The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1901-09-21
i'm SILENCE
and GRIEF
PRESIDENT MAKES HIS
LAST JOURNEY TO THE
CAPITAL.
rRAPPlNGs AND TOKENS OF WOE
Funeral Train Passes Through .
Living Lane of B~are-Eieadrd Peo-
PIE Stretching From Buffalo to
Washington Most Remarkable
Decentralization of Sorrow Since
Lincoln Was Borne to His Grave.

Washington, Sept. 18. Through g
living lane of bare-headed people
stretching from Buffalo up over h
Alleghenies, down into the broad valley
Of the Susquehanna n on to h
marble city on the banks of the shining
Potomac, the nations martyred presi-
dent yesterday made his last journey
to the seat of the government over
which he presided for four and one-
half years. The whole country seemed
to have drained its population at h
sides Of the track over which n
funeral train passed. The thin lines
through the mountains and the sparse
ly settled districts thickened at the lit
tie hamlets, covered acres in towns
suddenly grown to the proportions 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. At all the
larger towns and cities after the train
got into Pennsylvania militiamen
drawn up at present arms kept back
ia Enormous Crowds.
The silence with which the countless
thousands viewed the remains of their
hero and martyr was oppressive and
profound. Only the rumbling OF
the trains wheels. the sobs
from men and women with the tear
stained faces and the doleful tolling OF
the church bells broke on the ear. At
several places, Williamsport, Harris
burg and Baltimore, the chimes played
Cardinal Newman's grand hymn. TAX
en- altogether the journey home was the
most remarkable demonstration Of uni
versal personal sorrow since Lincoln
was borne to his grave. Every one OF
those who came to pay their last trib-
ute to the dead had an opportunity to
catch a glimpse of the fiag-covered
bier elevated to view In the observa-
ton car at the rear of the train. There
were no other bits of color to catch the
eve on this train of death. The c
motive was shrouded in black, the cur
tains of the cars in which sat the one
ly, stricken widow, the relatives of the
president, cabinet and others were
drawn. The whole black train was like
a shattered house save only for that
hindmost car,
Where the Body Lay,
guarded by a soldier of the army and
a sailor of the navy. Mrs. Mckinley
stood the trip bravely. In the morning
soon after leaving Buffalo, she pleaded
SO earnestly to be allowed to go into the
car where her dear one lay that re-
luctant assent was given, n she spent
half an hour beside the coffin. All the
way the train was preceded about fiji
teen minutes by a pilot engine sent
ahead to test the bridges and switches
and prevent the possibility Of an acci-
dent to the precious. burden 1t carried.
The train had the right of way over
everything. Not a wheel moved on the
Pennsylvania railroad system thirty
minutes before the pilot engine was
due. Or for the same length OF time af-
ter the train had. passed. The train left
Buffalo. at at $40 yesterday morning
and arrived at Washington at 1888 last
night. In twelve hours 1t is estimated
over half a million people saw the cof-
I'm which held all that was mortal OF
President Mckinley.