The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-30

THE GRANDEST PAGEANT EVER
WITNESSED IN AMERICA.

monies-The Military Parade An Inn
posing Sight-TheT Tribute of the sons of
Confederate. v~eterans-The Grand Re-
view of American and European War.
ships Upon the River by the President.
New York, April 27.-Neyer but once
in the history of the world. and never
before in the history of the United
States, has such a ribute been paid
to the nobl dead as when today with
wonderous pageant by land and sea,
the nation dedicated the tomb that
s. Grant.
1t was al occasion more Of triumph
n eulogy and national pride than of
funeral right, for in these twelve years
since the nation mourned for Grant the
keenness of grief has worn away and
of men that 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 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 it's surging peal to
the roa Of belching guns ard 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"
- 80 a. -- ~
fore the presidential party left the city to
take parti in the dedication ceremonies the
part in the dedication ceremonies the
fiag-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
eys; all around the oval, in the centre
Of which stood the gray monument to
Grant, were what seemed to be black
hillOcks This sOmber background vas
formed by the thousands Of spectators
who filled the wood stands, built up
from the ground on both sides of the
tomb to the level of the steps that lead
to its massive 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 oval the stands were
packed to overlooking, while facing
these crowds was the great mas of
eager sight-seers, who had not been Of
ficially provided for.
And when it was all over when Ma
jor Strong had formally accepted from
the nation the trust OF the tomb, n
when the president n his party dis
appeared in the luncheon tent, a sigh
Of relief went UP from the crowd, for
at last the hero lay in the tomb befit-
ting his renOwn n fittingly dedicated
by a grateful nation.
While the and parade was waited
for after the conclusion Of the cere-
monies, the sky became leaden and h
wind increased until it almost howled
around the trees. The waters of the
Hudson reflected the ashen hue of the
sky and the great white ships that
foated on it's bosom stood out in al
most ominous relief. The dusty road
bed Of the drive was whipped up until
black coats became brown. and specta-
tors fOrsook their unsheltered seats
for the protection of the tomb pillars.
Then suddenly, under the cloud of
dust from the south between the two
black lines of people came the nodding
plumes Of the soldiers. On they
marched, an endless line of white n
red and blue and gray. First passing
on he west side of the oval
and returning on the north roa under
the monumental arch, they passed the
president in review and then back
again into the black background of
humanity and the White clouds of
dust.
Surrounded by his cabinet, his gen.
erals, and his friends, President Nc
kinley stood and reviewed the grandest
military pageant ever seen in this city.
There were regular soldiers, regular
sailors, national ~guardsmen of the sea
and land forces, grand army veterans,
confederates and the striplings who,
in the future, may fight as ~gallantly as
their fathers did:
When the cheering was at its 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, where she a been
watching the gallant troops go by, and,
leaning on the arm of her son, Colonel
Grant, made her way to the tomb,
followed only by the members OF the
Grant family. The bronze DOR were
opened and the widow Of the hero pass
ed from the noise of the outside world
into the dim quiet Of the tomb. For
about ten minutes she stayed there and
then with her fac hidden in her hands,
she left the scene.
Soon after this, President Mckinley
went aboard the Dolphin amid the
booming Of guns and reviewed the
SItdl "o1S1hpo lhoS ICY Ia ~N
of the tomb. The dense crowds still
stayed in their sets and watched the
end of the land parade. Then, when
the last company had passed out of
sight, the hundreds OF thousands of
spectators sought their homes. All
traffic was congested and it was hours
before the tide of trave fell to its nor
NAL condition.
AT THE TOMB.
At 11:04 o'clock President Mckinley
entered the speakers stand, and was
followed by the others who were TO
participate in the ceremonies. The
president, with barred head, was the
first to enter the stand. He leaned on
the arm of Mayor Strong, who kept on
his hat. The president was loudly
cheered and was also ex-President
Cleveland, who appeared with x-Sec-
rotary Tracey. Mr.. Cleveland and
President Mckinley shook hands with
each other as soon as they met. The
two then conversed for a moment.
While waiting for the ceremonies on
the stand TO commence President Nc
Kineiy, with Vice President Hobart