The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-29
Dramatic Scenes Before and During
It's Delivery.
BREATHLESS INTEREST
INTENSE FACES STRAINED TO
CATCH EVERY WORD.
Not In a Quarter Century Has the
Capitol Building Presented Such
a Scene TO Gain Admittance-Al-
most AS Much Excitement On the
Floor As In the Galleries.

Washington, March 2S.-Except OF
the occasion Of the Inauguration of {
president. no such crowds as surged
through the corridors and stormed the
galleries Tor admission have been seer
at the capitol in Il quarter of cen
fury.
Public interest in the findings of the
board of inquiry appointed to investi-
gate the disaster which sent one OF
Uncle Sans nOblest vessels to the bot
tom of Havana harbor and sacrificed
the lives of go brave American sailors,
was at white heat At daylight people
were already seeking entrance to the
capitol, and hours before noon, when
the houses convened, the marble stair
ways We're choked with surging, jost-
ling people, pressing toward the gal
leries. Not an inch of space remained
in the public galleries at . o'clock,
though long lines OF people stretching
down the stairways TO the lower cor
ridors continued to press forward.
Within a few minutes after the re-
served galleries We're thrown open they
were completely filled. Admission to
these galleries was strictly by card.
Many distinguished persOnages and
many ladies were in the galleries. The
hall buzzed like a bee hive with the
sound Of myriads of voices. On the
floor there was almost as much ex-
element as in the galleries. although
the full synopsis of the report which
was printed by the Associated Press
had taken the keen edge off the anX-
iety with which the members awaited
the reading of the official finding of
the board.
Upon the desk of the late Repre-
sentative Simpkins of Massachusetts,,
who died suddenly on Saturday night,
wreath of Easter lilies, interviewer
with tulips ard crOcus and lilies of the
valley. cast an air of sadness over the
vast assemblage.
SOLEMN PRAYER.
At exactly u o'clock the speaker
called the house to order Amid the
impressive silence that followed, the
blind chaplain delivered a solemn
prayer, which rang through the hall
like a warning. He referred to the
storm clouds that hung above the coun-
try, threatening to break at any time
He prayed to God to interpose his pow
er that this cloud might pass away.
leaving US in peace and tranquility.
And yet, If war must come" he
prayed, in vindication Of truth and
justice. mercy and right, help us to
be prepared with brain and heart and
Drawn 10 meet it. To this end, be with
the president ana mis- cabinet and all
officially connected with the affairs of
state"
There We're no preliminaries. While
the journal was being read. Chief Elk
ecutlVe Clerk Pruden appeared with the
message, which was announced as soon
as the reading of the journal was con-
Guided.
THE MESSAGE.
. The thronged galleries were hushed
as the clerk carried the document
down The main aisle and placed it on
the speakers table. Speaker Reed
himself broke the large red seal of the
envelope and handed it to the clerk,
az the same time announcing in clear
and distinct voice, a message from
the president of the United States"
NO presidential message was ever
listened to With such GREATNESS inter-
est Members sat with intense faces.
straininS to catch every word
When the reading of the message was
concluded, a wave of applause swept
over the floor and galleries. The speak
er Immediately announced the refer
ence or the message to the committee
on foreign relations. under the rules
Mr.. Bailey, the Democratic leader.
arose and said he understood the mes
sage would take that course without
debate, under the rules, but asked if
the report of the board % inquiry had
JUST \ FOOT NOTE.
The speaker replied that a foot note
TO the message contained the inforna
ton that the testimony had been trans Z
mitted to the senate.
Would it be in our power to ask
unanimous consent to set apart Wed /
nesday for the consideration of the /
MESA ge? asked Mr.. Mcmillan Dem.. |
TENN NJ
The chair thinks not" replied the /
speaker.
Meantime 1Ir Walker (Rep.. Mass)
was on his feet and when recognized he |
announced the death OF his colleague. /
Representative Simpkins The usual
resolutions were adopted and the
speaker appointed the following com
mttee to attend the funeral: Messrs
Gillette. Mccall. Moody and Lowering
Of Massachusetts. Cousins of Iowa
t1oss Of Illinois, Littaur of New York
Newlands Of Nevada and Berry of
Kentucky
Then. at l2:iS p. m. the house. as a
further mark of respect adjourned.
IN THE SENATE.
By O'Clock the people were waiting
outside of the senate wing. and when
The doors 10 the senate galleries We're
opened at o'clock the rush for ssts
Began.
Within an hour every available inch
n the senate public galleries were oc-
,upied. and all the senate galleries were
backed to the doors by II O'Clock.
In the diplomatic gallery were Mr. !
Abner Mckinley. the presidents
brother, and Mrs. Captain Sigsbee. The
attendance of senators was unusuallv
arge.
1t was quite evident that the indi-
-idual members of the body. DESPITE
he dignifed reserve in which MANY of
hem were wrapped, were quite as
-eeply interested in the proceedings as
vas the general public. Every senator
I the capitol was in his seat when the
avel Of the vice president fell. {
At 1901 Executive Clerk Pruden
TO the senate the presi-1 ]
ents. message, transmitting the long
nj much desired report of the court of | y
lquiry. !
As Major Pruden was recognized by !
he vice president there was hush in I
be chamber. majority of the specta- I
us expecting that the message and 5
eport would be read TO the senate i'm :
ledia tely.
Routine business. however was taken {
p for a time r
At 12:1S y. m. Mr.. Morgan (AIa.) de- n
landed the reading Of the presidents S
lessage. r
THERE WAS A HUSH.
Instantly there was a hush in the q