New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-28
BEFORE THE PARADE.
A SURVEY OF THINGS ALONG THE ROUTE.


pENINGs IN THE MULTITUDE OF SPECTATORS
The man who set out TO see the crowd as we'll
as the parade yesterday had TO make IN early
start and put in day Of hard work The crowd.
or rather the crowds. well worth seeing. On
previous occasions there have been large numbers
Of people gathered In the city but It may be
doubted whether New-York has before
the Ike of the multitude attracted by the cere
monies in honor of Ulysses S Grant OF course.
there objective point but as 1t US i'm
possible Tor everybody to find room at tho tomb or
IN IFS immediate vicinity men, women and children
wisely scattered themselves all along the line of
The procession, and many shifted their places from
one point TO another the hours passed.
one unfamiliar with the line of march would
have had difficulty in tracing It. even by
o'clock in the morning earlier. not only by the
number OF people moving toward 1t. and up and
down the streets along which the carriages and
military column were TO pass a few hours later,
bat by the stands provided for spectators and the
,rucks innumerable standing the side streets.
These trucks had been fitted up with seats for the
henes. Of Observers who willing 10 pay
modest sum for more or less preca"ious resting
place but felt themselves ruled out from the pre-
,ent!ous grendstands. Grandstands, by-the-way,
were much In evidence for the men who erected
stands with the hope Of reapng large profits from
the same were not In the least modest as respects
giving them high-soundng names.
BY S O'Clock there "A good deal OF stir around
Madison Square, especially in the vicinity or the
Fifth Avenue Hotel which was centre OF inter-
est 10 early corners. line OF prospective spec'a-
tors ranged themselves along Twenty-sixth-st and
waited with becoming patience for upward OF
Two hours 10 the President: and his party start
for Claremont. and as much longer as the'r
strength and courage held out for the movement
Of the military parade. They had plenty OF time
observe tho decorations on the various DuiuiHss
around tho Square.
AROI'ND MADISON SQUARE.
The Fifth Avenue Hotel presented especially
attractive picture with flags fe.tooned and flying
from the roof down 10 the main entrance Inc
entire front Of the building was not covered, but
the arrangement Of the flags was pleasing 10 the
eve Most Of the buildings on all sides OF the
Square displayed something IN the way of flags o:
bunting The big insurance building at the corner
of Madison-ave. showed nothing except the nag
flying from the tall flagstaff 81 tho peak. ana
careful observation at o'clock disclosed not DIX
Of patriotic color the Madison Square Garden
Dr. Parkhursts chu.ch had large flag hung from
q narrow windcw in tie tower over the main door.
Looking up Madson-ave. hundreds Of flags could
be seen huttering and tossing In the brisk wlnd'
and closer observation. as one followed the line
laid out for the parade showed that the great
majority OF the householders had been animated
nv the patriotism Of the occasion. There were
few houses however. that presented their every
day appearance
AT the hour mentioned large number OF police
moved across
and Twenty-sixth-st., and a little later the atten-
ton Of everybody in the avenue attracted by
the movement of the members OF Troop a, with
their prancng horses. Already number OF peo-
pie had taken positions at such points of vantage
as were available. and not few Of the stoops
were crowded with chance corners. But by far the
larger number We're in motion. most of them pro-
ceeding uptown. The sidewalks were uncomtort-
ably crowded and the moving men and women oc-
casionaly pressed out on the asphalt pavements.
To walk there not altogether comfortable, as
nanv carriages and bicycles were going in both
directions and the surface CT the avenue appeared
70 have been sprnkled with gravel perhaps to pre-
vent the horsemen from coming to grief when
passing over II.
on account Of the low temperature and biting
wind rather brisk walking was necessary to com
fort and the people who had settled down for
few hours wait unoccupied stoops had a
pinched and unhappy look. Many bicycles were to
be SEEN but beyond question. the number would
have been multiplied several times if the weather
had been propitous In spite Of the wind. a num-
Der OF women were abroad on wheels
PAIRING OUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
II was soon noticeable that many Of the residents
had taken pains TO keep the public at large off their
domain by barbados OF one sort or another The
simplest method 10 stretch a rope or wira
across front steps near the bottom; the efiec-
iiveness Of that device remained 10 be proved. In
other cases barriers OF boards were put up and in
s,il others elaborate picket fences had been built
Not few of the houses had platforms erected IN
front Of them FOR the benefit OF the occupants and
their friends This was the case, in fact along the
entire route of the procession. Some of the house
fences had been carefully covered with board
eheathings the boards being set at such an angie
&c 10 make sitting on them impossible and leaning
against them for any length Of time an uncomlorta
bio operation. One house was noticed where an OBJ
servaton place had been arranged ana IN ordef f
Il, rows Of snarp-ponted nails had been placed
While as has been said. nearly every house along
the avenue had at least one flag displayed mere
The orphan asylum made pretty sight, Win -
max fyng from every one OF us from dcora
ton was followed on one or TWO other buliuhss IN
the n obsepvatcn stands in front Of
rapidly Increased. and soon after o'clock d num-
ON every one Of the cross streets from half q
dozen 10 dozen trucks were drawn up ia line an
being fitted with seats. but at the time reierred
10 their proprietors had no business to do. IL was
entirely cold for any one IN ms senses 80 oe
with the prospect Of long wait before there was
fnehe brave attempts at a display Of bunting, and
many little flags were shown on thelr wagons, ~
reared In order to provide as many seats as pos
sble al 20 cents head. more or less; In many
9Sd 3o topic them over II the highest seats
were taken later their occupants must nave careu
On both sides Of Madison-ave.. north Of Fifty;
bs7c e1 long Some TSw also c, IA south tho
street named Fifty-hfth-st was entirely clear OF
vehicles with the exception OF Il veneer OF IdiEe
pictures Of General Grant. who was allowed by thc
police 10 90 with his trade for Some time LONGER
Although there seemed be little demand lot ms
wares All along the route, by-the-way pictures
o. The hero Of the DAY we're displayed in numerous
windows
MANY ARTICLES OFFERED FOR SALE.
Speaking Of vendors, there were sellers OF hi"ioS'
everything the heart Of tie sigftseer might desire
What was not offered by shrill-voced boys ana
men? In the first place. perhaps. mention shouiu
be made Of the official programmes Of the land ana
water parades or what purported TO Dc such