Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-08-07
One Hundred Persons View the
Remains or the Dead Gen.
eral Per Minute.
A Beautiful Floral Design Pre-.
Sented by New York City.
The Steel Shell for the CaSket
Arrives In New York.

viewing the remains. All through the hour
the formation OF the line was at u point near
the fountain and the time OF waiting was not
more than ten minutes from the point where
tbs line formed to the place where the re-
mains lie in state. After seven o'clock the
line changed AS to its personnel There were
less women and girls. They had gone through
and were at work when the line began TO
lengthen, AT eight there was another change
taking place in the complexion of the Wis
itors. The laborers had gone and the clerks
coming down town were stepping from the
elevated and surface cars into the line tina,
was moving at the rate of ITO and l20 per
minute. The police were reinforced at eight
and the people were being hurried through al
the rate of los perminute.
As the throng passed by the remains they
were hurried out of the City Hall building as
rapidly as they had been pushed into it.
Emerging on the steps upon the court house
side, the line broke and the people dissolved
into the throng that in all the paths and ave-
nues was breaking their wav the solid ranks
that at II o'clock circled and sodly bound
City Hall Square. See the hour and hall
we have lost waiting here" remarked a
heated citizen, who emerged from the rear
slope of the City Hall, short time before /
o'clock.
Al IL U ClOCk between oO,uOD ana
persons had passed by the casket and looked
towards the remains, though many comin g
IN from the bright sunlight were scarcely able
to distinguish them in the sombre shadows of
the BACKED draped corridor.
The floral Offering of the board of alder
men was set up during the morning beneath
the rotunda dome where the light streamed
down upon it, The central column rose ten
feet and was hanked by stands OF colors,
while the base WAS bed of ferns and palms.
among which was placed huge rows of white
buds. An incident was Occasioned by the
attempt OF an old lady who came up IN the
line to stop and
Kiss the Face of the Dead General,
She was remined hastily that snch pro-
ceeding was IN bad taste, and besides two
plates of glass prevented any demonstration
of the kind.
Mayor Grace, this morning, sent the fol-
lowing communication to the commissioner
of public works, Rollin NJ Squire:
''ln difference to the expressed wish of
some of the friends and admirers of Gen.
Grant, you are hereby directed to remove
from the front of the City Hall the verses
inscribed thereon"
A large double horse truck of the kind that
is usually employed for hauling safes went
to the Troy boat, this morning, and after a
great deal oftrouble took on the steel shell
that is to enclose the casket of Gen. Grant
which had been shipped the night before from
the Franklin Iron Works OF Troy. The case
or shell as il is called weighs $500 pounds.
1t was made by an old boiler maker of the
Franklin Works and is guaranteed to stand
pressure of 10000 pounds to the square
inch. When the casket is enclosed in this
shell, the whole weighs three tons. The
shell encasement is absolutely secure either
from pressure that will arise inside the frame,
gas generated by decomposition of body or
from any attempt that burglars or grave rob.
bers might make to steal the remains.
At the head is plain white metal plate
bearing the words U. s. Grant died July 23d,
1885. When the steel shell was being labor
iously unloaded and moved into Merrltt's
shop, a large crowd of people gathered
around inspecting it with much curiosity. 1t
will remain at Merritt's place for six hours
on exhibition, when it will be taken to the
tomb in Riverside Park. After the funeral
on Saturday the casket will be enclosed in it
and then it will be permanently closed with
hot rivets under the supervision of expert
mechanics.
An Ex.COnfederate Aid.
Gen. Gordon of Georgia, who at Spot
sylvania court house. Va, checked Gen
Hancock's advance on the llth May, 1864
and who commanded one wing Of Lees army
and made the last assault upon Grants lines
at Appomatox, has been appointed aid to
Gen. Hancock tor the funeral services at
the burial of Gen. Grant
The beautiful floral piece. the gift of the
city which was placed in position immediate
sists OF a broken column nine feet high, rest
ing on pedestal with a shield. At the base
are two floral flags on either side and the city
coat of arms in immorteles The shield is
composed Of red and white stripes and star.
with scroll bearing the words II. S.
Grant" in immortelles. The coat of arms of
the city rests upon sword, pen and anchor
interwined with smiax The summit of the
column is adorned with a beautiful wreath Of
laurel leaves with three white doves With out
stretched wings Immediately above The
entire piece Including the pedestal is fifteen
feet in height. The contribution of the 10y
al League bears the words: ''Our command
er is greatly admired"
In the center of the balcony above the
grand staircase is a huge floral piece modelled
in imitation OF an old-iashioned clock. Be-
meath the dial worked in immortelles s the
date "lo22' the year Gen. Grant was born,
and the dial hands are stopped at eight min
utes past eight On the pendulum box are
the words "Woman's Relief Corps, G.. A.
r." worked in white and purple flowers. A
bronze bust of Gen. Grant rests upon the
pedestal under the dome. A spear and flag
staff drapped in the national colors, are
crossed behind the eagle and over the spear
head rests bronze wreath. The base of
the bust contains fac simile of an auto
graph of Gen. Grant which reads, .'article of
capitulation, unconditional surrender,
(signed) U. S. Grant"
At the head Of the catafalque, Thursday
morning, stood Major Gen. ID. =. Barton of
the Loyal Legion Commandery of New York.
Turning his eyes to the cssket he said to q
friend, See that badge on the Generals
breast When be gave up his relics, his
badge - our commander in the Loyal Legion