The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-01
AT WASHINGTON.
Exercises at the Cemeteries-The Ger
emOnies at Arlington.

NASHlNGION, May a.-MemOrial day
was generally observed in Washington
The Senate adjourned over for the day and
the House held only flfteen-minute ses-
sion. All the departments and the business
houses were closed and the day was given
up to patriotic observance and tributes to
the heroic dead. The bronze statues of the
nations heroes on land and sea in the gov
ernment reservations and parks were
shrouded in the flags under which they
fought. At 10 o'clock there was an impress
sive parade of the G. A. r. and other pat
riotic organizations which, at IL o'clock,
broke up, the several posts holding memo
rial exercises in the various cemeteries.
The most imposing ceremonies, of course.
were held at the national cemetery at Ar
lington, on the Virginia side of the Poto-
mac opposite Washington, which was be-
fore the war the magnificent estate OF Rob
ert r.. Lee, the Confederate chlettaln. Ihis
beautiful property had been sold little
over century ago TO John Alexander for
six hOgsheads of tobacco and was inherited
by Lee from John Parke Gusts, the son
OF Martha Washington by her first hus-
band, who served as an aid on Washing
tons staff. 1t VAS purchased by the gov
ernment from the Lee heirs in 1888 for $780,
Coo. after having been held as national
cemetery since the close of the war Here
bvouac almost So goo of the nations dead,
1900 whose identity will never be known
being buried in a single grave. Among the
most famous heroes buried beneath the
spreading oaks and elms are General Sher,
Porter the hero of Mobile, Brigadier Gen
eral Harney and General Ricketts,.
The exercises at Arlington to-day were
ence of President Mckinley. They began
at IL o'clock with a national salute OF
twenty-one guns from the 1ght bn h9at,tif 6artgfy
ceremony of strewing flowers on the graves
followed. The Marine Band, the 6. A. X
and other organizations which had arched i0reG
to the tomb of the unknown dead, where
the band played dirge, While the MASSIVE
monument was being decorated. AIler Ii Inis
hands and loving hearts the graves or the
vast army beneath the trees received thelr
country's defenders was not neglected;
The organizations and guests afterward
gathered at the amphitheater, whlch was Was
impressively decorated, where the exercises
took place. THE programme opened WIN
buglers sounding assembly, after tne
funeral march" by the Marine Band, the
"Burial of the Dead" was sung by the
choir. Thomas s. Hopkins, department
commander, called the assembly TO oraer
and the Rey w t Black arai0 dnyokea end 0lI9 then
Representative Dolliver, of Iowa, deliVered
the Grafton of the day. This Grafton was
followed by music and g poem aelvgreo tn I1sl
Wis assistant secretary of the interior, iol-
lowed with an oration and the exercises
March of a Dead Hero" played by the
Marine Band.
Among the distinguished guests on the
stage besides the President, whose appear
ance was greeted with an uproar OF APP
plause, were Vice President Hobart, Secre-
tary of State Sherman, Senator Allison and
the delegates to the International Postai
Union Special services were held afterWard
over the tomb of Admiral Porter, at which
Admiral Walker presided.
AT the Soldiers Home cemetery the serV-
ices were conducted by Henry Wilson Post;
No. II, e. A r. Special services We're held
at the tomb of General John A. Logan,
under the direction of a subcommlttee'
composed of the Logan guard Of honor
and a committee from the Legion OF Loyal
Women The exercises at the Congression-
al Cemetery were conducted by Farragut
Post. No. TO- G. A. r. Similar services were
simultaneously held at St. Elizabeth s, oak
Hill. Holy Rood and all of the other GEM
eteries in and about Washington where
the Union dead found resting places. A
large majority of the members OF the
Union Veteran Union left for Winchester,
va, early this morning to participate IN
the exercises of Memorial day there
A noticeable feature Of the exercises here
to-day was the great inroads the past few
years had made in the ranks of the vet
erans In several instances the bands out
numbered the posts they were escorung.