The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-01-31
Body Of Mr.. Blaine Borne to Its
Final Resting Place.
SERVICES AT WASHINGTON I'M
PRESSIVE in THEIR SOL
EMN SIMPLICITY.
The Funeral Could Not Be Private-A
Great Concourse Attend-Broken by
Grief, Mrs. Blaine is Absent.-Mr.
B1aine's Will.

BIaine's Will.
WASHINGTON, January 30.-Mr. Blaine
could not have private funeral. Every
effort was made to comply with his own
understood wishes and with the ex-
pressed desires of his family in this re-
gard, but the surging wave Of public in
terest swept over the barriers imposed
and made his funeral one of the most
impressive of public demonstrations in
honor of the dead The most eminent
menin the nation stood around his bier.
All business in the capital was suspended
during the period when the funeral SER
vices were in progress.
The presence of the President and cab
met and supreme judges and high Off
cials of Congress and of the diplomatic
corps was not more significant than the
homage of the waiting crowds, who in
respectful silence lined the streets
through which the funeral cortege
passed.
The parlor on the second floor where
the body of Mr.. Blaine lay in it's cedar
casket, closely sealed, was fairly embow-
cred with floral tributes. The casket
itself rested on huge bed of roses, vio-
lets, palm leaves and ferns about nine
feet long, by four feet wide, sent by Mrs.
Emmons Blaine, the flowers artistically
giving the combination of colors and de-
sign of an oriental rug. A large ship of
state, sent by the Knights of Reciproci-
ty, was near by, and around the pedestal
oI,+ ac+a nd q
coffin itself were a wreath of orchids and
roses from President Harrison.
Among other floral tributes were gar
land of violets from Mrs. Eugene Hale,
which was placed on the casket, an i'm
mense wreath of white flowers with long
streamers of ribbon from the diplomatic
corps. The parlor, not at any time very
commodious, was far too small for the
distinguished mourners who, by invita-
ton, sought access to it.
The President entered, accompanied by
Mrs. Mckee, Private Secretary Halford
and Lieutenant Parker. The Vice Presi
dent was accompanied by Mrs. and Miss
Morton. Among other persons who came
were Ex-Governor and Mrs. Perham of
Maine, Representative and Mrs. Dingley,
Representative Milliken, Mrs. Frye, the
Maine delegation of fourteen gentlemen,
Mrs. Chandler, General and Mrs. Parle,
and Mrs. Eugene Hale and many others.
Not all of those who had requested or
had received invitations to the house
could obtain admi sion to the mansion
and many remained in the long line of
carriages which filled the adjacent streets.
The immediate mourners grouped
round the casket were the widow, her
married daughter, Mrs. Damrosch, Miss
Hattie Blaine, James G.. Blaine, Jr., Mrs.
Emmons Blaine, Miss Abigail Dodge
(Gail Hamilton), R. G.. Blaine, brother of
the dead Statesman and his wife and
daughter, Hampton Denmar OF Missouri,
a cousin OF Mr.. Blaine, Frank, Henry,
Horace and Augustus Stanwood, Walker
Stinson and w. Ell. Hatch, all nephews of
the deceased.
Though a concourse of several thou
sand people occupied Lafayette Square
facing he Blaine residence and though
the doors and windows of the house ad-
Joining were thronged with spectators
and double line of carriages, $50 or
more in number, extended far along the
broad surface of Pennsylvania avenue in
front of the treasury and the war, state
and navy department buildings there
was no disorder or confusion ObServa-
BILE, OIL the contrary, there was a marked
air of decorous solemnity attending even
the outside demonstrations.
The ceremonies inside the house were
marked in their simplicity. Before the
hour of ten those invited began to arrive
and take their seats in the fragrant and
floral bedecked front parlor of the man.
sion. There were no chairs reserved, ex-
cept for the President and for the imme-
diate family of the deceased.
r1r-- - IL ! l. i
the service of prayer, which was to pre-
cede the removal Of the body to the
church for the more public rites. Itwas
only few minutes after that hour when
the mourners entered, and the President
and all toe distinguished concourse rose
to pay fittiag honor and sympathy to the
sorrow of the deceased Statesman's rela-
tives.
The family were followed by the Rev.
DR.. Hamlin, of the Church of the Cove
nant, who, standing beside the casket,
in a low tone delivered prayer. AS he
did so, Mr. Waiter Damrosch touched
the keys of the piano to slow dirge,
and the scene was an impressive one.
DR.. Hamlin returned thanks to God
that by His power this life was ended
only that the life of Immortality night
be begun. He beseeched the Almighty
that comfort might come to every men,
Der of the stricken household because
the one that had gone out of this life
had gone to Immortality. ''Let the con-
ISOLATION that comes from above fall ten
derly and sweetly upon them. Speak to
them words of comfort such as Thou
alone can teach. This we ask in the
name of our Saviour. Amen"
This completed the brief and impress
sive+ services and the casket was closed
and tenderly borne to the hearse. In So
lemnity and in silence the family and
mourning guests left the house which
has been so frequently invaded by the
angel of death, and the procession wend-
ed its way slowly to the church.
Outside the house the street was
thronged with spectators, who reverent-
ly removed their hats as the pall-bearers
deposited the casket in the hearse, and
while the attendants temporarily buried
it under as many flowers as could be
placed therein.
In the first carriage was Rev. DR.. Ham
lin, the officiating clergyman. Then |
came the pail. bearers, Senators Hale and !
Frye of Maine, Senator Morgan of Ala
hama ax-Sneaker Reed of Maine ReDre-