The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-06-13
The Home of Grant.

Galena, the town of Grant, Wash
burne and Rawlins, is not so large in
population, by some thousands, "a it
was on the day when Captain Grant left
his modest home on the hillside and
went to the court house to meet his
fellow citizens and see what Galena
could do toward putting down the re-
bellion; but in the public estimation it
is larger than ever, and is growing
every day. Time was when Galena was
the rival of Chicago in business pos
sibiities, but it bad possibilities, then
yelled too thickly for the most piercing
eye, which in their eventuation would
place it beyond all rivalry. 1t was
destined through the mutations of trade
to decline in population, but to live in
history Immortality as the home of
the greatest soldier of the age.
Galena appreciates the honor and
shoulders the responsibility with dig
nifty and sense of propriety common
surate with the magnitude of the trust.
If the town were rechristened Grant, as
it might well be, it could not be more
sensible of its distinction as the place
where Grant buckled on his sword and
to which he returned to live after the
world had rung with the fame of his
generalship, and the country knew by
heart the story of his victories.
In the WEAKNESS of his success he
said it was the height of his ambition
to 60 back to Galena and be an alder
man, 80 that he might lay a sidewalk
on the steep ascent from the depot to
his old home. Later the people built
IA i'm q mr. OE
access, and, having laid a sidewalk
thereto, invited him to come back and
take possession. He did so and lived in
that house until called again to shout
der his country's burden. The old
house and the new stand there now,
actually reminding one of Grant in their
simplicity and durability. On the new
you may see the door-plate with the
name " U. S. Grant" Within sight of
both of these houses, the pathways to
each of them being worn by the feet of
many pilgrims, is beautiful park
which bears the name of Grant, and
whose principal adornment is the best
statue ever moulded of Grant, the cit.
izen of Galena. Thus is the great sol.
dier's memory kept green by his towns.
men every day in the year, but on the
9th of April the verdure turns to q
wealth of flowers. All Galena bows a,
the shrine of Grant. Men leave theil
offices and shops and women theil
household duties to throng the streets
and the children of course are at theil
heels in Sunday clothes. Flags fly anG
bands play. The Grant statue wears 9
wreath of laurel. Grant park seems
greener than ever. People come from
the surrounding country and many from
distance. A big hall is filed, foo
and galleries, until it can hold no more
Great statesman like Depew and Nc
Kinley, eloquent orators like Luthe
Latin Mills, speak in eulogy of tn
hero of the day. Even ex-confeder
ates join in homage to magnanimou
greatness. Words spoken and sun,
alike thrill with their patriotic fervor
and Grants comrades, some sturdy
some crippled, all grizzled, filling fewe
benches every year, shed tears, bu
feel like shouldering their crutches an,
fighting their battles over. The new
dispatches have told the story, but thi
is what saw and heard at Galena o.
the seventy-second anniversary of tn
birth of Grant.-Correspondence Oh,
cago Inter Ocean.