The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-06
THE DEDICATION OF GRANTS TOMB.
IMPOSING; CEREMONIES AT THE
RIVERSIDE PARK.

A nJjIIior Of Spectators Witness the
Great Paradc--A Scene of Wonder
fiji Splcndor-Prcsident MCKinley's
Tribute TO His IllnstriOus Prcde-
ccssor.
With military pomp and splendor
never before witnessed in this country,
was dedicated on the 9th Of April the
MAGNIFICENT monument erected by the
people of the country to the memory
Of ULYSSES S. Grant. The ceremonies
took place in the presence Of u great
multitude Of people. Six miles OF
sire, Is were lined with people cstimat.
ed to number over l,0O0,0 600. 1t was
tribute OF the populaco to the great
American general that has no parallel
in American history. AS all Europe
h0norcd NapolcOn'S intermcnt under
the dome OF tho Invalids, so did all
America honor Grant. Tbcro was
assembled on the high knott Of the
drive, on the numerous stands erected
about tho tomb such gathering OF
men Of emincDce from far and near, as
WAS strange to even cosmopolitan New
York. Standing Within the vcry
shadows Of tho monument ltSelt were
the President and Vice President. the
members Of his cabinet, alt tho living
noted generals Of the country, tho
diplomatic corps, representing Great
Britain, Germany, France, Russia,
China and other nations; member o1
Congress, the Governors OF scores OF
States, members OF different lcgisla-
tive bodies throughout the country,
prominent Confederate soldiers with
whom sGrant crossed swords in the
sixties. all bent upon h0noring the
pf
soldier.
The parade from Madison square -
the tomb was Il dazzling spectacle.
Fifty thousand men marched il! solid
column amid the hurrahs OF the multi
tudc. In the North river over 200
crafts Of all description joined in the
demonstration. Tho warships Of tho
North Atlantic squadron wero assem-
bIcd in doubled ndented column i'm
mcdiatcly opposite the monument and
back OF them rode at anchor Il fleet
Of foreign warships which gathered
here in honor Of the occasion. I'm
was Il fleet Of United States revenue
cutters. and further down the river
were an immense fleet Of merchant
vessels
Tho ceremonies began with the
marching OF the soldiers and civilians
toward the noble temple which
shelters Grants body. 1t was 1890
when Grand Marshal Dodge gave the
order for the first column to move
From that hour until evening the air
WAS titled with marital music. The
crowds along the route wero unprc-
ccdcntcd. Hundreds Of stands, each
seating thousands, had been erected
and were early in the day bcsicgcd by
En
whcro from s! to $40 for a seat. The
greatest crowds were at Park place,
fifty-ninth street and Fifth avenue,
the Park circle, Fifty-ninth street and
broadway, and in the vicinity OF the
tomb. The crush ut the latter place
was enormous and dangerous. The
stands about the tomb and along the
drivcways were particularly jammcd
those just about tho tomb seated ap
prOXimately 30, 900 and the Other
stands possibly 250, 900 more. AS thu
marching columns passed the monu
ment on the west side, each column
gave silent salute, which was re
pcated on the opposite side OF the tomb
where the men passed in rcviow OF tn,
President. The whole line OF marcl
was beautifully decorated with flags
and bunting. There was scarcely a
house along the route which did not
display the national colors. Flags flew
from hOuSetOps, while in many in.
stances buildings were almcst smother.
the ed behind profusc decorations. The
larger stands were decorated with
royal purple bunting and American
hags. The speakers desk, at which
the President presided, was covered
with tho presidential Official dag. On
other stands suspended from poles
n
tho army. From the tomb itself ther
tory palms bound on the face Of cact
column OF tho front. They wer
fastened on the columns with purpl
silk, which ID the color used in tn
windows OF the tomb to subduc tn
light from without. On Othor munici
pal stands wero placed the flags Of TIT
foreign countries. In tho centre o
the main stand worked in nationa
colOrs was the motto: Lot us have
peace" This inscription was alst
carved over the facade OF the tomb ir
gold letters and was the first thing t(
catch the eye at close quarters.
Surrounded by his cabinet, his gen.
erals, and his friends, President Me
est military parade ever seen IN thi.
regular sailors, national guardsmer
OF the sea and land forces, Grand Army
veterans, Confederate veterans, anC
the stripliDgs who in the future may
fight as gGllantly 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 whore she had been
watching the gallant troops go by,
and, leaning on the arm Of her son,
Col. Grant. mace her way to the tomb,
followed only by the members OF the
Grant family. The bronze doors wore
opened and the widow Of the hero
passed from the outside world into the
quiet OF the tomb. For about ten
m nutes she stayed there, and then,
with ncr face hidden in her hands, she
left the sccne.
Soon after this. President Mckinley
went aboard the Dolphin amid the
OOOlnlDD of pODs un1 r1vi9Wed the