New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-04
WEST POINTS GREAT DAY.
TUE DELEGATES TO THE THREE AMERICAS
CONGRESS AMONG THE NOTED GUESTS.
rryIa TRIP FROM WASHINGTON - GENERAL
uoRAoE PORTER, IN BEHALF OF Mr..
CHILDs, PRESENTS THE ACADEMY
WITH PORTRAITS OF GRANT,
sHERNAN AND SHERIDAN.
sHERMAN AND SHERIDAN.


WITH PORTRAITS OF GRANT,
sHERMAN AND SHERIDAN.
West Point, n Y. Oct. 3.-Many interests were
happily woven into one TO give distinction 10
memorable day at this place Memofaole III
go II mnst in any case have been. So much the
occasion assured Bat il was happy clrcum
stance, and added -reatN TO heighten the interest
- imnrcssivcness of the ceremonies that the
s,.sentation 70 the corps of cadets by a liberal
C,,zen of the portraits of three great patriotic
commanders should not only have drawn together
20 distinguished a company of our own people, nut
shonld also have been witnessed and honored ny
the presence OF the oical representatives OF nearly
all the republics of the three Americas. And III
all this remarkable audience none looked on and
listened with greater interest and attention than
the dignifed men whose whole demeanor to-day
showed that they have come here rot as for
ejrners, but as friends. They seemed to feel thar
the name Of America might be broad enough to
embrace and unite hemisphere.
The special train bringing the delegates from
Washington reached West Point at o'clock an
hour behind time, after a pleasant trip Inc
,pn from Weehawllen to West Point, forty-eight
miles was made in fifty minutes. The morning
was clear and cool in Washington, and great
ysnia Railroad station. Before o'clock the
delerat1s began to arrive, and were received by
William f. Curtis, the special agent of she State
DEPARTMENT in charge of the excursion. At S:15
the warning All aboard" given, and promptly
on schedule time the party started on their long
tourney. The train reached Jersey City at 3:15
o. m, having been delayed by hOt-boXes At
Jersey CITY Mr. Estee left the train. He will
20 to California, but will reioin his fellow-delc-
rates at Omaha. The run far as Baltimore
was unmarked by any notable occurrence. One
of the attaches Of the Congress had been assigned
10 each Of the composing the train, and these
gentlemen used their best efforts 10 make the
delegates acquainted with another. Their
efforts were attended with great success.
Soon after the start it was discovered that ex-
Senator Henderson, the chairman of the United
States delegation, and president pro tem of the
Congress- was not on the train. He had been
left at the station, but by taking an express
train mana ged 70 catch his colleagues at Balti-
more, where DR.. Sternberg was also taken on the
special train. This would not have been possl-
bic had not delay occurred through the necessl-
" for cutting off the sleeping car Russia. AS
the party was somewhat smaller in numbers than
had been expected it was possible to cut of one
car end render the train lighter without dis
commoding the travellers. At this point it was
also discovered that the new engine which had
been provided TO haul the train over the entire
route had heated bearing. short time
was spent in an Intellectual effort to
get this in order when another engine, No. 46,
was substituted, and the train proceeded on Its
yav Secretary Proctor occupied seat IN the
car Columbus, having decided at the last mo-
ment 10 accompany the party as far as West
Point
There have been some changes in the list Of
those making the tour. The delegates from the
Argentine Republic were absent. Messrs. EStee
and Hanson, American delegates, who had intended
10 join THE party later on, concluded to embark
at Washington. Delegates Pereira, of Brazil;
Navarro and Limantour, Of Mexico; Guzman, of
NicaraE1A. and Ardrade, Of Venezuela decided not
TO 20 st rhe lus5 moment.
The tram belng lare in reaching here the re-
view had 70 Dc deIaYed u1til half-past 8; but
everything was ready, and. needless to say. in
order. 4f'cr National salute from the field bat
terry OF the plain honor 0t the Congress- the
battaho1 Of cadets formed llne, under the orders
Of the cummHndant. Lieurenan1-ColOnel j. Z.
HAWKINS. anGi AFTER passing n review IN common
and double 1me before rle superintendent, Colo
pel John M " lson, and the Secretary of War,
narchad "a 4 1GiY ~ Grant Hall the mess hail,
tnd stood l5 carlde nsr M the south end while the
company sea5ad 5 ele in rhe body of the hall and on
the platform az tas north end Here, on the
walls, concealed By small flags. hung the portraits
Of Grant. Sherman and Sheridan, which George
W. ChiIds was about 70 present 10 the Academy.
Beneath them besides the members OF the Con.
Gess. sat General Sherman himself. Colonel vii.
son, with Secretary Proctor on his left and Chap
lain Postlethwaite OF his right: Generals Van
Nhet, Ftz John Porter, Horace Porter. Michael
v. Sheridan. and many other noted soldiers and
citizens, together with the officers Of the Academic
raf and the ladies of their families,
After a short and earnest prayer by the Rev
W. NJ. Postlethwaite the chaplain of the Academy,
the three small flags fell simultaneously at a
rgnal from Colonel Wilson and the portraits stood
revealed. They are all the work of Mrs Darragh,
Of Philadelphia. Grants which naturally hangs
IN the middle. painted from Gutellunst's
Photograph of 1865. and represents him in an
easy attitude in full generals uniform. without
sword epaulets. the frock coat unbuttoned,
the night hand thrust in the trousers pocket, and
the left resting in the folds of the breast Sher-
man on Grants left, is from Huntington's portrait
Of 1874, while Sheridan. on the opposite side,
was taken from life. shortly before his death.
They are all extremely hfelke, as the men
looked at the time General Sherman naturally
looked older than his counterfeit but startling
resemblance to Sheridan was seen and remarked
In the person of his brother, who survives him,
and who sat there as il to invite the verifcation
The audience stood while the band played Hail
Columbia" Then General Horace Porter made
an eloquent, scholarly, and even masterly pre-
sentation speech in behalf Of Mr.. Childs. lie was
well received and heartily appauded throughout,
as well as at the close. lie said in part:
tsen 10 prominence by gradual steps, but the senior
o. the trumvirate whose features recalled TO US
Today. he bound.