News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1899-01-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Jan. %, 1899.

GOIlle Ol u b pdbb N6bh luS Wcdtuci
here has been like April and some Of
it like September Occasionally a few
hours like July. But there is nothing
here that bears any resemblance to a
Vermont winter. However, | vastly
prefer a foot of snow and clear cold
weather to fog, mist and drizzle
Every cloud has a silver lining
though, and we have as much sun
shine as clouds, after all.
The week begun momentously Mon
day with the official funeral of Con-
gresham Dingley in the House of
Representatives,. The telegraph has
of course given you the facts of the
occasion, but a few words OF discrip-
tive detail may be of interest.
At 8 a. m. the body was taken to
the hall of the House and deposited
in the area before thereporter's desks
1t was surrounded and buried up
with masses of flowers, palms were
placed in profusion around the walls
and on them we're hung wreaths of
smilax. The display OF flowers and
the decoration Of the hall are said to
have been the most elaborate in its
history. The right or Democratic
side of the hall had been reserved for
the official guests, and the Congress-
men were packed into the seats on
the Republican side and overlooked
into the area behind the rail. At ex-
actIy II m. Speaker Reed appeared
and called the House to order. The
reading of the very brief journal of
the Saturday previous occupied but
a few moments and soon the gavel
fell and the House arose to welcome
the Vice President and Senate. Vice
President Hobart took a seat at
Speaker Reeds left, while the Sena-
tors filed in by twOs and were seated
in the two rows of seats assigned
them. Senator Ross walked with
Senator Proctor. Next came the for
eign Ambassadors, of all cOlors and
sizes and in all costumes. They were
headed by Sir Julian Pauncefote, the
representative ofVictoria of England,
and among the following was the lit
tie Chinese Minister, in his gorgeous
silk dress and spectacles, and the two
Representatives of Korea and Siam
in their elaborate and picturesque
costumes. The Supreme Court of the
United States next appeared, headed
by Chief Justice Fuller in his flow
ing white moustache and black
gown. The President of the United
States and Cabinet were then an
nounced, and took the front row oil
seats on the right. The light of a
dull, cloudy day filtered through the
stained glass ceiling, and shone dim.
ly on SC ne which not one of the
thousand or spectators will ever
forget. II is very seldom indeed when
The Executive, judicial and Legisla.
tive branches of the government are
gathered together in one room, and
much more seldom that the nation
come together at the bier of a Con
gresham. The mighty solemnity
and imprpssiveness of the occasion
reached it's elimination with the pray
er OF the blind Chaplain The ser
| liOhy lGoJ'hE IL Hdll uOuI, WIZ
preached by Rev. Mr.. Newman of the
Congregational church, which Mr.
Dingley had been in the habit of at
tending, and was a most bpautiiu
eulogy. Mrs. Dingley was unable tC
be present, but the remainder of the
family and relatives filled the from
row at the Speakers left.
Admission as spectators was strict
| Iy by card, and each Congressman
was given two tor his family or friends
These were soon exhausted. aud the
galleries were filed an hour before
the services began. Thousands were
unable to obtain admission, and s.
was freely offered for tickets. Before
and after the ceremonies the genera
public passed through the hall &c
view the remains. and u double anC
endless file passed in at one door anC
out at another. The remains left the
city by special train for lewiston at
4:30 p. m, and Washington haC
seen the last of a great stat esmHr
and most honorable and ,llustri
Gus American. 1t is often said that
mans death is a public calamity
but seldom is it as true as it is of Mel
son Dngley.
Old Vermont is the birth place o
considerable genius, according to the
biographies in the Congressional di
rectory. Four members of the pres
ent Senate, including Senator's Proc
tor and Ross, we're born in Vermont
Richard Franklin Pettigrew, Sena
tor from South Dakota, was born il
the town of Ludlow in 1S4S. He re
moved to Evansville, Wis, with biz
parents in 1854 and was educated al
BeIoit college and the University o
Wisconsin. He went to Dakota il
1860 as laborer for government
surveyor and finally opened a Law
office at Sioux Falls. With this ht
went into politics and was elected by
the Legislature to the Senate anc
took his seat Dec. 2, 1889. He il
now serving his second term, which
will end March 4, 1901.
! Senator John Mellen Thurston o
Omaha, Nebraska, was born in Mont
pelier, August 81, 1847. He re
moved with his parents to Wisconsin
in 1854. He was educated at Way
. land UniVersity Wisconsin. WORKING