The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-24
NATION PAUSES
TO PAY TRIBUTE
Congress Adjourns, Business in
Capital Suspends and Flags
Hang at nHalf-Mast While
Bodies Are Consigned to
Earth With All Pomp
and Solemnity.
Especial 70 Thc Timesp!spatch. ]

Maine found their final resting place
tonight beneath American soil-the
dull red clay of Arlington Cemetery
1t raiTed, and as dusk folded In the
soobing. sodden skies of a raw. gray
day. tho chiefs of the nation stood:
shivering in a dank drizzle as the last
of the sixtyfour victims slid from
the outspread Union Jack into the open
graves marked unknown" Through
the long lines of soldiers, sailors and
civilians that crowded close to the
graves there ran shudd ar as the wall
Ing notes of the buge sounded the
long. last taps. the sharp crack of the
navy rifles rang out. and the deep voice
of the chaplain intoned: II am the res
direction and the life. saith the Lord"
and leaden casket marked Unknown
No. "a. L. s. s. Maine" sank slowly into
the gaping red clay.
X was the last of the thirty four
that contained the bones of the sixty
four victims OF the Maine explosion,
who for fourteen years slept silently
beneath the long swell or the Carib-
bean Sea. Tonight they answered the
hos'un's whistle in the midst OF the
1913 of their comrades who took th,lr
places In the national cemetery in 1899.
\ Dramatic Scene.
In a big triangle, topping the high
bluff over the Potomac. tonight lie
all that is mortal of the 2oT of the
crew OF the Maine. victims of thu tate
ful explosion in Havana harbor Out
across the muddy river, as darkness
dropped Its mourning mantle over the
final scene, the President of the United
States. tn. chiefs of the army and
iavy. as they stood barehtaded, watched
the lights Of the ational capital flicker
and light UP. Massed about were the
rain soaked ipfantrymen. caralrymen,
sailors. marines and artillerymen, who
had brought the dead to their anal
resting place. Through the lowering
darkness the gloomy forms OF the nag
draped caissons that carried the sad
burden doomed big In tho shadows.
And through the driving rain. as the
Impressive ceremonies approached
their conclusion, soldiers. sailors. men.
women children, diplomats and digni-
taries, stood unconscious OF the wet.
intent only on the scene of national
sorrow, that spread out before them as
casket after casket was lowered away
TO earth. The President, surrounded
by sodden group of gold-laced Of
ficers and dignitied diplomats with rain
soaked finery. stood beneath a tiny
tent Zap swung at the head OF the
triangular plot that marked the
graves. Directly opposite him. beyond
the relocated. drenched musicians OF
anchor of the Maine, with its inscrip-
ton:
United States Steamship Maine.
blown up, February Is, 1895. Here
lies the remains of 1853 men of the
Maine crew brought from Havana,
Cuba, reinterrcd at Arlington, Deccm-
Der IS 1929"
Comrade ReioIns Comrade.
Tomorrow the inscription will read
za7 men. for tonight comrade re-
joined comrade in the bivouac of the
dead.
AS the numbering caissons drove
slowly into the cemetery and cir
cled the muddy plot. the hundreds of
men, women and children crowded
close. to watch the color-draped collins
which two by two were lifted tenderly
and carried to the sides of the group
of graves. From the big band grouped
Mt the head of the triangle of graves
came the dull. wailing minors OF the
Chopin funeral march. signing through
the evergreens that surround the plot
Out of the crowd pushed little girl.
and thrust her way UP TO the group of
collins. looking tearfully at the grim
their baskets. All the pomp and cir
cumstances % the national grief stop
ped short for q moment. The heads
of tho nation gave way TO the grief of
a girl. She told gold-laced officer:
II had brother on :he Maine r.
wonder which coffin he's in?"
And the big gathering of scrrowlng
people ceught the full siNniGcance of
that pathetic word unknown" stamp
ed into tho lead OF the collins that the
bare pine boxes enclosed.
AS each casket took itg place jn thel
red clay hole assigned it. the repre-
sentatives of the United Spanish WAR;
Veterans in the burial ceremonies of
the organization. placed spric OIL
evergreen. token of undying love" az
white rose. Symbol of purity" and Il
small American fiaG, for patriotism. In
each grave. The final prayers were
read by Chaplain Chadwick.
Out from the dripping shadows slow
ly moved company OF marines. The
clear tones of the band rang forth in
the solemn strains of Nearer My God
TO Thee" and the three sharp volleys-t
the tribute az heroes sounded across
the graves of the men who met their
death in the stcel-w walled pen OF hat
tleship. without even tho glory of bat
tie.
"Tnps" Sounded.
The marines. stepped back, and from
the long hills rolling away in the shad-
ows came the dull, nuffled roar Of a
battery, firing the twenty-ons guns OF
the national salute for the second
time The last expression of nations
grief. the melancholy not,s OF taps.
then sounded mournfully out from tho
grove of eversrcens!
a hush that lasted fully minute
swept the big crowd. Then President.
diplomats, dsnitaries and soldier
turned away. and the dun numbering
of the returning calssons sounded
CONTINUED ON Fifth Psse.)