The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-01-31

Mckee, and following them came
officials of the executive, legls-
lative and so judicial departments,
diplomatic corps and others who by ties
of kindred, friendship or association We're
entitled to the privilege of being present
at the funeral rites of the distinguished
statesman.
The parlors were not able to contain all
who received invitations Even the
house was too small, and many perforce
remained in carriages, which filled the
adjacent streets, extending along Penn
sylvania avenue in front OF the treasury,
war, state and navy buildings. A con-
course of several thousands occupied La
fayette square, opposite the Blaine man
sion, and the doors and windows of adj
jacent houses were thronged with specta-
tors, and a marked air of decorous solem-
nifty attended even the outside demonstra-
tious.
AS the hour for services arrived the
mourners, including members of the fam
lily, were grouped around the casket, the
remainder OF those present standing, as
there was not room for chairs. A simple
service of prayer constituted the rites.
Rev. DIR. Hamlin standing beside the
casket, delivered in a low tone the Pres
byterian service for the dead. Walter
Damrosch, meanwhile touching the keys
of the piano to the notes OF a slow dirge.
DIR. Hamlin thanked God that the life
ended only that Immortality might begin,
and besought the Almighty for comfort
to the members of the stricken house
hold. This ended the brief impressive
service.
The casket was then closed and tenderly
borne to the hearse and the procession
wended its way slowly to the Church of
the Covenant The street outside was
thronged with spectators, who reverently
dotted their hats as the cortege passed.
Following the hearse were the pail bear
ers as heretofore given; then came mem
bers of the family, the attending physi-
clans and then distinguished guests in
due order. At the church ropes were
stretched to exclude all not specially in
vited. The funeral procession arrived at
the church at noon, and to an improvisa-
ton on the organ made up of several
themes OF hymns which Mr.. Blaine loved,
the distinguished concourse moved
slowly up the aisle. The body was de-
posted at the chancel rail. The services
at the church were as simple as at the
house, consisting of service for the
dead, selections from scriptures and
prayer. Then the funeral procession re-
formed and the body was conveyed TO
Oak Hill cemetery and laid to rest.
The decorations at the church were very
the pulpit and rail separating the organ
gallery from the platform afforded back
ground for striking mass of plants and
cut flowers. On a ledge of the pulpit cut
flowers were ranged in ribbon ten or
twelve inches in width. Below this ribbon
and suspending from across the front and
curved sides of the pulpit were short
festoons of smilaX. The baptismal font
at the right of the pulpit was twined
c,,,iiov roho opd hOrp in ifc howl
bunch of harrissi lilies and over the cut
flowers were foliage plants. At either
end rail against the wall stood an immense
rubber tree and towering over all i'm
mediately behind the reading desk were
two kentias palms.
The front of the organ was covered with
curtains and smilax. Roses draped from
the apex of the instrument to the candle
labra on the side walls of the organ lott.
This decoration was made under the di-
rection of the public gardner and has
never been surpassed here in either pro-
fusion or effective ensemble. The space
in front of the pulpit in which the coffin
lay was entirely covered with floral en-
blems which accompanied the remains
from the house. These were disposed in
such way as to heighten the effect of the
stationary decorations.
Mrs. Blaine was not among the mourn
procession from Lafayette square Mrs.
Blaine requested to be left alone for few
minutes with her dead. The parlor was
cleared for this purpose and when Mrs.
Blaine emerged she made her way, sup
ported on the arms of her son and daugh-
ter. to the room where her husband had
died, and then gave way TO her grief in
utter prostration. Mrs. Hall and other
sympathizing friends followed her to the
death chamber but friendly ministrations
were of no avail and Mrs. Blaine was
compelled to remain behind.
At the cemetery on the successive ter
races that border the winding pathway
leading to the grave, scores of spectators
were standing and many pressed forward
to pluck flower from the wreath on the
column that adorned the dead man S bier.
The floral tributes were SO numerous that
five wagons were necessary to convey
them to the cemetery, where they were
arranged artistically back of the grave on
q huge strip of canvas.
Rev. DR.. Hamlin read the simple burial
service of the Presbyterian church. This
was followed by extemporaneous prayer.
Then came the benediction, and all that
was mortal of James Gillespie Blaine was
consigned to earth. The interment was
over, fifteen minutes aftersthe cortege en-
tered the cemetery. at 1:30 O'Clock the
crowd slowly dispersed, the president,
cabinet, senator's, family and all entered
their carriages and were driven away. All
no longer, stood beside the grave of
his father until the masons had bricked in
the casket and the grave diggers had filled
in the remaining space. When all this
was accomplished he returned to his car