River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-08-13


m Friday, the doors were closed for
the night, only to have the scenes of
Thursday renewed on Friday, when the
multitude were again admitted.
The Last Days View of the Remains.
Friday Aug. 9TH, was the concluding
day when the remains of Gen. Grant
were open to public inspection at the
City Hall in New York City. Six
o'clock in the morning was the hour
fixed for the opening of the gates lead
ing to the building, which had been
closed at a. M. BY 4, a. m. thou
sand persons were already i'll line and
from that time on the street cars the
elevated and the Brooklyn bridge roads
poured people by the thousand into city
hall square. Hundreds of ladies and
gentlemen came down from the upper
part of the city to be on hand early to
view the remains and still found thou
sands there before them.
The CITY hall clock marked $50
O'Clock when Junior Vice Commander
Cranston of the U. 5. Grant post lifted
the covers from the caSket, passed his
handkerchief over the glass plate, and
hen assumed his place at the head OF
his detail of Grand Army men. St.
Paul's was tolling o'clock when the
iron gates were thrown back.
As on the previous day the first to
pass through were ladies. During the
first half hour every one tried to linger
moment, but the guards constantly
had to urge the people along. A steady
rate of progress was soon established,
however, and after that the line kept
up a continuous advance with the least
possible detention.
The people IN the line were all
classes and conditions, rich and poor,
old and Young, rough and dainty, men,
women and children were mingled.
Early in the day the line was formed,
four abreast instead of by twos, as
Yesterday This shortened it some
what, but its rate of progress was, OF
course, slower. 1t steadily grew in
length and by o'clock it reached
to Leonard street. At 10 o'clock it
reached above Grand street, over a
mile away. From 80 to 10 persons
passed the casket every minute, and
! it is estimated that during the two
DAYS the body lay in state fully 800, 00C
people looked upon the dead face.
NOTABLE SCENES.
| The scene by the casket to-day was
| impressive, but varied little from hour
to hour. The beautiful floral pillow
from Galena was added to the floral
! I,-,,, :; -, ,,-;+l,;r Tho SON, bro nOrri Jpr
The guard of honor. composed of Grand
1 Army men and National officers, stood
hour after hour watching the passing
stream of gazers, Fastening their pro
/ greSs and preventing the over anxious
/ from lingering, or touching the casket
or its canopy. There was one touch
ing exception to this. Toward the
middle of the afternoon a blind old
soldier. his hand clasped in that of q
little girl, a Grand Army badge upon
his lapel and his feeble step sup
ported by cane, approached the bier
/ in the line. His sightless cOuntenancC
/ lighted up with interest when the little
| GIRL softly said: Here it is, grandpa.
/ With his hat in his hand he whispered
to the guard who grasped his arm IL
kindly guidance. ''Let me touch the
coffin He was permitted to pass his
hand along the silver and to feel the
/ looped-up curtain of the canopy and
passed ON gratified. The little girl was
so occupied in watching her blind
grandfather that she did not see th,
face of the dead hero at all.
In the line to-day were many China
men. They dotted their hats anC
gazed respectfully. There We're many
children, too. who were lifted up by
their mothers rs they passed the cas-
| ket. Everyone wore an expression o
deep respect ON entering the building
and the scene was never marred 10y
the slightest irreverence.
CLOSING THE CAsKET FOREVER.
At three minutes to one o'clock Sat
urday morning the officers signilied thei
intention of closing and at one precise
" the heavy iron gates were shut Will
a clang. There was a line four abreas
at least a mile long awaiting admit
lance when the gates We're shut.
The last person in the line was /
short, heavy-set negro, whose perspir
ing forehead glistened like ebon.
under the electric lamps. .'What i
your name?" he was asked
civilian White" was the reply, anC
he hurried past the casket unconseiou
of his sudden notoriety. Then cam,
the closing scene of all. At midnight
under the dark canopy Of Grape whicl
covered the walls and ceiling tn,
marble hallway. surrounded by litti
group Of veterans of the war and tn
Brilliantly attired officers of the Sew
enty-first regiment of the Nationa
guard. the casket containing Gen
Grants remains was to be closed down
for ever. There was spontaneou
movement to the front as the youni
son of Undertaken Merritt announces
that any person desiring to see th
remains ssuust do so now. In