The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-17

toes In their families for all time.
ROOSEVELT AND THE G. \. r.
The presence OF five veterans of the G. A.
r. on the funeral train developed an inter
esting incident. showing the considerate at
titude Of President Roosevelt towards the
old soldiers. The thirty-fifth National En-
campment. G. a. r.. at Cleveland. ad-
formed early at the Friday morning session.
Sept. Is. after receipt OF the dispatch Ie-
porting the condition of the President at
Buffalo, placing all unfinished business in
the hands of the council of administration.
consisting of one comrade from each OF the
fOrty-fiVe departments, with full power TO
act. AT the meeting Of the council, which
remained in session until after midnight on
Friday, a committee was directed 10 be APP
pointed by Commander-in-chiet Eli Tor
rance. in event Of the Presidents death, To
attend the funeral of their dead comrade
at Canton. O. The cOmmander-in-chief.
unable TO be present at BufiaIo 10 mafch
with the q. y. r. comrades OF the Depart
ment of New York in the place assigned
them, Immediately in rear or the hearse'
from the Milburn house TO the City Han on
Sunday, and from thence TO the Iullert al
train on Monday morning, was representa-
by his adjutant general and Dy OlneI Coi,l-
rades of the Department of New YORK Al
a meeting held in Buffalo on SUNDAY, pre-
sided over by Department CommahueF OFT,
it agreed to further oter the services
of a committee of five 10 act as q patb 81
the escort to the body on the funeraI Tram
to Washington. ~
welt at the Wilcox residence on SUNDAY
evening TO make this tender ana request
an acceptance so that the represents!
of the @. A. r. might be assigned 10 TINS
duty The Presidents greeting 10 TIE
Grand Army committee was most gracious
He said: Il am pleased, very much pIeaseu'
10 receive you; and while for OBVIOUS Itd-
sons, 1 cannot make assignment such
as you propose, l viii write a note 10 SEE
rotary Cortelyou, with the hope that ne
NI~lD hA oh 10 10 Inn
the dead President would have desired ana
it is what l desire
The note written by the President was
handed to Secretary Cortelyou, who SAID;
In making arrangements for the funeral
thought of the Grand Army officers. In
the multitude Of my duties 1 necessarily
had to refer many matters and that of the
G. A. r. escort was sent TO Col Bingham:
Please see and tell him l sent you TO him.
Col. Bingham at once made the necessary
arrangements for the G. A. r. TO follow
the hearse TO the depot and an assignment
of committee of five to accompany the
eral train as follows: F. Nj. Sterrett ad-
jutant general; Charles NJ Orr, department
commander. New York G.. A. r; r w.
Billings, Commander Post 9; Alfred Lyle,
past senior vice commander-in-chief. and
Joseph w. Kay. past department. COM
mander, New York G. A r.
SHOPS CLOSED DOWN.
After leaving Williamsport the train ran
through stretches of farming country,
dotted here and there with small manufac-
turing towns. At Milton all work was sus-
pended and the town turned out en- masse
at the station and lined the railroad tracks.
AT the busy little town Of Sunbury the
shops closed down for a time and the
brawny workmen lined up in their overalls,
with serious faces and hats in hand. All
ages and conditions of the people Joined in
the tribute-the children with tiny flags
topped with knots of black, cripples on
crutches and babes held above the crowd
for a sight they might never see again. 1t
had been the intention TO run through sun
bury without stop, but SUCH were the I'M
portunities of the towns people that the
train pulled up for moment between sold
lines of people.
In the fifty miles from Sunbury to Har-
riSburg the route skirted the placid SuSque-
hanna and the vitas of greenclad slope
and peak gave way to broad sweeps or
rich farming country. The river men were
aware of the coming of the train. A pom
derous dredge halted in its operations, and
the men lined the deck Of the unwieldy
craft. At little town across the river the
populace had empued upon the wharVes
and could be seen straining for view OF
the speeding train. Further on a hOmely
farm house had its little porch Topped with
black, and underneath were gathered the
old and young of the household with sor-
rowing faces At one crossroad hundreds
Of vehicles were drawn up, with couples
standing in them and evidently some near
by town had thus sought point Of vantage
near the track.
Approaching Harrisburg, factory hands
again lined the track. The rOoftops OF
buildings were alive with people. Flags
were half-masted and emblems of mourn
ing were at every hand. Hundreds of men
and women crowded the tops OF freight
cars. Within the station were banked in
thousands, surging through all the APP
preaching streets as far as the eye could
reach From a huge Viaduct spanning the
track countless faces peered down into the
car windows The tolling of the church
bells could be heard, and as the train en-
tered the station the shrill notes of bugle
sounded taps. Despite the vigilance OF the
guards, women pushed through TO the train
and pleaded at the windows for any trllie
the cars might yield as a memento or this
eventful trip.
GREAT CHOIR SINGS.
Just as the train stopped a great choir.
ranged tier on tier on the station steps.
began Nearer, my God to Thee" and then
as the train pulled out the strains turned
to "My Country. it's of Thee" Printed
slips were handed to the car windows. Civ
ing the lines of the two beautiful hymns,
deeply--bordered in black. Companies ID
and /. Eighth Regiment y. G.. p. and the
Governors Troop were drawn up along the
track and stood at present arms as the
train passed through. Before the train
reached Harrisburg the crush at the sta
ton was so great that the militia was
the crowd back. 1t is estimated that there
were $1,000 persons crowded in and about
the station to see the train. Governor and
Mrs. Stone were in the crowd but they
were unable 10 get near the train. The
local Grand Army posts also turned out TO
do honor To the memory of the dead Pres
ident. Business throughout the city was
very generally suspended from 400 until
o clock and its courthouse bell and numer-
Gus other bells tOlled during the period. All
freight and passenger traffic on the Penn
sylVania Railroad between Rockville and
Harrisburg was suspended at 4:25 and re-
sumed after the funeral train left the
Union Station
A remarkable spectacle was presented as
the train moved across the long bridge
spanning the Susquehanna from Harris
burg. On either side of the stream UP and
down for miles the banks teemed with
legions Of people From the brink Of the
stream they were i'm solid masses to the
trees far in the background. ON the bridge
itself urchins had clambered into the tangle
of steel at the sides and roof. On the
surface OF the river, in a fotila OF row
boats and yachts. hundreds more looked up
at the train Of death On the far side OF
the bridge another dense crowd lined the
tracks and with barred heads peered into
the catafalque car. -
Again at York the train moved Tor haiI
mile between avenues of solid humanity
and windows and hOusetops alive with peO-
pie. BY this time the sun was getting low
and in the thrOngs were hundreds or work
men with their dinner pals everywhere
the same scenes Of sorrow ana reverence
that had gone before were re-enacted
CROWDS At BALTIMORE.
Night came on as the train sped from
York TO Baltimore without a stop and
in the darkness only the pickering lights