The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-04-30
IN GRANTS MEMORY
The Great Generals Sixty-Seventh
Birthday Commemorated by the
People Of New York.
Ground Broken at Riverside Park for
the Monument to Mark Gen.
Grants Grave.

New YORK, April 29.-AmidSt the plaudits
OF thousands Of citizens, the beating o!
drums, the booming of cannon, the
melody Of children's voices and the elo-
quence Of orators, ground was broken
to-day for the monument which
rs to be raised at the tomb at Riverside Park.
where rests all that is mortal OF the greatest
of the heroes of the war of the rebellion
the immortal Grant.
There, upon the hillside gathered the
members of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie and number of other bodies and,
ranging themselves around the tomb, paid
reverence to the memory Of him whom all
nations honored while in life. On
the Hudson river, decorated with bunting,
lay anchored opposite the tomb the war
ship Yantic, and at 2 o'clock her guns COM
menced to belch forth a salute OF twenty
one guns, which were heard at intervals of
thirty seconds. On the platform near
mound were gathered the members
OF the monument association, the
members of Alexander Hamilton post, G.
A. R., the leading members of the various
Grand Army posts and the orators who had
been elected tor the occasion. Before the
regular ceremonies commenced, Lawson
Fuller, at the head of 800 children from,
the sheltering arms institution and
drum and fife corps playing America, u
that marched past the tomb with flage
dropped, each carrying bouquet of forget
me-nots, which was cast upon the tomb
The marine band played an over
ture, alter which Rev. DR.. Clark Wright,
chaplain OF Department. Commander
Freeman's staff, offered prayer, and g
chorus sang THE Star Spangled Banner
Commander Freeman DraSiDe1
GEN. PoRTERs SPEECH
In few we'll chosen words, heintroduced
Gen. Horace Porter, the orator Of the day.
Gen. Porter said, il part:
''Sixtynine years ago to-day. there was
ushered into the world a being who was
tory of his country, and whose fame
was to reach into the uttermost
parts Of the earth. Most of the
conspicuous characters in hosiery have
risen to prominence by gradual advances,
but U. S. Grant came before the people
with single bound. Almost the first sight
caught OF HIM was in the blaze OF his camp
fires and the flashes OF his guns
those wintry days and nights ir
front Of Fort Donelson. From that time
until the browning triumph at Appomat
tox, he was leader whose name was the
harbinger Of victory. From the fna
sheathing of his sword till his ashes were
lad to rest in yOnder tomb, he was tn.
chief citizen of the republic and the grea
central figure of the world"
The chorus sang America when Com
mander Freeman arose to initiate the par
tlcular ceremony of the day-the breaking
OF the ground tor the monument. Betor,
turning up the sod Commander Freeman
said:
In the presence Of Almighty God ant
these witness we, the representatives of the
Grand Army of the Republic, break the SOC
preparatory to laying the foundation o
slight expression of the love of thi:
nation Tor its great chieitain, and shall tel
to all the world that the United States o
America does not forget her heroic dead.
At the close of his remarks, Commando
Freeman took the spade in his hands, an(
with it tossed up the earth. This ended tn
ceremonies, and the crowd dispersed.