Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-04-29
NATION PAYS TRIBUTE TO ITS
DlER-PRESIDENT.
GRANTS TOMB DEDICATED
The Event Has Only One Parallel in
All History-lmpressive Scenes and
Incidents of the Notable ONasion
Over Million Persons See the
Grand Military Pageant.

| Tue Siay, when with wondcrouS pageant
| BY land and SEA, the nation dedicated
the tomb that now holds the body OF
lis hero, Ulysses $, Grant, 1t was an
occasion more OF triumphant eulogy
and national pride than OF funeral rite,
for in these twelve years since first the
ration rluurned for Grant the keennesS
of grief is worn off and there lives in
the hearts of men the nero worship
Tuesday. The greatest OF our citizens,
our soldiers and our sailors, stood side
by side with men of fame Of almost
every nation of earth and paid, without
regard to race, or creed, or party pre-
juices, a last and long-delayed honor
Of the living to the dead, while the
greatest throng that ever filled the
city OF New York added its surging
pean to the roar Of bolching guns AMI
the tramp OF marching soldiers. And
in that throng there Yves no north and
no south for since the soldier president
| had said Let us have peace" the
grey has blended with the blue. Be
! fore the presidential party left the city
to take part in the dedication tercmo-
MES, the flag deeked streets were black
with people who cheered vociterously
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 monu-
ment of Grant, We're what seemed to
be black hillocks. This somber back
ground was formed by thousands OF
spectators who filled the stands, built
up from the ground ON both sides of
the tomb to the level Of the steps that
led to its massive doors. To the south.
where the loop around the oval met
the riverside drive there were two
| solid lines of humanity. On all four
sides of the monument the stands were
packed to overflow ing, while facing
these crowds was Il great mass of
| eager Sight-Seers who had not been
Officially provided for. The solemn
service of the dedication seemed to
throw strange hush over this vast
throng. The president stood bare
headed in the wind When he spoke
he was heard distinctly by 5000 per-
sons who stood directly in front of
him. General Porter's Grafton in hon
or of the hero seemed to impress the
crowd less than the sight Of the pale
faced bareheaded president, standing
beside the widow of the dead general,
eX-president Cleveland and grey
haired statesmen and soldiers II was
F., their presence rather than their words
that lent solemnity to the occasion,
| And, when it was all over, when
Mayor Strong had formally accepted
from The nation the trust of the tomb
and when the president and party had
disappeared in the luncheon tent a
sigh of relief went up from the crowd
| for at last the hero lay in tomb be
fitting his renown and flttingly dedi-
Gated by a grateful nation
The Land parade was waited for after
the conclusion of the ceremonies The
! sky became overcast with clouds ard
| the wind increased until it was almost
bowling gale. Then, suddenly in a
| cloud OF dust from the south between
Two black lines of people which seemed
to meet in perspective, came the nod
ding plumes of soldiers. On they
marched, In an endless line of white,
red, blue and grey FRS. passing on
| the west side of the monument and
returning on the north road under the
monumental arch, they passed the
! president in review and chen back
/ ouuip iptn hIanl ln1 &c
| humanity and white clouds of dust
| Surrounded by his cabinet, his generals
and friends, President Mckinley stood
and reviewed the grandest military pa
geant ever seen in this city. There
were regular soldiers, regular sailors,
national guardsmen OF sea and land
| forces Grand Army veterans, confeder-
ate veterans and strplngs who in the
future may fight as calamity as their
fathers did.
When the cheering was at It's loudest
and when the wind had somewhat died
away touching scene was enacted
Silently, Mrs. Grant stole away from
the presidents reviewing stand where
she had been watching the gallant
troops go by and, leaning on the arm
Of her son, Colonel Fred. Grant, made
her way to the tomb, followed only by
members Of the Grant family. The
bronze doors opened and the widow OF
the hero passed from the noise OF the
outside world into the dim, quiet tomb
For ten minutes she stayed there and
then, with her face hidden in her
hands, she left the scene.
Soon after this, President Mckinley
went aboard tde Dolphin amid the
booming Of guns and reviewed the
great war-ships that lay In the shadow
Of the tomb. The dense crowds still
stayed In their seats md watched the
end Of the land parade. Then, when
the last company passed the hundreds
Of thousands Of spectators sought their
homes. All traffic was congested and
II was hours before the tide OF travel
fell to It's normal condition.
On the pier where the president en-
farked on the lighthouse boat, Daisy,
.pyarai th01iaa nd r,annsa rad a.,.xrh f.a