The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-04-30
THE GRANT MONUMENT.

diers and our sailors stood side by side
with men of fame from almost every
nation of the earth and paid without
regard to race or creed or party preju-
dice the last and long delayed honor
of the living to the dead; while the
greatest throng that ever filled the city
of New York added it's surging paens
to the roar of belching guns and the
tramp of marching soldiers. And in
that throng there was no north and no
south for since the soldier president
had said Let US have peace" the gray
had blended with the blue.
The day dawned bright and clear, and
there was no omen in the sky of the
wind that in the afternoon we'll nigh
ruined for time the land parade. Be
fore the presidential party left the city
to take part in the dedication ceremo-
nies the flag decked streets were black
with people. who cheered vociferously
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 monument to
Grant, were what seemed to be black
hillocks. This somber background was
formed by the thousands of spectators
who filled the wooden stands built up
from the ground on both sides of the
tomb level with the steps which lead to
its massive doors. To the SOUTH where
the loop around the oval met the Riv-
erside drive, there were two solid, SOM
Der lines of humanity. On all four
sides of the monument oval the stands
were packed to overflowing. while fac
ing these crowds there was the great
mass of eager sightseers who had not
been officially provided for.
Solemn Dedication Services.
The solemn service of dedication
seemed to throw a strange hush over
this vast throng. The president stood
bareheaded in the wind that now was
beginning to rise. He was heard dis
tinctly by the 5000 persons who stood
directly in front of him. General Por-
ter's Grafton in honor of the hero SEEM
ed to Impress the crowd less than the
sight of that pale faced, bareheaded
president standing beside the widow of
the dead general, ex-President Cleve-
land and the grayheaded statesmen
and soldiers. 1t was their presence
AotliCI llldH lilelT WOTQS lIdI lcll
soiemnity to the occasion.
And when it was all over, when May
or Strong had formally accepted from
the nation the trust of the tomb and
when the president and his party dis
appeared in the luncheon tent sigh
Of relief went up from the crowd, for at
last the hero lay in the tomb befitting
his renown and fittingly dedicated by
a grateful nation.
While the land parade was waited for
after the conclusion of the ceremonies,
the sky became leaden, and the wind
rose until it almost howled around the
trees. The waters of the Hudson re-
nected the ashen hue of the sky and
the great white ships that floated on its
BOSOM stood out in almost ominous re-
lef The dusty roadbed of the drive
was whipped up until black coats be-
came brown, and spectators forsook
their unsheltered seats for the protec-
tion of the tomb pillars.
Then suddenly, under the cloud of
DUST, from the south between the two
plack lines of people which seemed TO
meet in the perspective, came the nod
ding plumes of the soldiers. On they
marched, an endless line of white and
red and blue and gray. First passing
on the west side of the monument oval
ana then returning on the north road
under the monumental arch, passed the
president in review, and then back
again into the black background of hu-
manity and the white clouds of dust.
Parade Reviewed by the President.
Surrounded by his cabinet, his gen
erals and his friends, President Nc
hinley stood and reviewed the grandest
military pageant ever seen in this city.
Ihere were regular soldiers. regular
sailors, national guardsmen of the sea
and land forces, Grand Army veterans,
Confederate veterans and the strip
lngs who in the future Will fight as
gallantly as their fathers did.
When the cheering was at it's loNdest
and when the wind had somewhat died
away, touching scene was enacted
which was seen by few. Silently Mrs.
Grant stole away from the presidents
reviewing stand, where she had been
VA ching the gallant troops go by, and,
leA1ing on the arm of her son. Colonel
cred Grant, made her way to the tomb,
lohowed only by the members of the
Grant family. The bronze doors were
swiftly opened, and the widow Of the