The herald., 1897-04-28
The Wondrous Pageants
at New York
NOT A FUNERAL RITE
Rather an Outburst of Trium-
plant EuIOgy
EVERY NATION OF THE EARTH
Is REPRESENTED IN THE VAST
ASSEMBLAGE
Pride and Homage Of the Nation
Finds Expression in the Surg
ing Roar Of a Million
Voices Blended
Is REPRESENTED IN THE VAST
ASSEMBLAGE

NEW YORK, April 27-Never but
once in the history Of the world and
never before in the history of the United
States has such tribute been paid to
the noble dead, as when, today, in won
drous pageant by land and sea, the ma
ton dedicated the tomb that now holds
the body of Ulysses S. Grant. 1t was an
occasion more of triumphant eulogy and
national pride than of funeral rite, for
in these twelve years since first the ma
ton mourned for Grant, the keenness Of
grief has worn off and there lives in the
hearts of men the hero-worship which
found such tumultuous vent today. The
greatest of our citizens, our soldiers and
our sailors, today stood side by side with
men of fame of almost every nation Of
the earth and pand, without regard to
race or creed or party prejudice, 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
it's surging paeans 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-presi-
dent said Let us have peace" the gray
blended with the blue.
Before the presidential party left the
city to take part in the dedication cere-
moniee the flag-decked streets were
black with people who cheered vocifer-
ously 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 monu-
ment to Grant were what seemed to be
black hillocks. This somber background
was formed by the thousands of specta-
tors who filled the stands built up from
the ground on both sides of the tomb to
the level of the steps that led to its mas
sive doors.
To the south where the loop around
the oval met the Riverside drive, there
were two solid lines of humanity. On
all four sides of the monument oval, the
stands were packed to overflowing, while
facing these crowds was the great mass
of eager sight-seers who had not been
officially provided for. The solemn SER
vice of dedication seemed to throw a
strange hush over this vast throng. The
president stood bareheadedI in the wind
When he spoke he was heard distinctly
by the 5000 people who stood directly in
front of him.
General Porter's grafton in honor of
the hero seemed to impress the crowd
less than the sight of the pale-faced
bareheaded president, standing beside
the widow of the dead general, ex-
President Cleveland and the gray haired
statesmen and soldiers. 1t was their
presence rather than their words that
lent solemnity to the occasion And
when it was all over and Mayor Strong
had formally accepted from the nation
the trust of the tomb and when the pres
ident and his party disappeared in the
luncheon tent, sigh of relief went up
from the crowd, for at last the hero Law
in the tomb BETTING such renown and
httingly dedicated by a grateful nation.
The land parade was waited for after
the sky became overcast with clouds and
the wind increased till it almost howled
around the trees. The waters of the
Hudson reflected the ashen hue of the
sky and the great white ships that float
ed on its bosom stood in almost ominous
relief. The dusty roaddbed of the drive
was whipped up until black coats be-
came brown and spectators forsook their
unsheltered seats for the protection of
the tomb pillars.
Then suddenly in the cloud of dust
from the south between the two black
lines Of people who met in the perspect-
i've came nodding plumes of the soldiers.
On they marched, an endless line Of
white and red and blue and grey. First
passing on the west side of the monu-
ment oval and returning on the north
road under the monumental arch, they
passed there in review and then back
again into the black background of hu-
manity and the white clouds of dust.
Surrounded by his cabinet, his gen.
erals and his friends, President McKin-
ley stood and reviewed the grandest mil
itary pageant ever seen in this city.
There were regular soldiers, regular
sailors, national guardsmen of the sea
and land forces, Grand Army veterans,
confederate veterans and the striplings
who, in the future. may fight as gal.
lantly as their fathers did.
When the cheering was at it's loudest,
and when the wind had somewhat died
away, a touching scene was enacted,
which was seen by few. Silently Mrs.
Grant stole away from the presidents
reviewing stand from which she had
been watching the gallant troops go by
and leaning on the arm of her son, Col.
Grant. made her way to the tomb, fol-
lowed only by the members Of the Grant
family. The bronze doors were opened