Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-05-05

u. .<7aNT
and thousands of citizens laid the
granite block upon which is TO be
builded tomb worthy of the nations
hero. The ceremonies were impressive,
and the weather favored them.
Long before the hour set for the
ceremonial, the park presented an
o'clock, the little knoll upon which
the enduring monument will stand
was surrounded by thousands of civil
hans. Hour after hour, the great
throng was augmented. 1t was a
peaceful, orderly, decorous gathering.
The best people of the metropolis were
centered around the site OF the manso-
leum that is to be
The president left the FIFTH avenue hotel
at 12:45 and was accompanied by troop A
cavalry, Capt. G. Y. Rowe, commanding.
With the president were General Horace
Porter and Lieutenant Parker. In other
carriages were Vice President Morton ami
F. D. Laphin, Secretary Ekins and Gen
eral Butterfeld, Post Master General Wan
amaker and John H. Stairn, Secretary
Noble and Il. W. Cannon. Secretary Rusk,
Cornelius Bliss, Chauncey M. Depew and
others. The party arrived at 2:l5. After
Hail to tie Chief, by the band, and an in
vocation by Rev John Hall, Gov. Horace
Porter, president Of the Grant Monument
association, spoke, saying:
We gather here to lay the corner stone
of a temple of the dead, to celebrate an
event which will be forever memorable in
history. Although the fuad required for
the completion Of the monumental tomb
stone today in the confident belief that the
patriotic work once begun, will never be
allowed to stop till completed. |
have great satisfaction in announe-
ing that the total subscription up to
last night amount to S202,80G. When the
structure shall have reached completion
the dome will point out the path o. loyalty
to unborn children, the hallowed memo
ries which cluster around it will remind
us of heroic aid to the republic, the blend
Ala VI ChdStc lines StAti I4doSisS pIOEOL-
tions will be typical of the hero who sleeps
beneath the granite, and will recall the
chlldlike simplicity which mingled with
the majestic grandeur Of his nature.
As General Porter closed workmt n
manned the windIasses on either side Of
the immense corner stone and with heads
unco 5ered the crowd waited for the presi-
dent to perform the ceremony. He step
ped from the platform to the southwest
corner of the foundations. de spread the
was dropped in place. He then assembled
the base and spoke as follows:
Ny assignment connected with these
ceremonies has to do with mechanics
rather than oratory The duty of bring
ing to your memory those brilliant public
services and personal and manly virtues
which place the name of Ulysses S. Grant
so fer upon the scroll of fame and have
settled the love of the man so deeply in all
patriotic hearts has devolved upon an
other who never fails to do credit to him
sells, or give praise to his fayorite heroes
No orator, however gifted, can overpraise
General Grant (cheers.) am glad to see
here what seems to me to be double as
surance the work so nobly planned will be
speedily consummated. Your distinguished
citizen who assumed tee burden OF con-
Quoting this great enterprise, learned of
his beloved chief to exclude the word
failure from his vocabulary" loud |
cheers, during which the president resuul- |,
ed his seat.)
Music followed, and then the orator of
the day, Hon. Chauncey M. Depew, de
liVered his address, speaking as follows: !!
The predominant sentiment of General |
Grant was his family and his home As
SOD, husband and father, his care and de- /
votion were constant and beautiful. While |
visiting the capitals Of the Old World, he |
had seen the stately mausoleums Of their |
great soldiers, or statesmen, resting in the |
gloom of cathedral crypts, or the solitude |
Of public places, far from the simpler
graves of their kindred. Under ST. PauI's |
he saw the massive tomb which encIoses |
the remains Of the Iron Duke He was
i'm ressed by the grandeur of the Tenn
pie OF the Invalides, the superb monu-
ment which France erected with
so much pride and tenderness over
the resting place of Napoleon. The per-
petual ceremonial, the inhuman GOODNESS,
Of these splendid tributes chilled and re-
PEELED him. He had shruDk all his life
from display, and be desired to escape it
after death. To lie in the church yard
where slept his father and mother would
have been more in accord with his mind
But he appreciated that his countrymen
mad claim upon his memory and the les
sons of his life and fame. He knew that
where he was buried, there they would
build shrine for the study and inspira-
tlon of coming generations.
He selected New York because it was
he metropolis OF the continent and the
capital of the country, but he made one
condition. No spot should be chosen
which did not permit bis wife to be at his
side at the resurrection. She had been
he love of his youth, the companion and