Evening journal., 1897-04-28
THE GRANT MONUMENT.

diers and our sailors stood side by side
with men of fame from almost every
nation of the earth and paid without
regard to race or creed or party preju-
dice the last and long delayed honor
of the living to the dead; while the
greatest throng that ever filled the city
of New York added its surging paens
TO the roar of belching guns and the
tramp Of marching soldiers And in
that throng there was no north and no
south, for since the soldier-president
had said Let us have peace" the gray
had blended with the blue.
The day dawned bright and clear, and
there was no omen in the sky Of the
wind that in the afternoon well nigh
ruined for a time the land parade. Be
fore the presidential party left the city
TO take part in the dedication ceremo-
MES the flag decked streets were black
with people, who cheered vociferously
as the great men drove by. When the
tomb was reached, a strange sight met
the eye.
All around the oval. in the center of
which stood the gray monument to
Grant, were what seemed to be black
hillocks. This somber background was
formed by the thousands of spectators
who filled the wooden stands, built up
from the ground on both sides of the
tomb level with the steps which lead to
its massive doors. To the south, where
the loop around the oval met the Riv-
erside drive, there were two solid, SOM
ber lines of humanity. on all four
sides of the monument oval the stands
were packed to overlooking, while fac
ing these crowds there was the great
mass Of eager sightseers who had not
been officially provided for.
Solemn Dedication Services.
The solemn service of dedication
seemed to throw a strange hush over
this vast throng. The president stood
bareheaded in the wind that now was
beginning to rise. He was heard dis
tinctly by the 5000 persons who stood
directly in front of him. General Por-
ter's Grafton in honor of the hero SEEM
ed to impress the crowd less than the
sight of that pale faced, bareheaded
president standing beside the widow Of
the dead general, ex-President Cleve-
land and the grayheaded statesmen
and soldiers. 1t was their presence
rather than their words that lent
solemnity to the occasion.
And when it was all over, when May
or Strong had formally accepted from
the nation the trust Of the tomb and
when the president and his party dis
appeared in the luncheon tent sigh
of relief went up from the crowd. for at
last the hero lay in the tomb BETTING
his renown and httingly dedicated by
a grateful nation.
While the land parade was waited for
after the conclusion of the ceremonies
the sky became leaden, and the wind
rose until it almost howled around the
ha .,Ft l,a ra.
flected the ashen hue of the sky and
the great white ships that hoated on its
bosom stood out in almost ominous re-
lief. The dusty roadbed Of the drive
was whipped up until black coats be-
came brown, and spectators forsool
their unsheltered seats for the protec
ton Of the tomb pillars.
Then suddenly, under the cloud o.
dust, from the south between the tw,
black lines of people which seemed t,
meet in the perspective, came the nod
ding plumes of the soldiers. On the,
marched, an endless line Of white ant
red and blue and gray. First passin,
on the west side Of the monument ova
and then returning on the north roa,
under the monumental arch. passed tn
president in review. and then bacl
again into the black background of hu
I
Parade Reviewed by the President.
Surrounded by his cabinet, his gen
erals and his friends. President Nc
Kinley stood and reviewed the grandes
military pageant ever seen in this city
There were regular soldiers. regula
sailors, national guardsmen Of the Sc
and land forces, Grand Army veterans
Confederate veterans and the strip
lings who in the future will fight a
gallantly as their fathers did.
When the cheering was at its loudes
and when the wind had somewhat die
away, a touching scene was enacte
which was seen by few. Silently Mrs
Grant stole away from the president
reviewing stand. where she had bee
watching the gallant troops go by and
leaning on the arm Of her son, ColonC
Fred Grant, made her way to the toms
followed only by the members OF tn
Grant family. The bronze doors wer
swiftly opened, and the widow Of IN
hero passed from the noise and wind
chilliness of the outside world into IN
dim quiet Of the tomb, For about