New-York tribune., 1876-07-04

MORE THAN TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND NEN ~ LINE
OF MAnCu-IIyE THOUSAND MILITIA TURN oCT
-IHE largest CROWDS ON IA" sTEELI FOE
MANY YEArs-A MARCH THROUGH ARCHES OF
FIREWORKS.
The toroLlisht parade exceeded in numbers and
30 enthusiastic demonstration every anticipation
formed by those who most active in getting it
up. Ihc militia turned out over five thousand,
where half that number only had been
confidently looked for. Gen. SA:lcI Is
staI augmented Itself double thc
number originally named 10 aids; consequence
partly Of the rctJru If the veteran corps OF the 1th
regiment from tho trip 10 Philadelphia interrupted
by tie sudden death Of Gen. Lcitsrts. The German
societies gathered unexpected strength by voluntary
acccssious 10 tho ranks of the vision formed by
them. and while waiting Tor the military pass
hlcd Eghth-st. almost flom Third-aye to East
| River. The other divisions grew as they marched
| by acccsaions of young men who had started out
with Chinese lanterns in hand for individual adyeu-
| turc and became absorbed in the procession The
estimate made of 25,000 persons in the line is prob
| ably below the actual figure.
Naturally there delay and confusion in start
| ing such an immense column Ii fully $3.50
o'clock before Gen. Shalcr gave the order to march.
Even at this hour some Of the military regiments
had not reached the rendezvous. and had to march
1
column before leaving the Bowery 1t was nearly
O'Clock before the surgng societies at Eighth-st.
were placed in their proper position in rear of the
| military and the rear of the column did not
| move before IL o'clock at night. Long
| before this h0ur-ln fact, long before the
II, al of the column began to move, the BOwery and
| and Third-ayo. were almost impossible by reason
of the great crowd which poured into them from all
streets leading from tho East Side. Meantime,
Broadway, too, had filled up; and as early as o
o'clock Union-square was black with a formidable
crowd, which il was then doubtful the police could
drive from the Park. At every cross street on the
Bowcry and Broadway, and along the whole line Of
march, were to be seen barricades formed of trucks
and carts drawn up to the crossings, on which were
perched men, women and children indiscrlmin-
ately. The roofs of the houses as well as
the windows were perches for innumerable sight
scers, who continually cheered the passing process
sion and greeted them with luttcring handkerchefs
and exploding fireworks. From the time the pro-
cession entered the Bowery until it had halted at
l'niOn-square. continuous cheer rang upon the
air. Fayorite regiments or bands, or airs played by
the bands occasionally drew out louder and more
enthusiastic yells, but the of the cheering
crowd was as constant and deep as that of the sea-
At every step showers of flame from fireworks of
every description greeted the procession and from
distance the shooting flames from Roman candles
seemed TO form burning arch above the heads of
those or pOrade,
The Office of Charities and Corrections at Third
ave and Elcventh-st.. placed big steam whistle Of
gruiI voice by the front portal, and salued the pro-
cession with a succession of gru screeches. An ex-
citing incident occurred at EIghth-st The head of
the colunn was 30 feet away when the steam fire.
engines and h0se-carts dashed across Third-ave.,
scattering the popuace. and for tho moment creating
some confusion. The Dry Docks Savings Bank, with
See Fifth Page.