The Portland daily press., 1897-11-01
Enormous Crowds Attend Henry
George Obsequies.
FIFTY THOUSAND UNABLE TO VIEW
TIE REMAINS.
AS High as Six Thousand Persons a,
Hour Passed Casi1et Where Dead Man
Rested-WeaIth of Floral Tributes-
Touching Scenes During Services

Henry George, author of progress and
Poverty and recently nominee of the
Democracy of Thomas Jefferson, for first
mayor of Greater New York, lay in state,
at the Grand Central Palace today and
was viewed by tens of thousands of peo-
Pile.
From 9 O'Clock in the morning until 8
in the afternoon steady stream of men,
women and children poured into the
Grand Central Palace and with reverent
gaze took last look at the man who
died while fighting for cause in which
he believed.
The immense throng was composed Of
representatives of all classes, of all shades
of life, of all religious and non-religious
opinion. On every face was stamped
the unmistakable signs of sincere regret,
while hundreds of faces were drawn with
suffering and pain. To thousands Of those
who passed by, Henry George was per-
sonally known and 1t was these who ling
cred for moment to gaze again on the
face of the man they loved and honored.
Many there were who were SO affected
that with an unshamed tear glistening
they turned out of the line and pleaded
with the guard of honor for still one
more last look at the features of the fallen
tribune. Nor were they disappointed for
the guards would place their arms about
the mourning ones and tenderly lead
them back to the plain black casket in
which Henry George rested. The chill
dren, of whom there were hundreds, were
raised aloft by the guards and held while
they gazed at the features of a man whose
funeral and whose memory they will
remember and honor.
In the early light of dawn the body was
moved in plain hearse from the hotel
to the palace unattended, save by the
guards of honor and four policemen.
Behind the hearse came a single carriage
containing Anna George, the youngest
daughter, who insisted upon accompany
ing the body to the Grand Central
Palace. No persuasion could sway her
from her promise. Weeping bitterly she
stood at the head of the stairs at the
hotel and begged TO be permitted to go.
She wished to arrange the flowers about
the casket in which her fathers remains
reposed. Pleadings proving vain, she
became i'm fortunate and refused to per-
nit the body to be taken away unless she
accompanied it. The other members of
the family their grief emphasized by the
child's utter abandon of anguish, yielded,
and Richard George, her brother, accom-
panied her to the palace. There with
loving hands she arranged the flowers
as she would have them and permitted
no one TO Lend the slig htest aid.
1t was 9 O'Clock when the doors were
opened and Immediately several hundred
who had been waiting without entered
the hall with barred heads. They saw at
the head of the hall an immense bower
Of floral tributes and in the centre
plain, heavy, black clothcovered casket
resting on a dais. Through the glass
they saw the dead man reposing calm
ly. His pale feature unruffled, as if in
sleep, the left arm resting lightly on the
breast, the other by the side The re-
mains were cladIin black broadcloth, a
rundown collar and plain black tie
For the first half hour the throng fill
Ing up the hall in double file, passed at
the rate of 1900 an hour, but shortly the
numbers swelled and grew until at one
time so passed in one minute At this
rate, 5000 an hour, the crowd passed un-
til the churches emptied their audiences
into the vast concourse which was wend-
Ing its way from 46th street to the
palace and which filed 46th streets and
Third avenue for many blocks. For the
last two hours the crowd came at the rate
of 6000 an hour. Any greater celerity
would have meant an undignitied ire
verential rush. In this throng were few
celebrities. There were noticed Abram
Cahan, author and socialist leader:
Maurice J. Powers, John j. Maher and
son. August Lewis, single tsxer, wept
bitterly as he passed by and tenderly
laid bunch of violets on the glass. A
woman who followed in the line about
an hour later, laid as her tribute a mod
est bunch Of pinks alongside the violets.
At o'clock or few minutes before
the line was stopped, and those who could
not get in were compelled to turn back
and get out from the police lines. A
careful estimate of the number who could
not get in places it at $4,000. Then came
another throng-those who wished to
hear the eminent divines deliver the ora
tions over the remains. During the last
hour the orchestra played Chopin's fu-
neral march, Handers largo and the
.sLost Chord"
Floral decorations were profuse. There
was a mass of wreathed flowers from the
Chicago single tax club. On the card
accompanying the wreath was the fol-
lowing verse:
THE FRIEND OF MAN.
0. We whose cheek the tear of pity stains.
Draw near with pious reverence and at
| tend;
Here lie the loving husbands dear re-
mains,
The tender father and the generous
friend;