Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-07-30
THE NATIONS dead.
General Grants Remains Finally
Attired and Placed i'm the
CaSket,
The Temporary Vault at Riverside
Park Completed.
Meeting OF the Grant Monumental
observation-disclosures Elected.
Mr.. MCGREGoR. July 20.


The cottage is quiet and the hotel Is quiet.
The camp down the mountain slope is with
out excitement. The regulars are on guard
at the outer posts.
The observation car which is to convey the
remain. OF Gen. Grant to Saratoga. arrived
on the 5 O'clock train bringing the casket in
which Gen. Grant Is To b. inferred. The
casket was al once removed to the cottage,
where il was placed beside the remains. The
undertakers then attended TO the practical de-
tails of transferring the remains to its tiaal
receptacle. Tne New York undertakers.
Harrison. the Generals servant, and Henry,
the nurse, were present. 1t was found that
the hardening process, that results from EN-
baImlng, had begun and the embalmers ex-
pressed their belief that the body would re-
main in its present condition, without any
change, for at least six months.
Harrison was permitted to all in the final
preparation of the remains as tar as possible
\ SUIT of black broadclnth was placed upon
the remains the coat being Prince Albert
cut white linen standing collar circles
the neck and black silk scarf is tied in a
bow at the throat. The tie was plac' d and
knotted by Harrison and he also adjusted a
pair OF low cut patent leather slippers upon
the dead General, feet, where thry had been
the silk bows of the slipper was probably the
last personal service that Harrison will d.
ror hls late master. Gold studs are fixed IN
the shirt front and PLAIN gold buttons in th-
cuffs.
When the remains had been finally attred
and placed within the casket, the double
breasted Prince Albert was buttoued closely.
the right hand was folded across the breast
and the left was easily disposed by the side.
Coz Fred Grant at this point entered the
apartment lie approached the casket where
it r, sted beneath the black draped canopy
and leaning above it some moments studied
the face of his father in silence. Then taking
in his own the right hand of the General,
which rested upon his breast, Col. Grant
placed upon the third finger plain gold ring
and then replaced the still, thin hand. Be
fore turning away the colonel drew forth a
small packet OF mementoes which he placed
in the breast pocket of the coat about the
remains. Having performed these last per
sona offices Col. Fred Grant retired from the
room and those in charge dropped the heavy
plate glass top of the casket in place and the
casket was sealed for the last time bv the
turning down of go screws that press the
glass down into its fittings, and which thus
renders the casket air tight, and this even
ing the Generals remains lie covered with
the American flag and an lncandescent sheds
a mellow light about the heavy canopy and
the flag covered cssket beneath is in shadow
and rest until the day of removal. The
picket posts are manned by regulars who
tirelessly tramp beaten paths over pine
needles under the trees about the cottage.
A despatch from citizens of Murfreesboro,
Tenn. to Col Grant mentions a meeting
composed of ex-Confederate and Union
soldiers, at which resolutions of sympathy
with the widow and family were adopted.
In a letter to Col Grant, Secretary Whit
nev expresses sentiment of grief felt by all
connected with the navy department at the
death of his illustrious father and offers his
official and personal coincidence with the
widow and family OF the deceased soldier.
New YORK, July 20.
The work of excavating in Riverside Park
for the vault which is to be used as a tenn
porary burial of the body OF Gen. Grant was
feet south OF the location tor the permanent
vault
The site chosen for Gen. Grants burial is
on sort of promontory on the Hudson River
and is the highest point in Manhattanville
The outward swell of the promontory begins
at l22d street and the river bank and returns
to its regular line at l2gth street The sum-
tuit of the elevation Is almost a level plateau
of something more than twenty acres on the
river side. The descent is abrupt at its foot
Two hundred feet below are the tracks of
that branch of the Hudson River railroad
that runs into West S0th street depot On
the northwest is ferry to Fort Lee, and on
the north and northeast red brick stores
houses and manufactures of Manhattanvile
cluster around the base of the hill. If the
observer looks TO the south he has opened
before him the long vista of Riverside Park
and its III acres of drveways, and the hewn-
stone wall and the ancient oaks and naples
on the steep slopes of the Hudson. Around
about in the vicinity is uuimproved PRIV ate
property which will doubtless become the site
OF handsome villas, lawns, walks and shrub
berry. The spot suggests revolutionary wal
memories. Fort Lee is opposite. The old
fort in Central Park is on the southeast,
Fort Washington is on the north, and the
highlands near West Point shut in the hori-
zon. Beyond the Tsppan Zee no structure.
can be erected to break the uniformity OF
the view, as the water front and park belong
to the city. The temporary tomb to receive
the body is built of brick.
The subcommittee of the Grant monument
fund, met today The committee was in
creased by one hundred additional names
Chester A. Arthur was chosen President
Mayor Grace and Hamilton Fish, Vice Pres
idents, Drexel, Treasurer, and Mr.. Grenier
Secretary. The first contribution to the fund
, today consisted of fifty cents and was con-
tributed by lady.
At meeting of the directors of the West.
ern Union Telegraph Co.. today, resolution:
were unanimously adopted euiogistic of the
life of Gen. Grant; also that the director:
and general officers of the company shall at
tend the funeral in a body; appropriatine
5000 as the company's contribution to ths
proposed national monument to Gen Gran
in New York and providing tor the receip
and trsnsni ission of all contributions from
the public to the monument fund at all the
offices of the company. The official build
| ings of the company were ordered to b.
draped in mourning.
Battery A, Z. S. Artillery. consisting o
40 men, equipped as infantry, left Fort Co
/ In nhus this moPninc in charge of Can't Peck