Connecticut western news., 1875-06-25
Bunker Hills

The display at the Bunker Hill centenni- al Thursday, was the most elaborate of the kind ever before seen in this country. The procession consisted of nine divisions, making grand military pageant, estimated to be at least ten miles in length and requir- ing over four hours to pass any given point. The route was six miles long, from Columbus avenue to Winthrop square. Carefully prepared estimates fix the militia " ct II 500, and the aggregate number of men in the procession at 26,ooo.
 The public buildings. places of historic interest, the clubs and hotels on the line of march were tas.efully faced with bunting, and bits of history were inscribed upon some, as the old state house near the scene of the Boston massacre. the first contact with the British troops, Faneuil Hall, the old Christ church, in whose steeple was hung the beacon-light that warned the country the night before ConcorI and Lex ington, and the approaches to the monu- ment. Crossing the old bridge near Charlestown district, the procession passed under triumphaliarch, bearing the names of Prescott. Knowton, Stark and Pome- roy, the heroes of Bunker Hill, and fes' toons of laurel were hung from the pillars, upon which were painted scenes of the bat tie. The city hall in School street was faced with portraits of Warren and Put nam. In consequence of the delay in starting the procession. the commemorative exercises at the monument were begun at a much later hour than was intended. II was not until six o'clock that the large au dience in the mammoth tent erected on the hill was called to order, and in consequence of the lateness of the hour the exercise! were curtailed to about one-sixth of the original programme. George Washington Warren presided, aLd introduced Genera Devens Jr., as tho orator of the occasion The oration was confined to graphic de scription of the battle and an eloquent ap- peal for burial of all political animositie engendercd by the late war. Mir. Warren president of the Bunker Hill monumen association, gave an historical sketch O the society, closing his remarks by intro dncing General Sherman. In the course O his speech the general stated that the page ant surpassed anything of the kind he ha' before seen. While the review of his arm, in Washington at the close of the war, ex ceeded it in numbers, yet it was lacking il many of the attractive features of the pro cession, and besides there was lack of th spontaneous enthusiasm which character ized the entire malch.s Succeeding Gene ral Sherman, Governors Hartranft of Penn sylvania, Bedle of New Jersey, 1ngerso of Connecticut and Dingley of Maine, ant Vice President Wilson made short address es. Speaker Blaine and Senator Ferr. were among the distinguished people pres ent. Darkness caused an abrupt termina ton of the exercises, and the audience wa dismissed with the benediction.
 The number of strangers in the city dur ing the day is estimated by the most com potent judges at between 1000 and $50, 900 about half of whom departed Thursda, night, nearly all the transportation facili ties of the railroads having been massed il the city for that purpose. e.-Hartford Post