Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-10-28
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Iue5uay rev fofh sun.
The spot of ground on which .Auguste
Barthoidi, the sculptor of the great Statue
of Liberty, set foot first yesterday was
the green sward at the base of the stppen-
dous figure of bronze that Is his handi-
work. The entire company of distin-
guished Frenchmen whom the French
government sent over with the sculptorto
| take part in the ceremonies of the unveil-
| ing were grouped about him, and near
| them was the American committee of
| welcome. AS the sculptor gazed up Mt
| the imposing statue the guns of Uncle
Sam's men off, war riding at anchor around
Bedlow's Island doomed an echoing well
coming TO the foreign guests.
The visit to the statue was the first
duty with which the French delegates
chafgod themselves, but the hearty well
come extended to them began long before
they reached IT, The sun had been up
but very little while when the natty
little 100 ton yacht, the Title, that Mr..
W IL Starbuck owns, darted down the
bay. The stars and stripes were inter
twined with the French tricolor in he,
rigging, wherever there is any room Il
fasten any bunting, and il all hutteret
gayly and picturesquely in the breeze a
she raced to La Bretagne. Sue had oil
board as many of the American committee
as had been able TO wake up so early, witt
Richard NJ. Butler and Louis De Bebial
. at their head. La Bretagne was ridini
a maSestically at quarantine with the star
and stripes flying from every part of he
rigging too, and sculptor Bartholdi an
!. Senator De Lesseps and the other French
= men standing on her bridge awaiting th
coming of their American hosts.
i, The gun Of the little yacht doomed an
!. the big whistle OF the steamship toote
n sonorously in response, and the French
IS men and Americans waved each othe
Il salutes with great cordially. Then IL
!; big steamer started for Bellows Islam
x with the yacht and the Americans rigl
= l alongside. Both vessels slowed up
"a front of the statue. The flagship Tel
A. nessee and the other men-of-war of Il
h North American squadron sent the II
" color 1uttering up to their peaks and l.
n the national salute boom in deafeniI
Il broadside from their heavy guns. Coul
y de Lesseps' curly headed little daught
os | stood beside the white-haired senator.
ii The steamer and yacht went to d
Is French Line pier, where the visitors 81
nd Americans, who were waiting for thel
Id boarded the yacht, which steamed up D
'cl North river The party sat down to
bountiful breakfast in the cabin. n
hc Richard Nj. Butler made a speech of W
M come, to which senator De Lesseps !
es- sponded. About 10 o'clock the yacht
he turned to Bedlow's Island, and its laun
NJ carried the guests ashore. General Sto
lty and D. II. King, the builder
loh the great granite pedestal Of
are statue, were on tho island to
" ceive them. When General Stone
planned tho arrangements for setting
I'D giant torch aglow with electric lights a
Illuminating Liberty's diadem, Sculp
nef Bartholdi became more than ever int
/ to ested, and he enthusiastically praiI
eep everything.
.oaa The inspection of the statue lasted III
noon. The party went back to the va
TED to luncheon, and atterward went on
Of excursion around the island, stopping
om- He'll Gate, where the Americans explain
-; all that had been done to blow away
submarine distinctions there. The va
ain got back at O'Clock to the East Twe1
The third street pier. There score of
ewa riages bowled the Frenchmen off to
g., Hoffman House.