The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-31
BLAINE IN THE TOMB.
Great Throng Of Distinguished
People at the Funeral
SIMPLE RELIGIOUS CEREMONY.
Services ut Home. Church and Grave
Mrs. Blaine Breaks Down-Fivs
Wagon Loads Of Flowers.

/ al barriers and maize MS private funeral q
+ most impressive public demonstration.
+ The raost eminent men in the nation stood
around the bier. All business IN me ia
tl0ua- capital was suspended during the
( service. The presence 81 the president.
( cabinet. supreme judges, high officials Of
{ congress a8d diplomatic co-rs Eas not
more significant than the homage Of the
! waiting crowds who. IN respectful silence.
! lined the streets through which the iunera!
/ eortege passed.
The ya-ior OF the second floor. where the
/ body l2y, was larry eInoOwered IN floral
I tributes from prominent peop-e II all
! parts Of the country, from President Hsr-
| rlson down. Tine presidents tribute,
I a wreath of orchids and a cross,
was placed on the coffin. The
( president entered first, accompanied
/ Dy Mrs. Mckee, and following them came
the officials Of the executive, legislative
and judicial departments, Diplomatic
corps and others who, by ties Of kindred,
friendship Or associations, were entitled
10 the privilege Of being present a. the
final rites OF the distinguished statesman.
The parlors we're not able 10 contain ali
/ VINO received invitations. Even the house
was too small. and many peEsorce re-
manned n the carriages h.ch filed the
adjacent streets, standing along Pennsyl-
wanna avenue in front Of the treasury,
war, state and navy buildings. 4 con-
course o! several thousand people occu-
pied Lafayette square. opposite the Blaine
mansion. and the doors and windows OF
the adjacent houses we're tnronged With
spectators. \ marked air Of Gecorous
sOiemnIty attended even the outside
demonstrations.
AS the hour for the services arrived the
mourners, including members Of the
family. grouped around the casket. the
remainder Of those present standing, a.
there as no room for chairs. 4 simple
service OF prayer constituted the rltes.
Rev. DR.. Ham,in. standing BESIDE the
caske., delivered II a low tone the Pres
/ byterian service for the dead. Walter Dam
rosch meantime touching the keys Of the
piano to the notes Of slow dirge. DR..
Ham.in thanked God thai life ended only
that immortality might begin, and be-
! sought the Almighty 10 comfort the men,
hers o. the stricken household. This ended
| the brief but impressive service.
The casket aas closed and tendor.y
borne TO the hearse and the procession
wended Its way slowly 10 tie Church OF
the Covenant. The street outside was
thronged with spectators, .ho re.ereatiy
| DOTTED their hats as the cortege passed.
Following the hearse were the pa. bearers,
as heretofore given: then came the MEM
! bers OF the family, the attending ply
sicians. and then distinguished guests IN
due order. At the church ropes were
stretched 20 exclude ali not specially in
vited. The funeral procession arrived az
the church az noon. and 10 an iIaprovisa-
ton on the organ made up OF several
themes Of hymns which Blaine loved. the
distinguished concourse moved slowly up
the aisle. the body was deposited at the
chancel rail.
The decorations Of the church were very
rch and effective. The terrace formed by
the pu pit and the rail separating the
organ gallery from the platform afforded
| background for striking massing o!
plants and cut flowers. On the ledge of
the pulpit cut flowers were ranged in
ribbon ten or twelve inches n width. Be-
low this ribbon, and suspended from
across the front and curved siies of the
pulpit. were short iestoOns Of smiiax. Tie
bapt.srnai fount at the right OF the pulpit
was iwined with sni!ax rope, and bore in
its bowl a bunch OF lilies, cut tiow-
crs and foliage pants. Al either
end Of the rail against the wall stood
| an immense rubber tree, and towering
over all, ifnmedl ately behind the reading
| desk, were two PAINS The 'front.' OF the
! organ was covered with curtains, and sIui-
! lax ropes we're drape1 from the apex of
/ the instrument 10 the candelaDra on the
| side walls Of the organ loft FMS decora-
| ton was made under the direction OF the
| public gardener, and has never been sur
passed here in either pr0fu-ion or effective
| ensemble. The space in front OF the pui-
( pit, IL which the coffin iav, was entirely
! covered with fora. e'nbiems which accom-
! panied the remains from the house. These
| were disposed in such WY a. 10 heighten
/ the effect of the stationary decorat ons.
/ Mrs. Blaine was nol among The mourn
/ ers at the church. Just before the start.
| ing Of the funeral procession from Lafay-
! cite square Mr.. Blaine requested 10 be
/ left alone for few minutes with her dead.
/ The parlor vas cleared for this purpose.
and when Mrs. b aine emerged she made
her way, supported on the arms Of her SON
! and daughter. 10 the room " here her nus
! band had died. ana there gave way to her
! grief in utter prOstration. Mrs. Hale and
| other sympathlzlng friends followed her
~ Niic -St'Ai '''ttt''Ci- bIt IiatIiiig INlnf~-
| tra;ions were Of no avail, and Mrs Blaine
| was compelled 10 remain behind.
The services q, the church were as
simple as at the house, consisting of the
service for the dead, selections from the
! Scriptures and prayer. Then the funeral
! procession reformed and the BODY was
/ conveyed 10 Oak HUI cemetery At the
! cemetery on the successive terraces that
! hoUieFed the winding pathway leading to
/ the grave scores OF spectators we're stand
( ing, anI many pressed forward 10 pluck
/ flowers from the wreaths on the column
/ that adorned The dead mans bier. The
. floral tributes were 50 numerous that five
! wagons were necessary 10 convey them 10
! the cemetery, where they We're arranged
| art;silcaitv back OF the grave on a huge
| strip Of canvass.
! DR.. HAm,In read the simple burial ser
/ vice OF the Presbyterian church. TINS
was followed by an extemporaneous
! prayer; ;hen came the henediction. and
/ eli that was mortal Of James u. Blaine was
! consigned 10 the earth. The interrnent
/ was over fifteen minutes after the cortece
entered the cemetery, a 30 cock
/ Sloaiy the Crowi dispersed. The presi-
! dent, cabinet. senators and the family all
I entered their carriages and were driven
/ away; all but one. James q. Blaine. who
/ i junior no longer, and who stood beside
the grave of his father until the masons