The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-06-27
A ROYAL STONEMASON.
The Kaiser Lays the Last Stone
Of the Keil Canal.
THOUSANDS AT THE CEREMONIES.
The Great Waterway Christened the Kaiser
wilhelm Cansi-The Emperor Then Re-
Viewed the Parade Of warships-A Big
banquet In q Novel Structure.

HoLTENAu, June 22.-Emperor Will
lam has laid the last stone Of the Baltic
and North sea canal In the presence Of
many thousands Of spectators. The
weather was brilliant and the ceremony
took plaza in the open air and not in
the lighthouse adjoining the sluice as
at first contemplated. The scene of the
ceremony was embellished by hand
some designs in landscape gardening,
and the lighthouse standing close to the
spot showed the three bronze reliefs Of
Emperor William I, Frederick Ill and
William II. The lighthouse and the
block Of masonry into which the en-
peror placed the finishing stone were
surrounded by enormous scaffoldings
rising in o semi-circle and affording
seats for about $4,000 people. In laying
the stone the emperor said: "In mem
ory of Emperor William the Great !
christen this canal the Kaiser Wilhelm
canal"
After the emperor had tapped the
stone, a parchment was placed inside
of it declaring in sonorous language the
circumstances of the building and COM
pletion of the canal. The chancellor,
Prince Hohenlohe, in full official uni.
form, read the document aloud before
depositing it in the stone.
The guard of honor was furnished by
the First Footguards and Marine Artil.
lery, the former wearing the tradi-
tional inter headdresses and red faces,
uniforms ornamented with silver, worn
by the Prussian guards upon state occa-
sions. The artillery soldiers were
singularly fine body of men. The
whole scene took place beneath brill
liant sunshine, and with q nice breeze
blowing.
AS the emperor, empress and the
young princes, the kings and grand
dukes stood in their places on the dias,
they formed an eminent picturesque
group, with the background of varie-
gated colors, flags, white and red
plumes, glittering swords and bayo-
nets, parti-colored flags, naval uniforms
of dark blue, with gold epaulets, the
whole controlled with military precis-
ion, and In the distance the many thou
sands of holiday attired spectators.
The actual ceremony for the great
mass Of on-lookers was mystery, and
outside the inner circle not one of Prince
Hohenlohes words were audible. When
the set of coins was placed in the stone
the emperor, empress and other import
ant personages, bareheaded, tapped the
stone three times in accordance with
German tradition, the massed bands
playing different airs as the various
persons touched the stone.
There was a royal salute from all the
warships as the emperor gave the first
tap. The whole ceremony lasted ex.
actly half an hour. The emperor and
the imperial party, as well as all the
foreign officers and other persons, then
returned to their respective ships amid
renewed cheering.
In the meanwhile the stone was built
in with bricks by the master builders
of the canal, the people pressing in
while the work was going on and seiz-
ing scraps of brick and mortar as souv-
enirs.
The review of the feet then followed.
The imperial yacht Hohenzollern, with
the imperial family, kings, grand dukes,
princes and mayors of the chief cities,
etc., on board, left her moorings, and
at the same moment the crews of all
the vessels in the harbor manned the
yards or rails to their full strength, pre-.
senting grand spectacle. The Hohen.
zollern proceeded slowly down the line,
the emperor in admiral's uniform
standing on the bridge. The crews Of all
the crafts in the harbor greeted his
majesty with loud cheers, and the bands
played lively air. The great banquet
which practically wound up the cere.
monies of opening the Baltic-North sea
canal took place in the much discussed
structure representing the old German
warship Niobe. About 1000 guests
participated in the entertainment, in
cluding the diplomatic representatives
of the various nations.
The table arrangements were en-
trusted to Borchardt of Berlin, who re.
ceived $50 per plate, or about $25, 900 in
all, which sum includes wines, service
and transportation. During the whole
OF the festivities the naval orchestra of
the Second German division furnished
the music. The French Admiral Men.
ard sat on the emperor's right and the
Russian Admiral Slkrydloff Isat on his
left. At the conclusion of the banquet
the emperor made very conciliatory
speech.