Richmond planet., 1897-05-01


first the nation mourned for Grant the
keenncss OF grief has worn away. and
in its place there lives in the hearts
OF men that hero worship which
found such tumultuous vent yesterday.
The greatest Of our citizens, our SOL
viers.
The first event OF the dedication GER
emonies was the departure of the pres
idential party. with members OF the
Grant family and invited guests, from
the Fifth Avenue hotel this morning.
The party left the hotel from three
different entrances at $3.50 o'clock.
Meantime the entire line OF march had
been crowded with cheering thousands.
who were kept from crowding into the
streets by long lines OF police. AS the
president passed through the multi
tude he was kept busy bowling right and
left In response to the cheers that
greeted his appearance. and Mrs.
Grant, the widow OF the dead presi-
dent, was quite as enthusiastically
greeted.
Squadron A, Major Roe command
ing. had formed on Madison Square,
facing west, and acted as special escort
for the party, and details OF veterans
were the special escort Of Mrs. Grant.
At IL o'clock exercises at the tomb
Country, IT'S of Thee" prayer by Blsh-
op j. r. Newman; hymn of thanks. "Old
Netherland Folksong;" address by the
president Of the United States; Star
Spangled Banner" grafton by General
Horace Porter, president of the Grant
Monument association; acceptance OF
the monument by Mayor Strong; Hal
lejuh Chorus" from HandePs Mes
siah;" doxology. The doxology was
sung by the chorus. under Frank Dam
rosch, and the assemblage in the vicin-
ity OF the monument was invited to
Join.
The solemn service of dedication
seemed to throw a strange hush over
this vast throng. The president stood
bareheaded in the wind. When he
spoke Re was heard distinctly by the
5000 persons who stood directly in
front of him.
General Porter's grafton in honor Of
the hero seemed to impress the crowd
less than the sight of the palefaced,
bareheaded president, standing beside
the widow of the dead general, ex-
President Cleveland and the gray
headed statesmen and soldiers. 1t was
their presence rather than their words
that lent. solemnity to the occasion.
Surrounded by his cabinet, his gen.
Kinley stood and reviewed the grand
est military pageant ever seen in this
city. There were regular soldiers. reg
ular sailors. national guardsmen Of the
sea and land forces, Grand Army vet
Grams. Confederate veterans and the
striplings who in the future may hgh
as gallantly as their fathers did.
When the cheering was at it's leudest
and when the wind had somewhat dice
away, a touching scene was enacted
which was seen by few. Silently Mrs
Grant stole away from the PRESIDENT
reviewing stand, where She had beer
watching the gallant troops go by
and, leaning on the arm of her son
Colonel Grant, made her way to tn
tomb, followed only by the member
Of the Grant family. The bronz
doors were opened, and the widow o
the hero passed from the noise Of tn
outside world into the dim quiet o
the tomb. For about ten minutes sh
stayed there, and then, with her fac
hidden in her hands, she left the scene
Soon after this President McKinle
went aboard the Dolphin. amid tn
booming OF guns, and reviewed tn
great warships that lay in the shado'
Of the tomb. The dense crowds sti
stayed IN their seats and watched tn
end of the land parade. Then, whe
the last company had passed out {
sight Of the white roadbed, the hun
dreds Of thousands OF spectators sough
their homes. All trafiic was congesteE
and it was hours before the tide c
travel fell TO it's normal condition.
After the exercises the People
Choral union and the Oratorio societ
Of New York sang the following selec
tions: "Kaisermarsch." Wagner. wit
words specially selected for the occa
sion; Battle Hymn OF the Republic"
The reviewing stands we're draped
front with the official flag OF the presi
DEM.
While ths and Rnrnde vss waite