El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-10-09
Attended by Thousands Of
Visitors, and Citizens Turn
Out En- MaSse.
CORNER STONE LAYING
Of The New Federal Building
Followed By a Monster
Parade And
Banquet.

CHICAGO, Ill, Oct. 9.-The DOm1nl-
on of Canada and Mexico, as well as
every state and territory of the Union,
joined with the people of Chicago to-
day in celebrating Chicago Day
which is the anniversary OF
the great fire of 1871.
Ideal autumn weather favors the ar
rangements and the streets are crowd
ed by countless thousands. All the
schools, banks, public buildings and
nearly all the stores are closed, and
most of the population of the city close
on to two millions, together with about
900 visitors..a enjoying holiday
for which immense preparations have
been made.
The anniversary was signalized by
the laying of the corner stone of the
new federal building by President Nc
Kinley in the presence of eminent re-
presentatives of the Canadian and Mex
icsn governments and of host of
public men who had assembled from
every corner of the United States. The
proceedings began 9:3O O'Clock this
morning, at which time President Nc
KinIey and the members of his cabinet.
Vice President Mariscal and other
representatives of the Mexican gov
ernment, Premier Laurier and the
Canadian visitors, the mem bers of the
diplom attic corps and other distinguish
ed guests were escorted from the Audi
torium Hotel to the official grand
stand, opposite the Union League Club.
The stand was draped with the Ameri-
can, Canadian and Mexican cobors, in
tertwined, and all of the great hotels
and mammoth Office buildings facing
the postoffice square we're tastefully
decorated.
The ceremonies opened with brief
speech by Secretary Gage, who was
chairman.
After an Invocation, Postmaster Cen
eral Charles Emory Smith, orator
of the day, was introduced,
and spoke for two hours,
at the conclusion of which Secretary
Gage handed President Mckinley a
trowel, requesting that the president
lay the cornerstone of an edifice whose
substantially and magnificence will
do honor to the federal government, as
we'll as to Chicago. After the presi-
dent had spread the cement and the
great block of granite had been swung
into it's resting place. There were ad-
dresses appropriate to the occasion by
President Mckinley, Justice Harlan
of the United States supreme court,
Postmaster General Charles Emory
Smith and Senator William E. Mason.
The exercises were brought to close
by a benediction by Right
Reverend Patrick A. Feehan,
Roman Catholic arch bishop of
Chicago. This evening President
Mckinley, Premier Laurier, Vice-Pres-
ident Mariscal and the other noted
guests will review the parade of all
nations, which was postponed from
last Saturday evening, and afterwards
they will be the guests of honor at the
great Chicago Day Banquet at the Au-
ditorium,f or which preparations on a
magnificent scale have been complet-
ed.
After the Union League collation.,
the presidential party were driven to
the lake front, where they took position
in the great Chicago day parade. AS
soon as the president, and the repre-
sentatives of Canada and Mexico had
been transferred each to four horse
carriage, Major General Merritt, the
grand marshal, gave the signal, and
the biggest pageant ever seen in Chi
cago began to move
1t was witnessed by the largest
crowd ever assembl in the down
town district, there being over 10000
men in line. Two hundred policemen,
acting under the personal direction of
chief Kipley, cleared the way for the
marching thousands.
The reception given the nations /
chief executive probably was never |
equalled, The cheers, which broke |
out as soon as the Mexican band hove