The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-05-31
:p,.ial pir,oteA o he ln.eat,nar.

Sp,sal Diroteh 10 TIE hfeli,tnor.
GRAFTON, W. Va. May So.-This au.
rivcrsary day dedicated to tho memory
o!the nations dead was observed here
with interesting and appropriate e4er.
cises. Each recurring year witnesses
no d!Ininution in tho ardor and interest
oi,ho.e who participate in the memorial
services held in honor Of tho soldier
dead who sleep beneath tho sod OF tho
National cemetery in West Grafton,
and SO it was to-day.
The Hon. Il. W. Atkinson, Of Wheel.
ing, was tho orator Of the occasion, aud
his eloquent address this afternoon was
received with profound and touching
intsres. by his large soncoursc OF audi,
tors, and 1t Is spoken Of Us one OF the
best speeches ever delivered on tho his.
,oric grounds Of the cemetery. The
weather was clear and perfec. all day,
although quito warm, old So!'s rays
beating doyn with almost tho force OF
aJuy day.
Judging from tho returns received OF
railroad tickets sold, and estimating the
crowds that came in from the surround.
Ing country, there mus! have been mp
wards OF 5000 visitors in town. Five
special train, were run by the Dalti.
more.S Ohio railroad and the people
locked In on these and on tho regular
trains. and all sorts OF vehicles brought
others from the surrounding country,
while a party Of bicyclisss wended their
way here from the town OF Elkius.
Grafton and West Grafton wore
handsomely decorated with the national
emblem, while pedestrians along Main
stree. walked under almos. a perfect
canopy made up OF the stars and stripes.
Peanut, Lemonade stands, &C., were
manifest everywhere and the venders
piled lively trade. The great crowd
thronging the streets made them almost
inpassable, and from every point
moving panorama OF humanity could
Do seen. Tho gay drass worn by rustic
beauties and otherwise made q multi.
furious blending OF colors that was dazzl-
ing 10 the eyes.
|. was great day OF carnival Tor youth
and maiden and the vsriecated sight
seer; and altogether much gaiety and
pleasure abounded. But there were
others with sad hearts. There were
those who had lost friends aud com.
rades in the dread battles OF thirty
years ago. and the memory OF the rava-
ges OF that internecine war not even the
lapse OF nearly third OF q century
couid eBace.
The exercises at the cemetery began
in the morning with the decoration OF
the graves. Senator S. II. Gramm was
the marsha! OF the day aud with eighty
G. A. K. comrades, cscor,iug one hun
dredlit,le girls dressed in white, marched
20 the cemetery. Hore loving hands
scattered generous offerings OF flowers,
while over each soldiers grave was
placed n miniature emblem OF the stars
and stripes.
The procession forming at the court
house at o'clock in tho afternoon, was
fine ono, and was attended by numer-
Gus bands making martial music. The
line ot march WAS made up rs follows:
The L. z. X. OF P, with the subordi-
us'o IouSe n. ol l. III tuo iea' bt"tou
Lodge No. 81, I. o. o. F.; Central
Lodge No. o.; I. 0. L. u. No. 0 and No.
l5;Jr o. U. a. NJ. No. 9and No. II; and
the G.. a. T. Arrived Mt tho cemetery.
the exercises OF the afternoon opened
with prayer led by tho Rev. J. II. Flan-
agan, D. D., OF tho Presbyterian church
here.
The Hon. G. ". Atkinson was then
presented TO tho large multitude that
had assembled. Mr.. Atkinson spoke
eloquentIy and with maatsrIy oiccs. re.
ceiving the closes. attention from his
grea. audience.
An abstract OF Mr.. Atkinaon's ora.
ton vii! DC found in the account OF tho
Wheeling exercisei at night, where he
repeated the address.