The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-03

Washington, Octo. 2.-The nome-com-
ing of Admiral George Dewey-for
henceforth the National Capital is to be
his home-was made the occasion for
the greatest tribute ever paid by Wash
ington to any individual. After the
preliminary welcome in New York, IT.
self unsurpassed in its kind, it renamed
for the highest and greatest in the Off
cial world to hold out the Land of greet
ing TO the famous Admiral, and 20 join
with the people who are to be his fel.
low citizens in bidding him welcome.
The citizens had made every preparation
to make the occasion worthy Of their
hero. The decorations We're elaborate;
Pennsylvania avenue was one mass If
colored bunting along the entire line of
march from the station to the White
House, and not content with tins, few
private citizens failed to make some Dis
play of color on their residences. Unique
designs in fairy lamps dotted the Lori
Z0n, great searchlights threw broad
beams of bright light across the blue
sky of a clear October evening", ard
the stately Capitol stood revealed in all
its queenly beauty in the powerful
rays of many concentrated lights. The
same device was used effectively in tie
case of other public buildings within tie
range of vision of the distinguished
party on the reviewing stand
The PROV of the white Olympia pro-
jected in bold relief from the stand at
the head of Pennsylvania avenue where
on stood Dewey, the central figure of
lac demonstration. On the facade of
the newly completed general postoffice
building famed forth two inscriptions
set in electric points, the one reciting
the famous message of the President
directing Dewey, then thousands of
miles away in the far East, to go forth
to destroy the Spanish feet, and the
other setting out the famous Admiral's
direction to the lamented Gridley, You
may fire when You are ready, Gridley,"
which marked an epoch in the history of
the United States. Twelve thousand
members of civic organizations paraded
before him, beside tens of thousands of
non-organized citizens and in roar Of
cannon rockets, the blaze of red fire, the
thunderous cheering of the populace and
the warm greeting of the head of the
Nation, Dewey came to the National
Capital to a welcome such as has not
been known here hitherto.
His journey here from New York had
been one continuous ovation.
Admiral Dewey was particularly touch
ed along the line by the number of chill
dren who turned out to see him. They
formed very large part of the crowd
in every town, and wherever there was
a school house the children had evidently
been given a special recess to come
out and cheer the train. There was an
other large crowd of children at BaI.i-
more, and Admiral Dewey, who had
come to the rear platform for the sixth
or seventh time on the trip said to the
trainmaster, who was standing by him.
that he felt more touched and comnii-
mented by the attention of the children
than lby almost any Otheq. thing that had
happened since his return to America;
All along the line every train, freight
and passenger that passed the special
SaFuted it with long blast of the whis-
tie, and in all the larger towns where
the flyer slowed down within the city
limits there was a continual roar of
steam from factories, machine shops and
the shifting engines and trains on the
sidings.
Every engineer seemed to have been
bottling up steam for an hour i'll adj
vance, and hung out of his cab window
with his hand ON the whistle cord, while
the fireman, hanging to the handrail
and running board, swung the bell as
though ringing for Il crossing. Chester
and Wilmington seemed to have come
down to the depots EN- masse and the
train ran slowly between wide lanes Of
people from one end of the town t.
the other, while very lamp post, awning
pole and shade tree bore a crop Of
young Americans. and the roofs, and
freight cars ON the sidings Were con-
verted into grand stands for the brief in
stant that the train ran by. The Ad-
miral responded good naturedly to all
these calls on his stock of strength tha.
he had been reserving for the trying or
deal in Washington and came again and
again to the platform to bow
The train as it reached the line Of the
District of Columbia stopped for few
minutes at the little station of Dean
wood, while the reception committee
went through the formality of presenting
the Nations guest tine freedom of the
District. The ceremony was performed
by District Commissioner Wright in The
presence of the Admiral's fleet captains
the military and naval members of the
party and as many of the reception COM
mittee as could be crowded into the Ad-
m.ral's car.
John Addison Porter, Secretary to The