersburg regard
ing the funeral of the late car /
have just been a spectator of one of
the most magnificent, most impressive,
most patriotic pageants, in which in
course ola heightened career accustom-
ed to pomp and vanities of royalty,
from royal bridals and feast to royal
funerals, | have ever been privileged
to set my eyes on. The cannon fired from
the fortress directed for the various
mourners to take their places. Sim
liar salute, about midday, gave the
signal to start, when a sable standard.
bearing in white the initials of the
murdered monarch, was unfurled over
the fortress, the artillery began to fire
the minute guns, and all the bells in
the city began to toll. The whole
route was lined by troops
of the garrison. Immediately
behind whom the public were per-
mitted to stand; no galleries or plat
forms were erected as houscholders
were only allowed at personal risk and
peril To let the windows or balconies to
strangers. The route taken was from
the great plain in front of the Winter
palace, by the admiralty quay and
English quay to Nicholaivisky bridge,
crossing which the procession took the
street on the line of the Island of Vas
sileostraff, across Tootschkof bridge
and by Alexander park to the fortress.
The procession consisted in all of 10
sections comprising III groups to de-
scribe which would occupy many
columns. Among the noticeable
features of the procession was figure
which attracted much attention,
the knight of the golden armor,
mounted upon a gorgeously harnessed
steed, carrying drawn sword and sup
posed to symbolic the bright and spot
less character of the departed sover-
eign. Perhaps the most picturesque
features in the ceremonial were the
Populations which figured for the first
time in Russian history, representing
the institutions created by the late EN-
peror. Following the priests came n
gorgeous catafalque on which rested
the coffin under a rich canopy of cloth
of gold surmounted by white ostrich
plumes. The GoloS saws: We are
asking what next, and when the hearse
passed there came suddenly in view
Il prodigious mass of humanity rapidly,
so to speak, as flash of lightning,
uncovered. 1t was a most wondrous
sight to behold, that black sea of hats
and caps, transformed into an immense
expanse of pale, upturned faces. The
The funeral car was a bier of ebony and
silver on wheels, with heavily carved
silver spokes, and the superstructure of
black and silver The whole was cano-
pied by superb material encircling the
columns OF the bier. the coffin of the
illustrious deceased was almost hidden
by golden pail lined with white satin,
and the vast car itself was drawn by
six black horses, completely shrouded
in sable draperies. Four general aide
camps stood at each corner of the cata-
falque, the polished metal wheels of
which glistened in the sunlight. Six
teen general officers held silken cords
of the canopy. Behind the bier
of his murdered sire walked
Alexander the Third, in his
imperial solitude bearing alone his fill
ial sorrow and his state cares, and SYM
pathizing in this last respect in his
unique position. The emperor was
dressed in generals uniform, wearing
the ribbon of St. Andrews. Following
the emperor at a respectful distance
came the minister Of the household, the
minister of war and three officers on
duty. Next in order followed the
grand dukes and princess according
to precedence, with foreign princes.
These included the Grand Dukes
Vladimsr, Alexis, Sergius, Paul and
Constantine. Sergius, Michaelovicth.
Dimitrie, three, Nicholas and Peter,
two, Michaels, George and Alexander,
on foot, take his majesty, with the
Vulnerable princes, Romonoffki,
Leuchtenberg, Nicholas, and George
Maximilianovitch Peter, Alexander
and Constantine, of Aldenburg, and
Dukes George and Michael, of Meek
lenburg Strelitz.
-G@o -