The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-09-02
THE GRAND c. A. R. PARADE
THE PAGEANT WAS AN INSPIRING
ONE WITH $4,000 VETERANS IN
LINE.
The PRESIDENT HEADED THE LINE
And Afterwards Occupied the Rc-
viewing stand for Six Long
Observation-Disclosures Was Great.
Battle Flags Chcered.

Buffalo. y. Y, Aug. 25.-When The
morning gun ON the ramparts pt FOR
Porter doomed its salute for the new
day, the sun was obscured by banks oi
heecy clouds at the east, which darken
ed into blackness at the west. y heavy
mist rose from the lake and hOyerel
over Camp Jewell and was carried back
ctyward by Il fresh breeze from the
west. But the sun soon broke through
the clouds and gave promise OF bril
liant day. Drums heating the reyeillt
brought the comrades from their tents
Aides-de-camp in the gold of the Ma
tional Guard of New York. were dashing
about the streets on rearing horses
looking with anxious care to the division
to which they had been assigned. Men
and women and even children began
to post themselves behind the long wire
screens that had been spun ont along
the line of march during the night like
an immense spider web. Every moment
the space along the front of the side
walks grew less, and soon those who
had secured first place against the wires
began to feel the pressure of the crowd
from behind, which squeezed them and
held them prisoners for the hours that
the parade would take in passing.
In the corridors of the 1roquois hotel
spurs were juggling and sabres clanking
as the officers of Gen. Clarkson's staff
hurried to headquarters of the comman-
der-in-chief to report to Col. j. Torrey,
chief Of staff.
From east and north there came at
intervals the rattle of drums and the
clear note of the bngle. The posts of
the department of Illinois and some of
the department of Wisconsin were on
the march. The music and the tramp
of the marching feet brought cheering
crowds to the little attachments as
they passed, and the hum of expectancy
grew into roar of excitement as the
time for the moving of the procession
grew nearer.
Excursion trains on every one of the
many lines leading into Buffalo began
to pour thousands of recruits into the
the railroad stations took on an appear
ance of human beehives from which q
swarm was flying.
The street cars as they pushed slowly
down the road by side street routes,
were filed to the point of distress.
Excursion boats were screeching their
whistles In the harbor In an endeayor to
get to dock with their quota of specta-
tors
Gen. Clarkson and his staff rode from
the lroquois hotel to the Hotel Niagara,
as soon as the staff had assembled OH
Eagle street. In front of the Niagara
the staff drew up in line and Gen. Clark
son waited upon President Mckinley to
escort him to the head of the column.
At 10 o'clock the president left the
Hotel, accompanied by the escort. Along
the way to the point of formation the
president was cheered to the echo.
AT 1890 O'clock the command to
march was given, and the procession
moved,
Amid the roll of innumerable drums
and the blare of trumpets, the Grand
Army of the Republic, headed by the
president of the United States, took its
triumphant way through the cheering
humanity. The sidewalks on each side
of Main street, rs far us the eye could
reach, were filled with Il solid mass of
people. From every window faces
beamed out and the roofs had popula-
ton equal, If not greater, than that of
the windows.
In the great square in front of the
Erie County bank the first glimpse was
caught of the real immensely of the pro-
cession, for here the close walls of the
houses opened out on either hand and
the great tide of humanity poured out
from the narrow streets, forming n
funnel, and swept in solid mass OF
blue and gold through the great arch.
On the balcony of the arch band was
stationed and played Hail to the
Chief" as the presidents carriage pass
ed below.
The people in the grand stand gave
mighty cheer, which was taken up and
the west. "president Mckinley
"Comrade Mckinley" "The Grand
Army" could be heard in the roaring
tumult of voices
The imposing department of Illinois
on the right of the line received an ora-
ton as 1t passed along, Columbia post
of Chicago was wildly applauded, but
the white-haired veterans OF the small
er posts from remote corners Of the state
were not forgotten by the generous
crowd
AS the color guard, the old battle flag
battalion, passed the heads were I'M
covered. There were thirty battle
worn. shot-torn flags carried in the pa
rade by Camp Buffalo Sons of Veterans
in company with Meade post of Phila-
delphia. The old color guard was under
command of Capt. Morgan and Edward
Curtiss.
On came the procession, post after
post, in columns of platoons, files front,
half distance. while the head of the
pageant wheeled into Chippewa street
and passed under the gaily decorated
arch erected by the colored people of
Buffalo.
Once clear from this arch the prcsi-
dent saw before him n great living
shield and caught the music of 1000
young voices lifted up in the national
anthem. As the columns moved on
nearer and nearer to the shield. the
first platoons wheeling up Delaware ave-
nue., the human sympathy that mad been
pent up for an hour of waiting broke out
in one tumultous shout of enthusiasm.
At the large grand stand erected by the
friends of the fresh air mission, for the
benefit of charity. on Delaware avenue.
near the shield. hundreds of spectators
awaited from an early hour. The bands.
President Mckinley and the marching
men came closer and closer, the children
of the shield sang, and men and women.
boys and girls, young and old, rose and
waved and cheered for the Grand Army
of the Republic.
At North street the wheel in the til
nmphant march was made. A few
blocks more of great mansions and
cropped lawns and the men in the
columns could see the national colors
that marked the reviewing stand at the
circle. The department of Illinois had
moved from its place on lower Main
street and taken up the march; the de-
partment of Wisconsin fell in and
brought up the rear of the first division.
The other divisions. made up of posts or
individuals from all the states of the
Union. then fell in line Some of fha