Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-08-21
RIVERSIDE PARK
Selected as the Last Resting Place for
the Remains of the Hero Of
Many Battles.
Making Grand Preparations for the Funer-
III C~ortcge-The Temporary Tomb
to be Immediately Erected
on the Site.
TIE PLACE DEFINITELY FINED.

III ~ III A-NiSi
Mt. McGREGoH, July 29.-The day
! broke bright, and on the mountain passed
without any event until ten o'clock, when
the train arrived at the summit. Colonel
Fred Grant was one of the passengers upon
it. He proceeded at once and alone upon
his arrival to the cottage, his brother Jesse
/ having remained behind. The Colonel i'm
mediatcly repaired to his mothers apart
ment, where tile family gathered to hear the
result of the Colonel's trip to New York
and conference with the officials. He de-
tailed his movements and explained that
there seemed to be reasons for the choice Of
a burial spot in some other than Central
Park. Riverside Park had at the time of
Genera Grants death been suggested as the
place of interment, and it seems best to the
Colond, after seeing and hearing all, to
change the place of sepulture to Riverside
Park. The matter having been thus pre-
sented to the family, a conclusion was
reached in accord with the Colonel's sug-
gestions, and he at once dictated the follow
ing dispatches:
MT. MCGREGoR, July %.
W. r. Grace, New York:
Mother takes Riverside. Temporary tomb
-" ''' N''| +. D. GRANT.
MI. McGREGoR. July %.
General R!..McFeely, Washington, D: c.:
Mother to-day accepted Riverside Park.
of the Soldiers Home. F. Z. GRANT.
Upon the same train that brought Colonel
Grant up the mountain came the company
of regular troops that had been expected
since yesterday morning. They brought
their tents and all camp announcements and
wore the uniform of the regular army.
There were thirty-eight men in all, and they
were fine, manly fellows every one. The
~commandant is Major Brown, with Lieu
tenants Wood and Barr. The detail is made
up from Company E Of the Twelfth Infantry,
located at Fort Niagara, on the Niagara
River. The men were formed in line under
arms at the Little Mountain depot, and
marched up the path General Grant at
tempted to climb to the cottage just six
weeks ago yesterday. The spot where a
halt was made is about forty rods south of
the cottage and here the white tents have
been pitched, and about the cottage where
the dead commander lies is now a scene of
bivouac and camp life, with veterans and
regulars side by side.
DR.. Newman is busily engaged in prepar-
ing his discourse to be delivered at the am
lily funeral on August 4. He advocates the
erection of a temple structure above the
tomb of General Grant, in which shall be
placed all the memenJoes and trophies of
memorative architecture at the tomb shall
be of utility, in view of the fact that Gen
eral Grant, of all other men, was a man of
utility. The doctor incidentally expressed
the opinion that Riverside Park was a lone
ly spot for burial.
Mrs. Grant passed the day, as usual, in
the upper rooms of the cottage. DIR. Doug
lass says that she is very much depressed,
but that physically she is as well as usual,
and not by any means a subject for a ply
sician's care.
1t is understood that 200, 900 members of
the Grand Army of the Republic have
placed themselves at General Hancock's
disposal, with the urgent request that they
may appear in a body on the occasion of the
final o~bsequies in New York.
Colonel Roger Jones, of General Han
cocks staff, who represents the General in
connection with the funeral arrangements,
says that Governor Hill has concluded not to
come here, but will remain at the Capitol
experimenting the arrangements for receiv-
ing the remains on their arrival in Albany.
Under the Governors direction the civic as
sociations and societies will be organized
into divisions, to each Of which a Marshal
will be assigned.
Colonel Jones has made complete arrange
mentS for the transportation of the remains
to Albany. AS there are only eight cars on
the little narrow gauge railroad between Mt.
McGregor and Saratoga, and their utmost
carrying capacity will not accommodate $50
persons, there must necessarily be only a
comparatively small escort at Mt. McGregor.
A detail of light artillery has been or
dered here by General Hancock from Fort
Adams to be used in firing salutcs Oh the
morning of August 3 and 4.
Yesterday afternoon the most elaborate
floral piece yet received came. 1t is a large
pillow of white immortelles in which is a
sword of colored flowers crossed by a floral
fac-simile of the epaulettes;,of a General. 1t
Meade Post No. 1, G. A. r., Philadelphia"
1t is learned that before Colonel Fred
Grant went to New York to select a site for
the Generals %sepulchre, Mrs. Grant re-
quested him to learn the wishes or opin-
ions of those with whom he consulted on
the subject, and if there seemed to be una
nimity in favor of any spot which the fami~
ly had not considered, to give such %inclina-
ton due weight. 1t is also known that the
visit to Watch Hill was not accidental. The
spot was known to Mrs. Grant, and had
Deen spoken OIL 1aVOraDly Dy her, though
the favored locality with all the family was
the Mall in Central Park. Wheh, therefore,
the Colonel reported a general impression
among the city authorities in favor of the
Riverside Park, and added his own s%atisfac-
ton with that site, the decision was quickly
and easily arrived at.
DR.. Newman is quite earnest in his belief
that the memorial to be erected over General
Grants body should not be conventional and
meaningless like the gigantic shaft of the
Washington Monument. He would place
in the temple proposed by him all of the
gifts of foreign nations to the late President
and General, and all other treasures which
have a National interest in connection with
the great hero. There should also be room
in the structure for any statues that may be
erected, symbolical of the events of the Gen
erals life.
The guard of regular troops was on duty
last night in the grounds around the cottage
replacing the guard from Wheeler Post, G.
A.. r.. from Saratoga. The Wheeler guard
will be on duty on the cottage porch begin
ming when the body is placed in the casket
to-day. The detail from U. S. Grant Post,
of Brooklyn, will then take a position inside
! tho Gotta pa as the immadiata puard of honor