Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-21
Harrisburg's Ovation.
THE PENNSYLVANIA CAPITAL THRoNGED
IN HONOR OF Mr.. BLAINE.
Especial to the Philadelphia Press.

Special to the PhIladelphia Press.
HARRISBURG, Oct. ls.-While Mr.. Blaine
and General Beaver were dining with Gener-
al Cameron and his son, the Senator. this
afternoon, Harrisburg moment by moment
was working itself into higher pitch of en-
thusiasm. The city has seen big crowds at
conventions and inaugurations and has enter
tanned many visitors, but never before has II
held such a vast throng or opened its gates to
so many strangers. From Lancaster, where
President Frank Eshleman had painted the
town red with the enthusiasm of his Young
Mems Republican Club, a special train fol-
lowed the Blaine special containing 1000 peo-
pie. The cars were covered with bunting.
and on their sides was the inscription: "Lan-
caster county escorts to James q. Blaine and
General James Beaver" Other trains
came from as far West as Huntingdon. North
from Williamsport, South from York and
Cumberland Valley. One train from York
alone brought 1000 people, and large con-
tingent came from democratic Gettysburg.
where the Black boom unagressively rests
tonight.
As dusk drew on the Harrisburg streets
began to glow with red fire and bands were
blaring brazen music at every corner. The
place selected for the meeting of the evening
Third and Market streets. In front of the
Lochiel Hotel stand had been erected for
the speakers all covered with bunting and
blazing with electric lights. As early as
o'clock two-thirds Of Harrisburg's population
of 60 900 were in the streets and by 7.30
most of them, reinforced by 5000 visitors had
filled Market street for a block in each direc-
ton from the speakers stand in one solid
mass from curb to curb. Twenty-Five thou
sand people are good many, but at least
that number were within sight from the stand,
and the sea of faces stretched away in every
direction until their uneasy, tossing surface
was lost in the obscurity of distance.
MIGHTY SHOUT OF WELCOME
The procession was formed some distance
down Second street, and waited until o'clock
for Senator Cameron's carriage to arrive
from Lochiel. When il came there was an
outburst of brass bands that ought to have
made itself heard from York to Reading and
from Lancaster to Huntingdon. 1t woke up
Harrisburg, which shouted with a mighty
shout and blaZed crimson with chemical fire.
Twenty thousand voices kept up the
shout, and when they grew hoarse
twenty thousand more took it up and
sent great wave of noise rolling over the
Susquehanna into Cumberland County, surg
ing all through the streets of the city, over
wheming the carriage where Blaine and
Beaver sat bowling and waving their handker
chiefs, beating up against the front of the
Lochiel Hotel and echoing out into the dark
ness. If it was a great volume of sound it
was also a scene most astounding-those
square acres of upturned faces, tossing arms,
brandshed hats, solid, save where parted in
sb oh
laden carriage slowly rolled with the long
procession behind-a trail of glstening he'll
NETS, nodding white plumes, beating drums
and blaring brass, fire, smoke, undulating
steps and arching rockets Five, ten min
utes went by, while the marching line fled
past the hotel and still the cheering never
slsckened. The crowd heaved after the pro-
cession in waves and currents and then
rolled back upon itself as the carriage with
Blame and Beaver turned back TO the hotel.
WHAT THE CANDIDATE SAID.
Tnrough rear door, through the crowd
that damned the hotel to bursting, through an
open window and out into the central circle
of white light formed by the incandescent
carbuns came Mr.. Blaine and Gen. Beaver
When they emerged into full view of the
street there arose n yet mlghtier roar of well
come. 1t swelled louder and louder; then
died gradually away while General Beaver
began to speak. The air was crisp, clear and
perfectly calm and the republican candidates
voice reached far up and down the street, yet
probably not one half the throng could hear
him. Gen. Beaver urg d the consideration
that the present campaign WAS the precursor
of that greater one OF 1888 upon which the
the party had already entered and which, he
Il. Al.
publican party to the administration of the
government. lie said he appreciated the look
of expectancy which he saw upon every face
and would curtal his own remarks in order
that the honored guest of the evening might
be seen and heard without further delay
Bidding republicans "God speed" in their
efforts and with the reiteration that to win
now was to win III Pennsylvania the cam
pagn of 1888, the General introduced the
statesman from Maine.
Cheers for Beaver and cries for Blaine,
little stir on the platform and with barred
head Pennsylvania's favorite son stood at the
front railing. smile upon his lips, a sheen
of light all about him. Again, again and
again the volume of vocal greeting swelled
up and down the street. Senator Cameron,
standing at the rear of the platform, gazed at
Blaine and at the crowd, smie ed and looked
rs though he were ready to toss up his hat
and cheer too.
BLAINE TELLS WHAT BRoUGHT HIM.
Major Mumma, the tall and white -ha Ired
chairman of the meeting, waved his hand at
Blaine for an introduction. Blaine waved
his hand at the crowd for silence and then he
said:
There Is one trouble about a Pennsylvania wei.
come; II overwhelms man (cheersl and whe you
would have him speak you enforce his silence. But
in so far as this magnificent demonstration is in