VICTOR HUGO BURIED. One Million Persons in the Funeral Procession.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 109, 4 July 1885, Page 3

VICTOR HUGO BURIED. One Million Persons in the Funeral Procession.

Paris, June 1. — Although rain fell during the night and there was every indication in the early morning of more rain to day, hundreds of thousands of people were about at daybreak and crowded the streets and the boulevards through which the great procession moved that accompanied the remains of Victor Hugo to his last rest-ing-place in the Pantheon. Owing to the crowded condition of the hotels, thousands were compelled to bivouac in the open air all night. The space around the Arc de Triomphe was filled with the chief officers I of State, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Senators and Deputies. From all directions came deputations with draped banners, and bearing flowers and gigantic wreaths. Never before did Paris present such a scene. The chestnut tree? in the Champs Elysee3 were in full bloom, and formed a strange contrast to the veiled lights, draped banners, and the vast sea of spectators, all in the habilaments of mourning, that lined either side of the immense field, and the brilliant uniforms of the soldiers. The funeral procession started punctually at noon. The threatening clouds of the morning had disappeared by this time, and the sun shone forth brilliantly. Enormous crowds of people lined the route of the procession, while masses of people packed the intersecting streets for a great distance. On either side the buildings were black with people, as was indeed every point from which was to be had a view of the unparalleled spectacle. The funeral oratiou which M. Floquet delivered at the Arc de Triomphe touched the hearts of his hearers and was greatly applauded. The great procession moved without a hitch during its course. Preceding the heavae were twelve cars laden with floral crowns. Besides these 800 wreaths were carried by various deputations. Before the start of the procession the police seized fifteen red flags and immediately destroyed them. Mets, Strasbury, and all the fortress towns in the annexed provinces were well represented in the procession. Prince Hohenhohe, the German ambassador, was absent among the diplomasts. Every point of view wag crowded with men, women, and children. The top 3 of five-story houses, and even the chimneys, were occupied by sightseers, Georges Hugo walked alone behind the bier to Paul Berouled, the Alsaoe Lorraine deputations and the Geneva Society received great applause. During the procession a vast scaffolding on the Place Cluny collapsed. Many persons were injured, but none were killed. The fall caused a great panic and confusion, but the procession v, as soon reformed. Another platform fell on the Rue Royale. The obsequies surpassed everything within the memory of the oldest citizen. Such a concourse of p9ople has rarely been witnessed in Paris. It is estimated that the procession numbered 1,000,000 persons. Not a single priest was seen in the lin«, M. Allain Targe, Minister of the Interior, said this evening that there had been but few casualties during the funeral, and he expressed gratification at the orderly manner in which everything had been conducted. The police, he said, had been enjoined to moderation, and the owners of red flags cut them to pieces and put them out of sight to avoid surrendering them, The crowds in the Place de l'Etolle hare torn down the long crape hangings which i draped the Arc de Triomphe, and have carried away the pieces as trophies. The funeral oi Hugo was given in a distinctly anti Christian character. Yesterday early risers in the neighbourhood of the.Pantheon were surprised to see a group of workmen climb on top of the pediment in front of the building, armed with caws and pickaxes, A carious crowd soon collected to watch what would happen. A groan of horror went up from the Catholics below as they saw a workman crawl up to the great stone cross and slowly begin to hack its arms off. In half an hour the structure was secularised and fragments of the Chribtian Symbol were carried to the Church ofSt.EtienneDumont,behindthemonument. A similar fate would have befallen the great gilt cross on the dome had not its enormous size and weight made an attempt to remove it perilous. It weighs over fifteen tons, is twenty-two feet high, stands over 260 feet above the street, and is reached by 425 steDs.