The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-05-08
Yang Yu Presents the Tribute
Sent by the Chinese Vice Roy.
CROWDS AT GRANTS TOMB
Ceremonies Witnessed by Col. and
Mrs. Fred Grant-The Tree "a jap
anese Message of the
Oriental Statesman-He Desires TO
Commemorate Grants Greatness.

| New York, May S.-The wish OF Ii Hung
| Cnang was fulfilled in letter and spirit
| yesterday, when Mr.. Yang Yu, former
| Chinese minister to the United States,
| formally planted tree ON the site of the
| old Grant tomb Mr.. Yang Yu was accom-
! panied by his secretary Ne Su, President
Samuel Mcmillan and Col. s. Van Renssa-
| laer Cruger, of the park board; Col Fred
| Grant, Mrs. Julia Grant and their daugh-
| ter, Miss Julia Grant Mr.. Yang Yu APP
| peared in his coat of maroon with dark
| blue sleeves.
Mr. Yu read this tribute, which was
written on a large piece OF yellow paper
| IN Chinese script:
This tree is planted at the side Of The
tomb of U. S. Grant, ex-PresidenU Of the
| United States of America, for the purpose
| Of commemorating his greatness, by Lii
Hung Chang, guardian OF the prince, grand
secretary OF the state, ,eaTlof the first order.
YANG W.
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister PlenipO-
Tertiary Of China.
"Kwang Hsu, twenty third year, Fourth
Moon"
tude for the honor which Ii Hung Chung
paid to the memory of his distinguished
father. Mrs. Grant and her daughter also
stood nearby. After the ceremony the
party viewed the sarcophagus before ieav
ing the grounds.
A great crowd gathered about the space
where the tree was TO he planted, which
is in the rear OF the tomb and on the site
Grants body for twelve years. Near the
southwest corner Of the square u pit five
feet in depth and eight feet in diaIncte
was dug early yesterday morning by park
employees.
Tie park board had been much exercised
as to the kind of tree it could supply which
would he appropriate. Mr.. Yang paid ng
heed 10 this detail. contenting himself with
informing Col. Grant that he had been
instructed TO plant the tree for Ii Hung
Chang and he was ready to do so when
ever the tree was ready.
superintendent Parsons and COMMISSIONER
w A Stiles decided upon a tree formerly
know to bOtanists IS the SalisbuIia adianti
fulia tut now called by its Japanese name,
ginkgo biloba, or more commonly by its
English name. maidenhaiT tree Now, al
though the books say the tree can be found
in China. Mr. Yang and his secretary failed
utterly to recognize the specimen planted
at the tomb as Ii ke anything they had seen
before When the name was given to Mr..
Su by MI Stiles he shook his head and
appa rently hestated to repeat 1t To his
master, aud only did so when Nj Yang
Insisted on knowing what had been said.
Then the minister's smile vanished lie
never know him in China said Mr. Su-
It did not appear probable to the park
commissioners that the Chinese minister
might feel annoyed by the selection OF n
japanese tree for his planting, and he let
the fact pass without comment.
The president of the park board spoke
briefly. and told of the pleasure he and
felIo commissioners had in granting per
mission for the planting of a tree which
was to perpetuate the friendship of Ii
Hung Chang and l. S Grant.
When he had finished. Mr.. 7 ang took
one of the gardeners shOvels, which Su-
perintendent Parsons handed him, and
scraped some dirt about the roots of the
already planted ginkgO
When Secretary Su had finished, his
master talked excitedly to him for several
moments. and tried also to talk TO Col.
Grant He say" said Mr.. SU, ''hc wish
that you take this copy Of his speech and
the translation, and that you put them IN
the stone that Will he about the tree 1t
is so that il is done in China when such
tree is planted He write his speech very
plain, so it can be put on the stone by
one who do not know the Chinese. The
translation if may not be all right, but
Won will change that and make [ gram
matical y
Il will see that all is done as he desires
it,, Col Grant said.
When the party had gone back to the
Waldorf the park commissioners remained
and saw to it that the tree had great
drink of water They wanted to plant
what they call witness tree" but il did
not arrive in time.