Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-05
BISMARCK'S BIRTHDAY.
Many Germans Joyously Celebrate
the Occasion.


Tho Aged Statesman Receives Congratu-
latOry Messages From All Parts of the
World--The Kaiser Sends Him n Cuirass.
FREDERICKSBURG, April 1.-Prnce
Bismarck rose early to prepare for the
arduous duties Of his birthday. He had
slept soundly and was in the best Of
humor. Not trace of fatigue from the
receptions of the last three days was
visible in his face. Just before he tooS
his breakfast the bands Of the RatZeburg
(Lauenburg) Riflemcn, the Thirty-iirst
Infantry Regiment, from the Altoona
Garrison, and the Hamburg Choral
Union, had gathered in front of the
castle. They gave the old Chancellor
o'clock. AT II o'clock the Chasseurs
band began playing, and during the
first number tho Prince and Princess,
Count Herbert and Count William and
their wives, and the Count and Countess
Rantzau appeared on the terrace. BY
this time the eXcursionists, who crowded
the inns, private houses, and even MANY
of the barns to overlooking last evening,
had gathered in the meadow opposite.
AS the Prince left the house repeated
cheers almost drowned the music. He
smiled, waved his hand, and then, as
the cheering increased he swung his
great SLOUGH hat toward tho crowd IN
the meadow. He spoke with several
members of the Choral Union and the
bands, and eventually presented a glass
of beer to the Ratzeburg band master.
AS the band master took the glass Bis
marck raised another one to his lips and
tossed off the contents at draught
The crowd cheered as Bismarck sat down
the glass he smiled and bowed. r.
GIFT FROM THE KAISER.
At II O'clock messenger arrived at
the castle with this dispatch dated at
AObazia on April LIST:
sent you my heartiest congratulations.
My Aide-de-camp, Major Won Moltke, is
commissioned to hand you in my name a
cuirass. The firm steel of this cuirass,
which is designed to lie round your breast,
may serve as symbol of the German
gratitude which your firm fidelity has
brought you, and which !, for my part
desire to express most ylvidly. f1
tg WILHELM, lnperator-Rex.
Major, Count Won Moltke arrived at
the FREDERICKSBURG station at 1910 and
rode directly TO the castle, where Bis
marck welcomed him at once, and re.
ceIved from his hands the steel cuirass
sent by the Emperor.
OCCUPATIONS AND COMMITTEES.
The early part of the afternoon was
devoted to the reception of Populations
and committees, of which there seems
to be no end. They have come from
| all parts of the empire, and represent
towns, colleges and societies of all sorts
For every new group Of admirers the
Prince had short speech. He told the
| Darmstadt delegation that he felt so UNI
usually well that he would not go to
| Kissengen this year. In replying TO the
address of the Altoona delegation he said;
"lf had been as powerfufas people
thought, Altoona would now be the seat
OF government"
GREETED WITH SHOUTS AND CHEERS.
Shortly after the arrival of the Ltid.
wigslust Dragons and deputation
from lower Saxony the Prince retired
and put on his helmet and the cuirass
sent by the Emperor. At O'Clock he
appeared in uniform, and entered an
| open carriage at the door. AS he drove
away the Populations and eXcuTsiohists
pressed up to the approaches and
cheered wildly. All the way through the
Sachsenwald he was greeted with
shouts, cheers and the waving of hats
and handkerchiefs. The drive lasted but
30 minutes AS the carriage neared the
castle the enthusiasm of the peoplt
passed all bounds.
| Hundreds gathered by the roadside
and sang "Die Wacht am Rheint' ant
deutschland Ueber Alles.n When the
Prince reached the castle the grea
throng,. which had been increasing
steadily since noon, took up the song
and, led by the Hamburg singers, raised
one grand chorus after another. Bis
marck entered the castle at $50, bu
the singing continued until z o'clock.
LETTERS AND DISPATCHES.
The number of letters and dispatchel
received by the Prince is beyond al
records of his former birthdays. Thu
messages have been received by tht
basketful every 10 minutes during thu
day. They have come from all the re.
mote parts of the world-Bombay, Cal
cutta, Sydney, Melbourne, Shanghai
Toxic, Cairo, New York, Chicago, St.
Louis, Rio Janeiro and Valparaiso
Messages from the United States wert
exceptionally numerous. Hardly q
European town of more than 10000 in,
habitants is unrepresented.
Ats o'clock this afternoon 1000 let
tiers and 1880 kilograms had beer
counted, and the messengers were still
busy bringing more. Among the signer!
of the kilograms are the Kings of Sax.
ony and Wurtemberg, the Regent q
Bavaria, the grand dukes of Baden
oldenburg and saxe-Welmar and thu
Duke of Sake Meiningen and the Regen
Of Brunswick. Messages from famou
men, princes and kings are displayed or
the dining-room table. In baskets
ranged about the room, are the thou
sands of other dispatches.