Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-09-26


ear, Never before in the history OF
Lancaster were its streets so silent
throughout a long, damp. chilly au-
tumn day as they were last Thursday
when pause was made in all the
busy walks of life to pay final trib-
ute of loving memorial to the de-
ceased executive of the nation whose
remains were forever sealed from
view and laid to rest at his old home
at Canton, Ohio.
Never has the name of a man been
so widely honored at home and abroad
as upon this sad occasion. From one
end OF the country to the other the
populace joined together irrespective
of sex, color, creed or political faith
to bow with grief in demonstration Of
universal sorrow. Lancaster. always
foremost in showing patriotic senti-
ment, did honor to the president
memory in a tribute straight from the
hearts of the people. Speeches how
ever eloquent, but feebly reflected the
feelings of the multitude. and the
ceremonies appropriately held, born
of great sorrow. were carried out
with solemnity and exhibition of
feeling that will cause it to be classed
among the sacred memories OF
grief-stricken community.
Every place of business and numer-
Gus residences were decorated to a
greater or less extent. Portraits of
the martyred executive hung on every
hand with a back ground of black
supplemented by American flags and
bunting draped in colors OF mourn
ing. Flags of larger size hung limp
and lifeless from stats about town at
half mast, knotted and soaked with
drizzling rain-even the weather APP
pearing to be in hermony with the
spirit of the lamentable occasion.
Business of every kind was suspend
ed throughout the day, stores. offices,
shops, restaurants-in fact everything
but the hotels was closed tightly, the
like of which was never before seen
here. Indeed it was lovely senti-
ment, actusted by saddened hearts
and tear-dimmed eyes.
The services of the day opened in
the forenoon when Rev. i. j. Brown
delivered memorial sermon in the
Congregational church. The edifce
was decorated most appropriately and
was filled to overlooking. The dis
course was eloquent and touching
the speaker paying tribute to the
memory of Mckinley and denouncing
the assassin.
At p. m. the bells of the city
pealed forth from every tower. 1t
was a mournful sound and as it sifted
through the damp air the residents of
Lancaster bowed their heads in sor-
row. They realized it was the pre-
Jude to the requiem that two hundred
thousand people were about to chant
over the remains of VIM. McKinlev.
Civic societies gathered at their ap-
pointive places and marched to the
City hall where all assem- bled and pro-
ceeded to the huge rink of G. W.
Knapp & Son where the public exer-
cises of the day were to be held. Con-
ceived in haste the procession was a
remarkable one. No announcements,
no assignments of places, nothing to
insure order; simply an appeal from
the people to the people for the CO.
operation of bodies. As a result a
whole block of men waiting in line
for the word to march-no complaint,
no Impotence. When all was in
readiness came the word from c. II.
Baxter, as marshal, to march; then
the muffled drums grumbled and NUT
tered along the soaked, muddy thor
oughfare keeping in step the hun
dreds of men who followed First
came the band, then in line the
speakers, city council. representa-
tives of the press, g. A. r., represen-
tations from Masonic. Odd Fellows,
NJ. w A. and Foresters orders. citi-
zens, school faculty and pupils Of botn
public and parochial schools. Seats
had been provided for LOO people at
the rink and these were all filed
quickly Notwithstanding the inclem-
ency of the weather. As soon as
quiet was restored Mayor Hassell
stepped forward on the improvised
platform and made a few opening re-
marks. His address we give here
with.
FRIENDS AND NEIGHBoRs:-This is
indeed a day Of gloom, day OF sor-
row; day when hearts are too full
for utterance and a day we shall
never forget. We have all been
wounded. Our we'll beloved, devoted
president has been taken from Us.
The question constantly heard is