Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-03-23
in THE ARLINGTON CEMETERY
PRESIDENT TAFT AND MANY or
FicIALs ARE AMONG THE
MoURNERs PRESENT.
ARMY And NAVY IN PARADE
THE FLAe-DRAPED coFFINs ARE
ESCORTED BY MAGNIFICENT
BODY OF TROOPS.

washington, March 23.-With all
the pomp and solemnity that mighty
nation can pay its heroes of war, the
last of the dead of the Maine were
laid away today in Arlington GENE.
terry. Seldom in the history of this
country has there been planned a
higher tribute to the memory of any
man or men than that for the sixty
four dead of the Maine. Government
business in Washington was practical
ly suspended by executive order. Pres
ident Taft, most of the members of
his cabinet, the highest officers of
the army, the navy and the marine
corps, officials of the departments
and the representatives of many for.
eign powers participated in the ex-
ercises. Over the government build
ings flags hung at halfmast, while
congress adjourned for the day. The
booming of minute guns and the
tramp of soldiery added the touch of
military pomp and circumstance.
beginning with fthe removal OF the
dead from the United States steamer
Birmingham which brought them up
from Havana and ending with the fir
ing of three volleys of musketry overl
the new-made graves across the Poto-
mac, the ceremony was designed to
show all the honor and respect to the
martyrs of the doomed battleship. |
The speakers who faced the crowd in |
the plaza behind the navy buildings
were only three-President Taft, |
Father Chadwick, chaplain of the
Maine when the explosion of Febru
ary Is, 1898, sent her to the bottom,
and Chaplain Bayard, United States
navy.
The marine band, the show band
Of Washington, was chosen to give
the solemn music for the dead and an
army battery stationed near the Wash
lngton monument was selected to fire
the Fl gun salute as the ceremonies
at the navy building were ended and
the quiet march to Arlington was be
gun.
Conspicuous among the officials /
for whom reservations had been made
just behind President Taft on the
steps of the big granite building were
Rear Admiral Charles D. Sigsbee,
who commanded the Maine at the
time of the explosion, and Rear Ad-
miral Richard Wainwright, Lieuten-
ant Boyd and Medical Director L. G.
officers under him at the
time. For Admiral Dewey and Lieu
tenant General Nelson A. Miles, the
range officers of the navy and the
army. special places had been set
aside.
During the memorial exercises ar.
had been made for the
.olling OF the Paul Revere" bells of
All Souls Unitarian church, which
has been tolled at the funerals of
admirals, generals and
,ther prominent men. To Rear Ad-
niral Bradley A. Fisk had been as
signed command of the parade ard
behind him were placed first an es-
,ort of police; a detachment of troops
rom Fort Myers, the marine band,
squadron of cavalry and the First bat
.alion of engineers.
The naval escort comprised a bat
.alion OF marines, two battalions OF
seamen, the naval band and the Dis
rict of Columbia naval militia. Just
ahead OF the tlnirty-four army cais
sons bearing the leaden caskets we're
placed Chaplain Bayard and Father
Chadwick and just behind the flag
lraped coffins the pallbearers from
he navy. the honorary pallbearers