The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-10-20
FIREMEN'S PARADE IN PHILA-
DELPHIA, ~

Th editor of the Eueniag 2elegroph
one of the best newspapers published
in Philadelphia, gives the following
graphic description of the great parade
| To-day is remarkable as the grandest
exhibition of the grandest fire depart
ment in America. We have long been
accustomed to see the triennal parade
which our firemen have made, but
nevefin OureXperience have we witness
ed so grand cavalcade as fills ourstreets
| to-day.
The entire line, when moving, eX-
| tends over six miles, and embraces all
our companies with their paraphernalia.
There are representatives from Massa-
chusetts, New York, Baltimore, Wash.
ington, Chicago, and almost all the
great cities in the Union. So large an
exhibition, SO great an event, demands
most extended chronicle, and we have
devoted our entire space to u full an
graphic account of the march and its
incidents. We owe an apology to our
advertisers for the necessary omission
of some of their cards, but when they
consider the magnitude of the event in
our city history, they will agree with us
that our duties of Journalists demand
that we give as full andaccurate an ac-
count as the exhibition deserves. We
have always been ready to give every
credit to our noble firemen, and it would
be an act of gross injustice did we not
give up both time, space and money to
the record of the finest parade that has
ever been made in any city of the world.
The reporter of the same paper thus
describes the appearance of the process
ion as seen from "bird's eye view:''
In a subsequent part of this report de-
tails will be found which will give an ac-
curate and precise description of the va
rious points of the parade. But in order
to catch the spirit of the occasion, it is
necessary to take in as much as possible
at single glance. 10 gaze from given
point up or down the street, is most
dazzling and bewildering attempt, so
many spots and points of brilliancy at
tract and confuse the eye. There is so
much glare and glitter, the entire mag
that the eye becomes tired and longs for
repose. The thousands of shining
wreaths, whose million tendrils culver |
like threads of quicksilver; the light re-
Elected from hundreds OF glitteriug ac-
the music of many bands, |
whose melodies catch up and intermin-
gle with each other; the tramp of thous-
ands of feet; the show and contrast of
uniforms; the jingling of
voiced bells; the windows
filled with interested and exultant
throngs; the shouts and shrieks which
swell together into an ovation; all these
make up scene as bewildering as it is
gorgeous and varied. The entire parade
of not less than twenty-five di-
visions and one hundred and fourteen
In abiding to the general excitement
md aspect of affairs in the city at the
time, the editor of the paper says:
There has probably never been day
in our city's history in which there has
been more local excitement. The fire.
mems parade has drawn thousands of d,
strangers to our hotels, and has thronged
our streets with witnesses of the mag ;
1ificent sight which is to-day being
enacted. The dazzling reflection of the
sunlight from thousands of gilded ,
yreaths and hundreds of golden cylin- {
lers, gives us an appearance of gayety,
which pervades the entire municipality. 1
such a sight in itself would cause more {