Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-08-15
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
Grants Funeral-a Look at His
Face--the Procession.
Some of the Prominent Figures-the ex-
Confederates - Severe Surgical
Operation, Etc.
NFw YORK, Aug. 9, 'S5.

has been paid to its greatest soldier
There is nothing more Americans ca
do for Gen. Grant, except remembe
him, aud TO anyone who saw the mag
nifirent pageant Of yesterday it woul,
seem impossible that he ever could b
forgotten.
The press dispatches will have givel
you full particulars days before thi
will reach you, but as presume | wa
the only Wichita person in that josi
ling, seething mass OF humanity o
three million people that packed tn
route from City Hall 10 Riverside
Park. distance of over nine miles,
may say something of interest.
In five minutes from the time th'
wires flashed the message "Grant i
dead,r signs of mourning were dis
played, but not until Thursday after
noon-after his body was brought tC
the City Hall-could one form a tru,
ides of its magnificence. Thursday
afternoon rode down Broadway to
City Hall and for the first time
realized what artistic work
could do with black and
white. The most beautiful decora-
tons were solid black, notably among
these were the Fifth Avenue hotel,
draped with 1850 yards of black
cashmere, the Hoffman house
at cost of $500, III. Il. Clafin &
Co.'S. the Mills building on Broadway
with 5000 yards of black cloth, and
hundreds of Others as elaborate. Very
little cotton goods was seen and when
it was used, by contrast with the deep
black of broadcloth, cashmere and
other fine wooden goods il looked
brown.
| noticed one building decorated
with what at first looked like beauti-
full rosettes of black and white, but
Oh closer view they were small UNI
brellas with alternate sections of black
and white. The building was an um-
brella factory, but happily this COM
bination of sentiment aud advertising
was rare. To me the most touching
Of all the decorations, was a colored
bont-black'S stand on Broadway
corner. just an arm chair with foot
rest aud an awning over it. The first
night after Grants death the owner
BACKED the entire awning, chair and
foot rest, and on black card scrawled
the words, ''!Ie helped to set me free"
in white. Simple, but pathetic 10 me.
Five blocks this side of City hall
saw the end of the liue which reached
from there around three sides of the
block in which the hall stands. We
left tn cars and fell into line behind
Two little ragged chaps about eight
years old. who irudged along haiid in
hand with very little idea whe,e this
pilgrimage led them or what for.
Every car brough; additions 70 the
line and il wound awav behind u =,
lengthening faster than il
shortened. for we..advanced so slowly
that we trod on the heels of the ur-
chins before Us and were in turn trod-
den by those behind, but the greatest
decorum. good feeling aud good man
ners prevailed. ] may have proved
the exception myself when two smart
Alecs ahead of our small boys pushed
them out of the line. and drew them
back in, declining TO take their places,
giving the Young men to understand
the little fellows had right TO their
places. Almost two hours we slowly
followed them until we came to the
foot of the steps leading into the City
hall, where a policeman divided the
double line, one passing on either side
and up the steps, across the porch and
into the corridor where stood the
catafalque on which lay the hero who
had fought his last fight and made his
first surrender. From the end of the
line to the doorway through which
you passed out of the City hall po-
liceman was stationed every ten feet,
aud from the time you entered until
YOU were out every policeman said
"Hurry up there" ae many times as he
could. 1t is said 100000 people viewed
the remains, usually passing at the
rate of 40 per minute. and with sew
enty on each side of the catafalque it
would be less than second to each
person.
In the fleeting glance l had l saw
that the face was exI ressiohless be-
cause of the thick layer of powder
which had been put on to cover up
the marks of decay, the hair quite
gray. There was nothing on top of
the purple velvet casket except the
simple wreath of oak leaves made the
day of his death by his little grand
daughter Nellie, but at the foot of
the catafalque rested a large pillow
from the loyal legion and at the
head representation of the gates
aiar. broken columns, pillars, anchors,
c oss' :. wrsa:he-, &c. Chef among
the floral decorations WAS one pre-
sen ed by tie ladies at th- various Re-
lief Corps 1 New York aud Brock II.
Il i solid Column eight feet h gh
of white imnorteIlcs. At the apex Is
the face of clock. the hands and fig
ure- IN purple Thu hands mark the
hour which he died, SOS O'Clock.
Further down; : 1922 1889. biri h aud
death. with the words. Wonans' Re-
lief Corps aud q. A r.. all in purple.
At the base combination of roses,
ivy leaves and smi,aN Many of these
floral pieces cost rs high as two hum
bred dollsrs. some more.
Another tribute which tells its own
story, came from the sons
of James Wormley. late col
ored hotel keeper at Washing
ton. The piece is six feet long, four
and half wide. The center was q
crayon picture representing General
Grant lifting up \ colored man who
knelt at his feet with clasped hands.
Tho paueI WAS rurDla with nol1 i'm