Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-06-01
DEEDS RECALLED
Of Those Who Sleep in the Ma.
lions Cities Of the Dead.
DECORATION DAY AT WASHINGTON

Beautiful Arlington the Scene OF the Prin-
cipal Observance - Programme Of the
Exercises-Delliver the Or.tor-Tribute
to "The Unknown Dead"-The President
Present-Celebrafion Of the Day at New
York City.
Washington, June Memorial Day
was generally observed in Washington.
The senate had adjourned over for the
day. and the house held only a 15-min-
ute session. All the departments and the
business houses were closed, and the
day was given up to patriotic observ-
ance and tributes to the heroic dead.
The bronze statues Of the nations heroes
on land and sea in the government re-
servations and parks were shrouded in
the flags under which they fought. At
10 o'clock there was an impressive pa
rade Of the G. A. r. and other patriotic
organizations. which at IL o'clock broke
up. the several posts holding memorial
exercises in the various cemeteries. The
most imposing ceremonies. Of course,
were held at the National cemetery at
Arlington. on the Virginia side of the
Potomac. opposite Washington, which
was before the war the magnificent
estate of Robert f. Lee, the Confederate
chieftain.
1t Is a Historic Estate.
This beautiful property had been sold
little over a century ago to John Alex
ander for six hogheads of tobacco, and
was inherited by Lee from John Parke
Gusts, the son of Martha Washington
hx Iav-
aide on Washingtons staff. 1t was pur-
chased by the government from the
Lee heirs in 1888 for s15O.OOO after hav-
ing been held as a national cemetery
since the close Of the war Here biv-
ouac almost $4,000 of the nations dead,
1000 Of whose identity will never be
known. being buried in single grave.
Among the most famous of the heroes
buried beneath the spreading oaks and
elms are General Sheridan, the great
cavalry leader; Admiral Porter. the
hero of Mobile; Brigadier General Har-
ney and General Ricketts,.
Exercises ut Arlington.
The exercises at Arlington were made
particularly memorable by the pres
cree of President Mckinley. They be-
gan at II o'clock with a national sa-
lutte of twenty-one guns from the light
battery, Fourth artillery, U. S. A The
beautiful ceremony of strewing flowers
on the graves followed. Led by the Ma
rins band the G. A. R. and other or
CARNATIONS which had formed in front
of the old Lee mansion marched to the
tomb of the unknown dead, where the
band playc4 dirge while the massive
monument was being decorated. After
this the procession separated. With
gentle hands and loving hearts the
graves Of the vast army beneath the
trees received their tributes of flowers
The humblest of the country's defend
ers was not neglected.
Programme at the Amphitheatre.
The organizations and guests after
ward gathered at the amphitheatre
which was impressively decorated,
where the exercises took place The
at the amphitheatre opened
with buglers sounding Assembly" At
ter funeral march by. the Marine band
the Burial Of the Dead was sung by
the choir. Thomas s. Hopkins, depart
ment commander, called the assembly
to order, and the Rev. w. H. Black in
voked divine blessing. The choir sang
again, and then Representative Dolli-
yer, OF Iowa. delivered the grafton of
the day. The grafton was followed by
music and a poem delivered by DR..
Thomas Calver. Hon. Webster Davis,
assistant secretary Of the interior, fol-
loved with an Grafton, and the exer-
cises concluded with Beethoven's Flu
neral March of a Dead Hero" PLAYED
by the Marine band.
They Are Passing Away,
A noticeable feature of the exercises
here was the great inroads the past
few years had made in the ranks of the
veterans. In several instances the bands
outnumbered the posts they were escort
ing.