The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-28
Ground Broken for the Historical
Shaft in Riverside Park,
New York.
Eulogistic Address Delivered by
Gen. Horace Porter Before
Large Audience.
"AM Honors That Earth Can Give Have
Been BESTOWED Upon Him.
g. A. II. Ceremony.

NEW 1ohk, april 1I.--AumlSt the plaudits
of thousands of citizens, the blare oi
trumpets, beating of drums, booming OF
cannon, melody of ohildren's voices and
the eloquence of orators. ground was broken
to-day for the monument which is to be
erected at the tomb at Riverside park.
where rests all that is mortal of Gen Grant.
Members of Alexander Hamilton post. q.
A. H., and other societies participated, and
the Yantic, anchored near by in the Hud-
son, fired salute of twenty-one guns.
Before the regular ceremonies commenced
3OO children from the Sheltering Arms in
stitutlon and drum and fife corps playing
America" marched past the tomb with
flags dropped. Each child carried bou-
quet of forget-me-nots, which we're cast
upon the tomb. The MarM band PLAYED
an overture, after which Rev. DR..
Clark Wright, chapl in of Depart
ment Commander Freenian's staff, offered
prayer and chorus sang th, Star Span
gled Banner" Commander Ffs s-.nan pre-
sided. He introduced Gen. Horace Porter,
orator of the day. Mr.. Porter said:
Slxty-n1ne years ago to-day there issued
into the world being who was destined to
STAND prominent in the history of his coun-
uttermost parts of the earth. The most
conspicuous characters of history have risen
TO prominence by gradual advances but
Ulysses s. Grant came before the people
with a sudden bound. Almost the first
sight caught Of him was in the blaze of his
camp fires and flashes of his guns in those
wintry days and nights in front of Donel-
son. From that time until the crowninc
triumph at Appomatox he was the leader
whose name was harbinger of victory.
From the final sheathing of the sword till
his ashes were laid to rest in yonder tomb
he was the chief citizen of the republic and
the great central figure of the world.''
Gen. Porter then, i'll an epigrammatic way,
oontrasted the obscurity of Grants early
life with his fame in later years, touched
upon the salient features of his character
as soldier and as chief magistrate. and
sketched the prominent acts Of his isl, presi. .s
DENTAL career. The speaker said that "his
unbounded generosity for friends, his mag
nanimity to foes, will be remembered as
long as his manly qualities. Henever tired
OF giving unstinted praise to worthy subor-
dinates for work that they did. Like the
chief artists who weave gobel1n tapestries.
ne was content to work behind the cloth,
letting those in front appear to be the prn-
clpal contributors to the beauty of the fab
rlc,' The orator said that one word which
more characterized Gen. Grant than any
other, was loyalty to his country, to his
friends, to his God. For this reason, chiefly,
men were loyal to him. HE was created
for great emergencies. In ordinary mat
ters he was an ordinary man; in momentous
affairs be lowered as a giant.'
The speaker closed by snying: "Nd efforts
OF mans hands can add a single laurel to
his brow. All honors the earth can give
have been bestowed upon him. The people
whom he served have resolved to fashion q
tomb worthy of his ashes and rear in mon
umental rock lifting tribute to his fame,
America was then sung, and Command
or Freeman arose to initiate the particular
ceremony Of the day, the breaking of ground
Tor the monument. The spade which he
used was fine specimen of American hand
lcratt bearing an inscription, giving the
chief events in Gen. Grants career. Before
turning up the sod Commander Freeman
said
We gather to-day, not simply as repre-
sentatives of hundreds of thousands living
and dead whom he led to victory but of the
entire nation-of those who wore the eray
as we'll as the men who wore the blue.
Now, In the presence of Almighty God and
these witnesses we. representatives of the
Grand Army of the Republic, break the sod
preparatory to laying the foundation of
monument which shall stand as slight ex
preston of the love of this nation for it's
great chleftain, and that shall tell to al the
world that the United States of America
does not forget her heroic dead.'' At the
close OF his remarks Commander Freeman
took the spade in his hands and with II
tossed up earth. This ended the cere
monies. and the crowd dispersed