Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-01
MIDNIGHT REJOICIsGS.
Birth OF the Centennial Year.

B1Ftn OF the centennial Year.
CANNON FIRING, BELL RINGING, ILLUMI-
NATIONS AND OTHER DEMONSTRATIONS.
Notwithstanding the brief time In which
preparations were made here to suitably
celebrate the birth of the centennial year,
and the unfavOrable weather which ushered
come to the stranger In this city, in the way
OF bell ringing, cannonading, whistling OF
steam engines and horn blowing, besides
other discharges Of small arms and fire.
crackers. The salute Of thirty-seven guns
ordered by the District Commissioners was
fired about midnight, under the direction OF
Captain Hanneman, of the District artillery.
square and the Monument lot, and were dis
charged At intervals of three minutes. At
seven minutes To r. O'Clock Superintendent
Miles, Of the FIRE alarm telegraph, struck on
all the alarm bells in this city and George
town the numbers 1-7-7-6, and 1t IL O'Clock
the numbers 1-S-7-6. At the same time the
engines, which had steam up, were run out
on the streets and their shrill whistles blown
for some fifteen minutes, rousipg the sleepers
generally. The chimes of the Metropolitan
M. r.. church struck up just before IL o'clock.
At IL O'Clock all the locomotive engines IN
Potomac railroad company gave prolonged
and simultaneous snr1ek, which added
not little to the general din. Many of
the stores on Pennsylvania avenue were
Illuminated, and presented a brilliant dis
play of gay-cOlOred goods in the windows.
9 eneral BabcOck gave orders to Mr.. w. III.
ID ~
up the dome Of the Capitol at Il O'Clock,
which was done, and il re manned illumin-
ated until daylight this mo rning, but could
not be seen very far on account OF the fog.
Police headquarters and the fire alarm OH e
adjoining were both lighted up, and a large
American banner was thrown to the night
breeze over the former. The armory of the
washington Light Infantry corps on Penn
sylvania avenue, between 9th and It'll sts..
was illuminated. and a goodly number of
that corps paraded the streets at ~ o'clock
crowd assembled, and headed by a drum
corps marched through the streets of that
section cheering in the new year in q hearty
and patriotic manner, at the same time set
ting Oft Roman candles and rockets. LARGE
crowds of ladies and gentlemen promenaded
Pennsylvania avenue to view the display of
fireworks which Were set off from almost
every quarter of the city. No excess in the
way OF drunkenness was Obse. we'd. and
nothing unusual occurred to interfere with
the general and spontaneous festivities OF
the occasion.
The watch meetings at the Methodist
churches were well attended, and the SER
vices were interesting and impressive. In
some Of the churches the services consisted
OF sermon or eXhOrtatiOn, q prayer or ex-
perience meeting, and as the hour Of IL drew
nigh the sacrament of the Lords supper was
administered, or the members on Bonded
knees sang the conservation hymn.
The Jonadabs held their peculiar service
iast night. Pioneer and Liberty Coulcils
met at the room of the former, where speech
es, recitations, and music were enjoyed by
the membership and their friends to a late
hour. About II Z O'Clock the councils went
into secret session, during which they per
formed the solemn rites peculiar to the Occa.
sion. Purity Council, No. 3, assembled at Nc
Cauley's Hall. on Pennsylvania avenue, be-
tween Sd and 4th streets southeast, anu In ter
esting exercises took place. AS the mid
nlsnt hour approached the same services
were absorbed as in the other councils.
THE BOARD OF HEALTH met last evening
The report of the registrar of vital statistics
for the week ending Saturday, Deem Der .,
was presented, showing total deaths during
the week 20, go more than last week } or at the
late of 2j.675 per 1000 per annum. Decrease
10, or at the rate OF sos per 1000 per annnm.
Rate of mortality of the white population
was 1l.1s3 per 600 per annum, while the
m 10 o,s OF o the eolored population was
CT births reported during the week was CO
white 43, colored &c. Rate of increase of the
white population by births over deaths 2.29I
per Loco; while the decrease of the colored
population by deaths over births was 1854
per ,0G0 per annum. There were deaths from
drowning; Group, erysipelas. mania-a potu,
Brfghps disease, 3 each disease of heart, aud
congestion of lungs. from consumption, IA
from pneumonia. There were 80 whites rs
minors, of whom were under2 years of age
and Al colored . minors, 20 of whom were
under years. There were natives of the
District 10, and of the United States, accord
ing TO the report. Nineteen marriages tool,
place. ana there were 90 births-i3 whites
and 10 colored.
ELECTIONS OF OFFICERs.-Damon Con-
elave, No !, 9. p. K, last night elected the
following Officers, who were installed by
Deputy Grand Commander Theodore Grit
fen for the ensuing year, viz: Sir Knight
James NJ. Gassaway. commander; Sir
knight Justus III. Rathbone, vice com-
mander; Sir Knight AlonzOD. Shaw herald:
Sir Knight William NJ. Steele, recorder; Sir
Knight Jasper Scott, treasurer, and Sir
Knight James Roach, guard.
Columbia Council, SOvereigns of Industry
LAST evening elected AlOnzo Bell, president;
General X. ID. Mussey, vice president; Dr.
James NJ: Gassaway, secretary; Professor
Thomas Taylor, treasurer; Professor VIM
II. DoOlittle, lecturer.
Tusca1Ora Tribe, No. 3, Imp. o. of r. NJ,
has elected the following chief for the ensu-
ing term: Thomas w. Scott. sachem; Zeph
X. Ofutt, senior sagamore; Frank A. Love-
junior Sycamore; VIM. NJ. Stelle, chief OF
records; Marquis w. Cassidy, keeper OF
wampum.
FUGITIVE SLAVES ON RRJrIsH Wan