The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-03-10
Company II at the Inauguration.


attended the inauguration of Presi-
dent Garfield at Washington. Leav-
ing on a special train at l:30 Thursday
morning we arrived in the National
capital at about 81 o'clock, there was
raging at the time a storm of rain and
sleet which made an effort to leave
the car a very disagreeable one. In
spite of the storm, however, several Of
the boys at once proceeded to take i'm
the sights of the town. The morning
of the 4th of March 1881 ,dawned on the
capital city amid a gloomy rain which
bid fair to turn the glorious prepara-
tions for the inauguration into sad
failure. Sellers of seats on the,''prin-
cipal line of the procession were will
ing to sell at any price with few
takers. The hour of eleven !o'clock
brought a change for the better in the
weather. prospects. The price of
tickets rose as the bouyant heart of
the great throng grew light with the
prospect of shining sun. A cold
northeast wind made standing still q
very disagreeable task, although when
the procession moved those in the
line were deeply sensible to n steadily
growing warmth which gradually de
veloped into perspiration so that when
the order was given for "double
quick tine" no one complained of
the cold wind as it served to cool off
the! heated brows..,of the boys. On
each side of the procession q dense
crowd pushed and showed each other
to get better view and 1t was with
great difficulty sthe police we're en-
abled to keep the crowd back, in
several cases it heing even necessary
TO resort to clubbing. The great pro
cession was two hours sin passing a
given point and since Sherman's
famous review at the close of the war
there has not been so fine or grand a
procession in Washington. The
avenues of the city which are named
in honor of the several states, were
decorated with arches covered with
the national colors, and ornamented
with emblems commemorative of the
progress or chief traits of the States to
which they belong. That old chimney
on the banks of the historic Potomac
known as the Washington monument
also came in for its share Of the honors
of the day. Two large letters "G. w d"
made of bunting were displayed on
two sides of the top Of the monument
while numerous flags surmounted the
unfinished and unsightly pile.
After the parade the members of the
Company at once commenced to take
in the sights of the city. And of all
the cities in the great Republic none
can be compared with the capital city
for the number and variety of things
of interest to the American citizen.
The capitol, situated like the capital
of ancient Rome on hill, commands
from it's western front one of the finest
views mortal eye ever witnessed.
Entering the portals Of this nlagnif
cent pile which occupies 80 acres, has
been in course of construction since
1915, and has cost to the present time
about $4,000 600, the visitor reaches
the rotunda, 800 feet in circumference,
and which contains six magnificent
paintings costing each from $1,000 tO
$4,000, cOmmemorating acts of the
first existence Of the Republic which
| fire the heart of all lovers of our com
mon country, and kindle anew the
flame Of patriotism in the breast o
each freeman. Gazing~ the
eye reaches the wonderful allegorica
painting of Brunidi. The dstan,
sight of this great fresco ,makes us
anxious for nearer view. Climbing
the narrow iron steps of the grant
dome we stand near this masterpiece
A feeling of awe and veneration fills
the mind of the beholder. Could Il
person go hlindfolded to the national
capitol, and see nothing but this one
work he would be amply repaid for al
the trouble and expense it might be tc
him. Ascending still higher we
emerge from thes dome and standing
on the upper terrace lean over the
stone bulwark and from the several
points of the campass take in the
magnificent views presented to the
eye. We made the ascent of the
dome in company with JAS d. White
The iron steps are just wide enough tt
admit the passage of two persons. A
continuous stream of people mostly
soldiers, keeping to the right filled the
steps like an endless chain, one side
going up the other down, at times
such was the jam that one almost
wished himself safely at the foot
again. How long this stream was
kept up we know not, but when we
left there seemed to be no abatement
From base to summit, and around tho
dome one continuous, moving stream
of humanity. In the stream tn,
keystone boys were the most numer
Gus, and ever and anon three cheers
and tiger were given for Pennsyl
vania.
Leaving this part of the building we
passed through the rotunda and