Morning journal and courier., 1881-05-31
Memorial Day.


An Interesting Occasion-A Most Spirited
Celebration OF the Day-The Graves OF
the Honored Dead--Noble COMPILATIONS
OfFlowers-A Fine Pageant-The Even
ing Exercises-An Eloquent Address by
Ex-Governor Hubbard-Other Features.
Memorial day was celebrated in very
spirited and highly successful manner yester-
DAY. It wasgenerally remarked that it was
one of the best ever had in the city. The
graves were decorated in the morning, be-
fore the fervent heat of the sun came.
Delegations appointed for the purpose re-
paired to the different cemeteries, armed
with garlands, bouquets and collections of
flowers, of which our people had given with
lavish hand. In each of the cemeteries hun
dreds witnessed the tribute paid upon the
grassy mounds meath which lies the dust of
the brave men who fought that their country
might live and the Union be preserved.
Mothers believed with tears again the tomb
of the loved son or husband, sisters wept
over the graves, of brothers who fell for the
old flag, and many heart rejoiced and pulse
quickened to see the fower-laden Boys in
Blue of the Grand Army repairing to the
cities of the dead upon their errand of devo-
ton to the memory of those who had fought
with them or with others in other commands
in the east, west, north or south sections of
our land, where battle rsg ed and blood ran
like water in the great conflict. On alk the
main lines of travel to the different cemeter-
ies just before the hour for decorating, car
riages were constantly passing, bound to the
commemorative scenes. The favoring skies
of early morning gave assurance of a day
most suspicious for the signal success of the
splendid programme which had been devised
On all the roads leading to the city from ad-
jacent towns unwonted stir and activity pre-
vailed, team load after team load coming in
bringing friends to share in the events of the
day, attracted, perhaps, by ties and associa-
tions dear to the heart. Everywhere
about town the eye of stran-
ger to the programme would have
observed evidences of a general holiday, in
the flags waving from porticoes and flag stats
on private residence and public building, while
everywhere the story was emphasized in the
afternoon by the scores of silent manufac-
tories and scores of closed mercantile estab-
lishments, and by the sight of men in blue
and gray on foot or mounted, repairing to their
respective places of assembly. Horse cars
laden to overlooking constantly brought new
recruits of spectators from every direction
to the grand center of attraction-the old
Green-where high in air from the top of
the-pole of liberty waved the national en-
blem. By three o'clock, the hour for the
starting of the grand procession, the Green
was densely alive with our people of all ages
and sizes, eager to witness the parade. Moth
ers were out with the young children, eager
to catch SIGHT of the father who was wear
ing the blue or the gray in some one of the
organizations to parade; and of the rising
generation, squads of uneasy boys were exc
cutting all sorts of antics and gymnastic
feats on the green sward, Indifferent, for one
day, to the stern, relentless eye of the guar
dams of the peace, or of any menacing
switch. The town pump handles were exer
cised as only they are exercised on one other
day of the year-that day the glorious
Fourth. Fabulous quantities of soda water
and other cooling beverages sold in the
stores disappeared down thirsty throats, and
soda fountains were oft raided upon by a
whole neighborhood representation of thirsty
mothers besieged by untiring and rap
turous troops of children, whose thirst was,
like their avidity for sight seeing, unquench-
able. The sun blazed down with fervid heat
in the afternoon, making the shady sides of
the street and the shade of the elms much
sought for, while public and private rooms
commanding view of some fragment of the
route of procession were resorted to by per-
sonal friends of the occupants to escape the
broiling sun and witness the great pageant.
The morning programme had passed off fine
~ and that of the afternoon was equally
notable success. Shortly after three the
grand procession moved out of the Green
and the multitudes of people who had been
awaiting the start began to mix and diverge
in apparently inextricable confusion. The
air was resonant with the blare of bugles, the
rattle of fine corps of drummers, and the
martial music of the bands, while over the
stone pavements danced and pranced the
spirited steeds of the leaders of the process
sion, the chief marshal and his aids There
was a grand hurrying to and fro of the
throngs of people when the procession was
on the move, all bent on securing some fav-
orable point to view the procession in all its
features The order of the procession was
as follows