The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-09-19

ed and sorrowfully silent people
stretching from Buffalo up over the
Alleghenies, down into the broad val,
LEY of the Susquehanna and on to the
CmSrble city on the banks of the shin
ing Potomac, the nations martyred
president Monday made his last jour
ney to the seat OF the governmen ent over
which he presided for four and one
half years.
The whole country seemed to have
drained It's population at the sides OF
the tracks over which the funeral train
passed. The thin lines through the
mountains and the sparsely settled dis
tricts thickened at the little hamlets,
covered acres in towns suddenly
grown to the proportion OF respectable
cities and were congested into vast
multitudes in the larger cities. Work
was suspended in field and mine and
city. The schools were dismissed.
And everywhere appeared the trap
pings and tokens Of woe. A million
flags at half mast dotted hiLside and
valley and formed a thicket Of color
over the cities. And from almost ev'
cry banner streamed a bit of crepe,
The journey home was the most re-
markable demonstration of universal
personal sorrow since Lincoln was
borne to his grave. Every one Of those
who came to pay their last tribute to
the dead had an opportunity to catch
glimpse OF the iag-covsred bier ele'
waited to view in the observation car
at the rear of the train.
The train left Buffalo at $3.50 Mon.
day morning and arrived at Washing
ton at 1888 Monday night. In the
twelve hours intervening 1t is esti'
mated that over 100000 people saw the
coffin which held all that was mortal
of President Mckinley.
At 9:37 the hearse, drawn by six
black horses with crepe netting, pass
ed through the white house gate in
Washington. Immediately following
the police escort were four troops of
the Sixth cavalry from Fort Myer and
Immediately back of them was the
committee OF the Grand Army Of the
Republic, who preceded the hearse
Then came the long line OF carriages
All of Monday night the remains OF
President Mckinley lay in the east
room of the white house, where for
more than four years he has made his
home as the chief magistrate of the
great American republic. Upstairs
his widow mourned for her dead in
the family apartments that now bring
back the saddest of memories. 1t was
with simple ceremonies and a silence
that fitted perfectly the sadness of the
occasion that the body of the late pres
ident was borne up Pennsylvania ave
nue. to the white house.
The streets about the railroad sta
ton were filed with mounted troops
and the station itself was occupied by
stalwart soldiers and sailors in uni
form. 1t was not so one the broad
stretch of avenue that led to the
white house. There the people strain
ed and crowded in vast multitude
against the stiff wire ropes which re
strained them from the space marked
out for the line of procession. The 81
lence that marked the progress OF the
funeral party through the nationa
capital was profound.
Mrs. Mckinley gave another exhibi
ton of her remarkable endurance at
ter she arrived at the white house
When all the official functionaries haC
departed she insisted upon doing dowI
into the east room to view the remains
of her departed life-partner. Tenderly
escorted by Abner Mckinley and DR.
Rixey, she proceeded down stairs
passed on through the main corridor
to the east room. She insisted upon
having the casket opened, and her re
quest was granted. Then followed one
Of those sacred scenes which canno'
be described.