Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-01-30
MR.. BLAINES FUNERAL.

eX-Secretary DIANE "cio III POo
In the parlor of his late residence the
casket rested on huge bed Of roses,
yiolets palm leaves and ferns about
nine feet long by four feet wide'
sent by Mrs. Emmons Blaine. a
large ship of state sent by the knights
of Reciprocity was nearby, and upon
the coffin were wreath of orchids and
roses and violets from Mrs. Zach Chand-
Ter; wreath of violets tied with rib
bons from James G. Blaine, jr., and q
large number of designs from other
friends of the deceased, including o
wreath of roses from Mrs. Emmons
Blaine. The President entered accom-
panied by Mrs. Mckee and private
Secretary Halford and Lieut.. Parker.
The yice-President was accompanied
BIZ Mrs. and Miss Morton. Then came
the members OF the Cabinet, the Chief
Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court, a
| number ofSenators and Representatives
and many other prominent persons.
The immediate mourners grouped
around the casket were the widow, her
married daughter, Mrs. Damrosch, Miss
Hattie Blaine, Mr.. James G. Blaine,
| IT., Mrs. Emmons Blaine, Miss Abigail
Dodge (Gail Hamilton), Mr.. Blainc's
cousin Mr.. r. G.. Blaine, brother ofthe
dead statesman, and his wife and
daughter and other more distant rela-
tives. Several thousand people occu-
pied Lafayette square facing the Blaine
residence and the doors and windows OF
the houses adjoining were thronged
with spectators. The double line OF
carriages-l50 or more in number-ex-
tended far along Pennsylvania avenue.
A few minutes after II o'clock Rev. DR..
Hamlin, of the Church ofthe Covenant,
standing beside the casket delivered the
Presbyterian prayer for the departed
soul. AS he did so Mr.. Walter Dam
rosch touched the keys Of the piano to
a slow dirge. DR.. Hamlin returned
thanks to God that by His power
this life was ended only that the
life of immortality might be begun.
This completed the brief and impress
sive services and the casket was closed
and borne to the hearse. The pail
bearers deposited their sacred burden
in the hearse and the cortege then
started for the church where a Gordon
of rope excluded all not specially in
vited. The decorations of the church
were very rich with masses of plants
and cut flowers. The relatives and
pall-bearers occupied the first eight
rows of seats in the main aisle. Behind
them were seated the President, Vice
President, cabinet officers, Speaker
Crisp and members Of the Supreme
Court, with their families. IntermiXed
with them were Baron Fava, Sir Julian
Pauncefote, Prince Concatuzene; rep
resentativcs of the French, German
and Spanish Legations, and nearly all
the ministers from South and Central
America, as well rs many senator's and
representatives in addition to those
present at the house. As the process
sion moved up the aisle Mr.. Walter
Damrosch, Mr.. Blaine's son-in-law,
played an improvisation made up of
several themes of hymns which Mr.
Blaine loved more than all other must
cal motives. Rev. DR.. Ham!in walked
at the head of the mourners. The
body bearers moved toward the chan
eel rail where they deposited the casket
amid profusion Of flowers. The fam
lily followed the body and took the
front seat OIL the left near the remains.
The honorary pail bearers were SEN
ators Hale, Fry and Morgan, Represen-
tatives Reed, Boutelle, Hit and Bing-
ham, Gen. Thos. Ewing, Mr.. JOS. Man
ley, NIr. John Hay, Mr.. A. F. jerks and
Mr. P. Y. P. Ely.
At the close of the services the fune-
raj procession once more formed and
the body was conveyed to Oak Hill
Cemetery and there laid to rest