The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-24
CENTRAL PARK.


The Opening OF tho Musical Season
Splendid Weather and Immense
Crowds-The Way the People Enjoyed
Themselves.
The musical season at Central Park was In.
auguratcd yesterday afternoon. much to the
delight Of thousands who have been an xiously
awaiting the coming Of this great free outdoor
event OF the springtme. IL was evident TO every
one VINO went to the Park yesterday that the rain
storms during the past few weeks, much as they
we're deplored by the ladies who had loves OF bon
nets and all that Is In cut and fni sh Ia silks
and sattns to exhibit, had done q good work
towards making 1t attractIve; for the grass had
lost all the brownlsh hue IL had worn few days
previous. and every tree that was out In iuli
foliage was respondent with blossoms exhaiing
. perfume with which the air was iairiy iadened.
The weather, besides, was oil that could have been
wished ior; the sky was cloudess and gentle
breeze swept over the Mall with refreshing cool
ness which just served to temper the rays OF the
sun, which, where there was no shade were un-
comfortably hot.
"MusIc In the Park" In years past has always
been announcement enough every summer to
draw thousands OF visitors to the Mall and the
OFFICIAL announcement OF Friday was by no means
an exception to the general rule. With wisdom
that was UNEXPECTED from such a wise body AZ
the Park Commissioners, who believe that the
moral standard OF the community is elevated by
closing the Park cares against the working
classes at nine O'Clock In the evening"
the wonderful slgnboards and glaring red
ana black OF Common" stared the visitor
ont OF countenance almost everywhere where the
grass was green and where the gravel walks were
not to DC seen. Even the fresh pasture where
on protane days like Sundays the sheep that are
shorn are alloweu 70 craze In peace ana solitude,
was not made sacred ground. and the boys who
play bail and the children OF . lareer growth who
40 not play ball. but love to oil about and see
other people not so Old as they enjoy themselves
as best they can, were allowed the Iuil freedom OF
that WONDERFUL area OF sod west OF the Mall to which
green countrymen are directed the main roads
0y signs mat will point in spelling directions to
the "Carousa" with an before the !, where Web
ster or any other photographer never authOrizedlt
to be put. The act OF the matter IS taat the Park
yesterday seemed TO be Tor once the peoples park
1t may not be that THIS extraordinary Iact the
natural result OF band OF music being in the Pa
goda from three O'Clock until seven O'CLOCK to de-
light those who can be delighted Dy good music;
but whether II was or not. the iact ID all the same
IL need not be said that the roadways were
jammed with equipages until dusk and that tine
line weather mad the elect, II the music had not,
to induce the owners o. last horses and elegant
equipages to give themselves an airing along the
various drives but the greatest croMds at first
Fairgrounds. strange to say, though the Mall
was crowded TO excess IN the immediate vicinity
OF the Pagoda and the Common" as lar as the
eye could reacl where the grass grew areep, was
back with thousands OF visitors, who roamed
about where'er they listed; WITH nurses without
babies ana babies without nurses who IN the 40
sence OF their temporary protectors rolled and
squaed as they rolled over the grass. making
delightful contrast with the notes OF the band
waited over the plain by the breeze; with children
that could take care OF themselves and men and
carriages ieisurely walked up and down in
front Of the Pagoda chatting and laugh
nx Is peTo eaoa ADDING sa BY evesy Ss9
In mis- or her part to the general loneliness OF the
scene The music did not seem to DC the magnet
that had drawn them together. II Is true hat the
pieces given were excellent and that the musicians
were not at lault in their execution; but somehow
1t struck one very forciby as he roamed about
and listened to their talk that the music was con-
sidered ONLY secondary consideration alter the
first two hours Of its duration. And 10 any one
evident. II was thls-tne band could not be heard
to anything Ike advantage ~ distance Of NIT,
the wind; 1t was not the hum OF conversation
among the gosslpers that thronged the walks
carriage wheels, which by the hundreds
rolled gaiy by at every moment that prevented
owing to the TACT that it was in the Pagoda and
not that the music only came to those at short
distance away Us mere echo OF something like an
air mat had ueen played some where IN the
vicinity, no one VINO knew not where the Pagoda
was could tell Where. And just here, en- pdyea
Park commissioners that the thousands who
went yessei day to enjoy the music were
OF the Pagoda-and thousands cannot get
there-and the thousands who will go
music viii be disappointed II the band ooes not
play in the open air-that Is from under o solid
rooL Ihe military Daads In Europe and IN TINS
play in the open air and are always heard to the
best advantage. whereas II they played seated.
give enjoyment to hundreds when thousands
would be dissatisfied. 1t is true that the Pagoda
no reason why 1t should be longer continued ex-
cept when the sun Is too not. Yet even In hot
icr the band III need be under CANVAS as W s
as for the people who 90 TO hear IL play.
Whether 1t was because the music could not be
heard well at q short distance or not, the fact is
that two hours alter three O'Clock the crowds near
the PagOda had seemingly decreased. and most Of
the people betook themselves either to the Lakes,
the Play grounds the Menagerie, or the Dairy At
these places the crowds up to P. N. were tremen-
doas Indeed, the n scene e, at the Dairy reminded
though every mamma IN the city had turned out,
with not only her own family OF youngsters, from
one year and less up to ten, but with ali
the youngsters OF her neighDors who were unable
to came out Children richly dressed and accom-.
faces and manners who had lett John ana the car
rage gust on the roadside near by, and pale
faced toddlers, meanly clad ont as happy looking
at the sights they beheld about them as the little
ones whose fine clothes denoted wealth OF family,
were seated rts dots at tue same tables and
slipped their milk and crumbed their ginger snaps
ana nodded familiarly at one another and talked
as freely and as seriously together about the
they were worth. and whose turn It It." would
be to go ON the swing next as though
their lives and the existence OF the Park
were 80 bound up together that the one could not
be done away with without the destruction oil the
other. The boys on the playground, too, were In
the height OF their delight, made all the more ex-
cessiye by the presence OF the crowds VINO had
come to hear the music, and VINO, every once In
awhile, sauntered over to the "carousal" to see
how the fun went merrily on, where most OF the
youngsters in their glee, had for enjoyments sake
slowed their shoes and stockings safely away
among the rocks and were running here and there
ike so many wild deer, tumbling somersaults, roll
ing the grass, playing tag and ball, and, in TACT,
doing everything that would make the afternoon
pass BY pleasantly.
The day, it may be said In conclusion, was en-
joyed by everybody rlght royalty. and 1t may be
safely said that II every Saturday afternoon from
now until the close Of the summer comes with such