The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-06-01
Fair Hands Decorate the Graves
of the Fallen Heroes at
the Cemetery.
Eloquent Addresses by DIR. Ed
mOnSOn and Others mt
Smiths Hall.
How the Day Was Observed i'm
Other Cities Throughout the
United States.


remembered in the history of Sedalia as
one fruitful of great events, and for the
fact that If nature herself had been taken
into council and cooperate N with the
people she could not possibly have given
greater aid in the way of fair weather,
floral tribute and gentle baImy breczes,
free from dust or moisture, than that she
lavishly dispensed for the comfort of those
engaged both in indoor and outdoor exer-
cises. Early in the day the city was
thronged with visitors, patriotic and polit-
ical, and the mingled talk of flowers and
parade, politics and candidates, made a
babel both ludicrous and uEinteliigible TO
those few who, amid the busy hum Of lie,
may for the moment have lost sight of the
fact that the day was To be devoted TO the
solemn duties of decorating the gra.es of
dead soldiers, and the perhaps as patriotic
but certainly not 50
SOLEMN DUTY
of politically burying a number of aspi-
rants for immOlatiOn upon the couPtry's OF
fetal altar of patronage. But IL Was not
long a matter of doubt or uncertainty, for
by a. m. citizens in bright uniforms,
ladies in holiday attire aud children in
baby buggieS, began to throng the streets
In va crowds, which hurried to the va
riOus halls and headquarters of the q. A.
r., nearly all bearing in their hands huge
bOquets of fragrant flowers; while down
town the politicians and office seekers
fairly blocked the way, as they stood in
knots earnestly discussing their plans and
views, or moved in little crowds toward
some saloon To seal their conclusions and
fire their patriotism with the usual irdis-
pensible but readily dispensible potations
|, incident to
ALL POLITICAL OCCASIONS.
At the engine house and police head
quarters the same activity was apparent,
the process of decorating the engines and
hose carts with appropriate mCurnings and
national emblems and floral designs Occu-
plying the attention of the fire boys, while
the police in their best uniforms were GO
ing through the equestrian exercises incl
dent to m united display, the dignifed
city fathers contenting themselves with a
solemn look and white gloves, the former
OF which changed to one of cOmplacent
resignation as they took their comfortable
seats IN the open carriages sent for their
accommodation.
1t had been announced that the process
sion would form on Ohio street, at the
juRcture of Fifth street, opposite the G.. A
X. hall, and in front of the court house,
promptly at 8 a. m, but ii was VI. ii nigh
/ 10 o'clock before the various organizations
participating were reported ready to fall
in, and the committee of ladies who n d
in charge the preparation of floral decUra-
tons and designs announced their labor of
love and patriotism completed to their
taste.
Post Commander +. J. Smith, in the
meantime, was busily hurrying to and fro
giving orders, first to the post and then TO
the decorators, as they put the fnn hing
touches to the vehicles which were to con-
vey the tributes and the Juvenile dispensers
| to the cemetery.
Shortly after $50 the Sedalia silver cor
net band marched up Ohio street to Fifth
street, and orders were soon issued TO
FALL IN.
First came he police corps, mounted on
handsome steeds and arrayed in full uni
fern as spotless as the blue sky whose
azure hue il aspired to initiate. Follow
ing them came the wagons bearing the
floral offerings and the young misses
selected to distribute them on the graves.
These wagons were handsomely decorated
with flags and bunting and laden with
flowers. On the foremost, on an elevated
seat, Miss Lou May, dressed in beautiful
robe, gliItering with golden embroidery,
and holding in her hand a large flag
dropped to the staff, impersOnated the
Goddess of Liberty in 4 most appropriate
style. Around her were seated some
thirty young girls, beautifully dressed and
bedecked with wreaths and flowers The
next two wagons were counterparts of the
int, barring the exquisite goddess. Fol-
lowing these came the city officials in car
riages. Next the Sedalia silver cornet
band, breathing forth such slow, sad,
sweet music as they only can make, and
whose soft cadence seemed to thrill the
hearts of the multitude of spectators.
Next came the George X. Smith post,
Grand Army of the Republic, in uniform
and decorated with mourning badges.
Behind the veterans were Fieur de Lis
division, uniform rank, h. of F., and Sc
dalia division, select knights, A. o. L. w.
CitizeGs on foot and in carriages came
ne It, and Immediately In the rear followed
the fire department, the procession closing
up with about 100 carriages and buggies
filled with citizens.
THE PROCESSION
moved north on Ohio street TO Main, east
or Main to Lamine, south on Lamine to
Fifth, east on Fifth to Engineer, and north
on Engineer to the cemetery. Arrived at
the cemetery it marched down the main
street To the western extremity, thence
south to the next street, and thence east
until opposite the mound Of the unknown
dead, where repose the bones of some
two hundred and fifty who fell in the fire
of battle, some on the side Of the blue and
some on the side of the gray, and whose
identity will never be known until that
great day when the last trump shall sound
and call them TO the roll call beyond the
scenes of conflict. Here the long lines de-
filed around, and upon the mound huge