New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-28
PRICE THREE CENTS.
TURNING THE FIRST SOD.
A BEGINNING MADE FOR GRANTS MoNU.
MENT.
IMPOSING CEREMONIES BESIDE THE TOMB
SPEECHES BY GEN. HORACE PORTER AND
DEPARTMENT COMMANDER FREEMAN.

SPEECHES BY GEN. HORACE PORTER AND
DEPARTMENT COMMANDER FREEMAN.
At last the Grant Monument Association may
say OF its enterprise that it is fairly begun.
The first sod lifted yesterday afternoon for
the digging of the foundations Of the mausoleum
which will replace the modest tomb which now
holds the remains of the great General the great
President, the great Americana With admir-
able taste and courtesy the committee gave 10
the Grand Army Of the Republic the principal
part in the exercises Of the day. Charles ii.
Freeman, Department Commander for the Statr
of New-York, marked out and dug up with
spade that will never be used for any meaner
toll the first sod to make way for the monu-
ment TO the Saviour OF the Union" When tho
turf was wrenched from the soil. thousands OF
voices united in singing My Country, 'Tis on
Thee, Sweet Land of Liberty and the United
States steamer Yantc, which lay close in shore.
by the foot of the hill which descends from
Riverside Park to meet the Hudson gave salute
of twenty-one guns for the day that the Nation
celebrated. the birthday of General Grant.
The past and the present met around the tomb.
Men of the Army Of the United States, men OF tho
Navy OF the United States. stood in the lines OF
their rigid discipline. surrounded by thousands OF
the veterans of the War of the Rebellion IL was
the United States Marine Band of to-day that
played the "Star-Spangled Banner" Among
those who sang TO the military music were men
whom the country has to thank for the multitude
of stars that spangle the banner.
Riverside Park was as beautiful in the early
summer weather dream of faryland. The
tomb of Grant filed with flowers. To the
right Of it a platform had been erected, which
faced rows of benches. Directly in front of the
tomb, on o position that commanded a great
A. -, Gle @1,o
ment was marked by stakes. Two o'clock the
hour SET for the ceremony. Long before that the
members of the Grant Monument Association and
their guests began to arrive at the Claremont
Hotel, where representatives of Alexander Hamil-
ton Post received them. Shortly after o'clock
the guests and members of the association. under
the escort of the post, marched TO the tomb and
took their places on the platform.
There they found the members Of the Grant
family awaiting them-Mrs Grant. Mrs. Nellie
Grant Sartors, her boy and two daughters, and
U. S. Grant broad umbrella protected the
rostrum Of the speakers from the burning rays Of
the sum- Under its shadow General c. II. T.
Coils, chairman of the Executive Committee Of
the Grant Monument Association; Commander
Charles II. Freeman. the Rev. DR.. Clark Wright,
chaplain of the staff of Commander Freeman and
General Horace Porter took their seats.
Others the platform were Secretary Noble,
General Hamilton, General Wager Swayne, Gen.
eral Sickles Horace l.. Hotchkiss, William R.
Grace, Cornelius O'Reilly, Sidney Dillon, Charles
n. Taintor, William A. Copy, E. F. Shepard,
President Low of Columbia College; Adolph L.
Sanger, Charles H. Woodman, Colonel Edward VI.
Knox, President Gallup, of the Park Board Eli
S. Parker, the Indian who was on General Grants
| staff in the war; General o. o. Howard and staff
Admiral Braine and staff General Egbert l.. Viele
Edward J. Dewey, senior vice-department COM
| mander; Edward A. Dubey, junior vice.department
commander; Stephen G. Cook, medical director; W.
W. Bennett, assistant quartermaster- general; I.
B. Odell judge-advocate; ID. N. Quick, inspector;
Homer II. Wren chief mastering officer; John
Kohler. senior aide.de-canp; Hamilton Fish, Rich
ard T. GreenerT McCants Stewart, President Hunt,
of the Board Of Education; George NJ. Pullman,
Minister Romero. of Mexico; Major j. b. Pond,
Captain Charles ?. Porter and Captain Theodore
Lnbbe. veterans of the lst Regular Nebraska
Cavalry.
GRAND ARMY POSTS PRESENT.
Before the platform the representatives Of the
Grand Army posts took position. To the New
York city posts were assigned the south and east
sides of the tomb They reported to Major George
| Chappel, grand marshal Among his aides were
| Observation-Disclosures w. c. Smith, of Riker Post, No.
| SO: Martin Sadler, Cameron Post, No. 10; S. II.
| McElroy. surgeon general of Alexander Hamilton
Post, No. 1872; DIR. Ira B. Read, Of Alexander
Hamilton Post II. P. Nebuhr, of Farnham Post,
No. ass; General Kerwin. Lloyd Aspinwall Post
| No 600 General f. l.. Viele had charge of the
seating of the guests.
Among the aides to Commander Freeman were
Colonel F. S. Bartram, commander of Alexander
| Hamilton Post; Colonel ID. 5. Brown, and Past
| Department Commanders Ira NJ. Hedges, James 5.
| Fraser and Floyd Clarllson. Fifty-tve New-lork
posts were represented. Among them were Phil
| Kearny Post. No 8 Abraham Lincoln Post, No.
! 13: Sumner Post No. pa; Rice Post. No. 30;
| Koltes Post. No 80; George c. Meade Post, No.
3s; William D. Kennedy Post, No. AZ; Reno Post.
No. A; Robert Anderson Post, No. 50; Riker Post.
No. So: Ellsworth Post No 81; James Shields
Post No. 60; Farragut Post, No. 10; Wads-
worth Post No. II; Cameron Post, No.
70: Rawlins Post, No so; o. j. Tilden Post,
No o6: E. A. Kimball Post, No. 100 Washing
ton Post No. lO3; Dahlgren Post, No ll3;
Joe Hooker Post No. l2S; John A. Dix Post.
No 1876; Lafayette Post, No. l40; Alexander
Hamilton Post No. 1872; Sedgwick Post, No. ls6 !;
Steinwehr Post No. 90; j. r. Andrew Post, No.
| 233 John A. Andrew Post, No. 234 w 5. Han
cock Post, No 259 elisa Post No. 264; Z. ID
Morgan Post. No. 3O7; Peter Cooper Post. No
313; Adam Goss Post No. $50; A. 5. Williams
Post, No. 394 BendiX Post No. 402; Frederick
Hecker Post. No. 4Os; Corcoran Post No. 427;
Veteran Post No. 436; n. L. Farnham Post, No.
ass; Naval Post, No. SIG; Edward II. Wade
Post, No $50; George B. Mcclellan Post, No.
552; James McQuade Post, No. 55i Thomas +.
Meagher Post, No 567; II. b. Claim Post NO.
| 57S.
Members of the Loyal Legion had seats on tho
| of NCW-JPrsPy Grand
| Army posts. Kings County posts were ranged on
| the west side of the tomb.
GENERAL COLLIS'S OPENING WORDS.
While the drums and trumpets of the gathering
veterans were still sounding. General Coils said !:
We have assembled here today for the purpose Of
beginning work upon the tomb of Grant which is to
M nrectcd from the contributions Of the grateul people