Connecticut western news., 1897-04-29
THE GRANT MONUMENT.

of funeral rite: for in these 12 years since first the nation mourned for Grant the keenness of grief has worn away, and in its place there lives in the hearts of men that hero worship which found such tumultuous vent yesterday. The greatest of our citizens. our sol- 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 it's 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 we'll nigh ruined for time the land parade. Be- fore the presidential party left the city to take part in the dedication ceremo- nies 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 hllocks. 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 Der lines of humanity. On all four sides of the monument oval the stands were packed to overflowing, 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 oration 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. It was their presence rather than their words that lent solemnity to the occasion.
 And when 1t 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 a sigh of relief went up from the crowd, for at last the hero lay In the tomb befitting his renown and fittingly 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 1t almost howled around the trees. The waters of the Hudson re- fected the ashen hue of the sky and the great white ships that floated on it's 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 forsook their unsheltered seats for the protec- ton of the tomb pillars.
 Then suddenly, under the cloud of dust, from the south between the two black lines of people which seemed to meet in the perspective, came the nod ding plumes of the soldiers. On they marched. an endless line of white and red and blue and gray. First passing on the west side of the monument oval and then returning on the north road under the monumental arch, passed the president in review, and then back again into the black background of hu- manity and the white clouds of dust
 Parade Reviewed by the President
 Surrounded by his cabinet. his gen. erals and his friends, President Me 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 Confederate veterans and the strip lings who In the future will 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 had been watching the gallant troops go hy, and leaning on the arm of her son, Colone Fred Grant. made her way to the tomb | followed only by the members of the Grant family. The bronze doors were swiftly opened. and the widow of the hero passed from the noise and windy | chilliness of the outside world into the dim quiet of the tomb. For about 1( | minutes she staid there. and then with her face hidden in her hands, she | left the scene which crowned her fus- | bands victories.
 Soon after this President Mckinley | went aboard the Dolphin amid the ! booming of guns and reviewed the great warships that lay in the shadow of the