The Topeka state journal., 1897-08-25
Heads the Parade of the Grand
Army at Buffalo.
He is Welcomed by the Shouts
From the Multitude.
THE LIVING SHIELD
Composed of 1900 Children
GreetS the Veterans.
Sing the National Anthems As
the Army Goes By.

Buffalo, Aug. 25.-when the morning
gun on the ramparts of Fort Porter
doomed its salute for the new day the
sun was obscured by banks of feecy
clouds at the east which darkened into
blackness at the west. But the sun
soon broke through the clouds and gave
promise of brilliant day.
Drums beating the reveiIle brought
the comrades from their tents.
Aides-de-camp in the gold lace of the
national guard of New York, were dash
ing about the streets on rearing horses.
looking with anxious care to the divis-
ions to which they had been assigned.
Men, women and children began to post
themselves behind the long wire screens
that had been spun cut all along the
line of march during the night like an
immense spider web.
Every moment the space along the
front of the sidewalks grew less and
soon those who had secured first place
against the wires began to feel the
pressure of the crowd behind, which
squeezed them and held them prisoners
for the hours that the parade would
take in passing.
In the corridors of the Iroquois hotel
spurs were jingling and sabres changing
as the officers of General C1arksons
staff hurried to the headquarters Of the
comma nder-in-chief to report to Colo
mel J. c. Winans, chief of staff
From east and north there came at
intervals the rattle of drums and the
clear note of the bugle. The posts of
the department of Illinois and some of
the department of Wisconsin were early
on the march. The music and the
tramp of the marching feet brought
cheering crowds to the little detach-
ments as they passed and the hum of
expectancy grew into roar of excite
ment the time for the moving of the
procession grew nearer.
Excursions on every one of the many
lines leading to Buffalo began to pour
thousands of recruits into the already
cOngested thorOughfares and the rail-
road stations took on the appearance OF
human beehives from which a swarm
was flying.
The street cars, as they pushed slowly
down to the center of the city by the
temporary side street routes, were filed
to the point of distress
Excursion boats were screeching their
whistles in the harbor in an endeavor to
get to dock with their quota of specta-
| tors.
General Clarkson and staff rode from
the IroquoiS hotel to the Hotel Niagara
as soon as the staff had assembled on
Eagle street. In front of the Niagara
the staff drew up ia line and General
Clarkson waited upon President Nc
Kinley to escort him to the head of the
column. At 10 O'Clock the president
left the Niagara accompanied by the
escort. All along the way to the point
of formation the president was loudly
At 1890 O'Clock the command to
march was given and the procession
moved.
To the roll of innumera BILE drums and
the glare of trumpets the Grand Army
of the Republic headed by the president
of the United States, took up its trium-
phal way through the seas of cheering
11r1r nYlftx ha i1oxx on q
of Main street as far as the eye could
reach were filed with a solid mass of
people. From every window faces
beamed out and the roofs had a 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 immensity of the
procession; for here the close walls of
the houses opened out on either hand
and the great tide of humanity poured
out from the narrow street as from
funnel and swept in a solid mass of
blue and gold beneath the arch of well
come.
On the balcony of the arch a band
was stationed and played Hail to the
Chief as the presidents carriage pass
ed below. The people on the grand
stand gave a mighty cheer which was
taken up and echoed back by the hun
dreds in the plot to the west. -'Presi-
dent Mckinley" "Comrade Mckinley.
''The Grand Army could be heard in
the roaring tunuIt OF voices. Again
the column plunged in between con-
gested sidewalks and again the deafen-
ing applause rOared back from wall to
wall. The imposing department of IL
linois on the right of the line received
an ovation as il passed along. Colum-
bia post of Chicago, was widely ap-
pIauded but the white haired veterans
of the smaller posts from remote cor
ners of the state were not forgotten by
the generous crowd.
As the veteran color guard, the old
battle flag battalion passed, heads were
uncovered. There were so battle-worn,
shot and torn flags carried in the pa
rade By camp 1. Buffalo Sons of Vet
Grams in company with Meade post of
philadelphia The old color guard was
under command of Capt. Morgan and
Edward Curtis.
On came the procession, post after
post, in columns of platoons, eight files
front at half distance, while the head
of the pageant wheeled into the Chip
pewa street and passed under the gaily
decorated arch erected by the colored
people of Buffalo.
once clear from this arch the presi-
dent saw before him a great living
shield and caught the music of 2,OQ
young voices, lifted UP in the national
anthem.
AS the columns moved on nearer and
nearer the shield the first pIatoons
human sympathy that had been pent
up for an hour of waiting, broke out
in one tuInultuous climax of enthusi-
asm.
At the large grand stand erected by
the friends of the fresh air mission for
the benefit of the charity on Delaware
avenue. near the shield, hundreds of
The bands. President Mckinley and
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