The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-05
THE NATION'S HOLIDAY.
Rejoicing Throughout the Broad
Land of the Free.
TWO DAYS OF FEsTIvITY
The Centennial Fourth in New York
City and Elsewhere.

When the singers. and the soldiers, the
society people, and the spectators turned their
backs upon the magnificent spectacle In Union
square, between and o'clock Yesterday morn
lng, they sought TRANSPORTATION to their homes
but so great was the crush that they were long
n getting away. and until daybreak tho THOR
pughfarcs In the neiRhborhood OF Fourteenth
rreet Fourth avenue, and Broadway were nlled
with worried New Workers who were satisfied
lhat the street car accomm odations were made
auate. Many Of she almost exhausted men and
women sat on the curbstones and fell asleep,
and little children scarcely able to walk slum-
bered on the sidewalks. Every car going up
or down town packed to Its ut
most and hundreds Of persons clustered
around them and clamored for seats.
All The extra cars the lines were started. and
sveTy public coach and cab was dragged into
service. AT be ferries the crowds were greater
than ever before, and the boats were overladen
With passengers. The entrance to the Fulton
ferry house at o'clock yesterday morning was
block ded by a surRine mass OF men and wo-
men returning to Brooklyn. At no previous
time In the history OF the ferry were so many
persons at one time demanding transportation
across the East river. After daylight thousands
were trudging through the streets toward their
homes. The restless small boys were on the
alert with large stock OF hrecrackers and tor
pedoes, and the atmosphere was sulphurous
with RuDpowder. The flags and banners were
freshened by the early morning breeze, and at S
o'clock the streets were In their best holiday
trim. The sun shone with uncommon splendor
over the great city, and the shipping was
picturesque In its rainbow -hued bunting.
Tho announcement that the Veterans OF 1912
would raise the fias on the Battery AZ daybreak
led about ~ men and bows and half dozen
women TO sit on the benches under the great
trees Of the Battery from A. NJ until daylight
doing and waiting for the Veterans to appear.
The hours wore on drearily until faint white
strssk along the eastern horizon had crept hall
way to the zenith and almost extinRuished Q
bright star that shone right above the Dig DAG
post. Then. to while away the time, some one
whistlsd a quickstep, and two muscular youns
men danced jigs on the patent pavement, howl
ing like sportive imps as they wnirled on theil
toes, while the crowd that had guthei ed around
them rubbed their sleepy eyes and applauded
Soon the approaching daylight cleared sw \,
che gloom into which the top Of toe big nagsta1
seemed to disappear, aud the golden ball at tie
summit was gilded with light. still all was
dark over the bay. Then an ofncious loakint
rpan opened the iron box on the usRstan and
SOCK out the big Tag. which was stretched In
hns across the pavement ike an enormous .er'
pent. The people gathered on each side OF Y
and felt Of the bunting as " II had been curl
Gus relic.
Then a tail, straight, spare man. with whit,
hair aud an eagle nose. and wearing Cont
mental uniform and a black cooked bat, above
which rose a stuuby red plume. ap cared In The
midst OF the crowd suddenly as II he hAc
dropped out Of the gloom overhead He tool
hold OF the ropes and raised the hag a little wa
from the Rround. "Hpl hipi boorsyp' the
crowd began to shout, out the nag dropped tc
the ground and the man with the cooked ha
walked rapidly away and disappeared as sud
denly a. he had come.
Meantime the dav began to break. revealing
hrst the great hulks, ana then the masts and
yards Of the vessels IN the bay, and lighting uI
she gray walls Of old Fort Columbus. One o
Hhe frlgates, lying away over near the New
Jersey shore, fred laundering salute which
rAs answered from one OF tho forts at tn
RorrOws. Ii was now nearly half past O'Clock
and the crowd had grown TO several hundred
persons, all impatient TO see the old dag raised
military steps. down one Of the walks. appeare'
the solitary figure Of the old man with th
pocked hat and feather.
Here comes he old fellow. now" somebod
shouted ,and then there was a rush TO meet hiI
tnd shake his hand. Ii was old Uncle Davlu
Van Arsdzle, who has raised the hsg on the Il Il
tery on Fourth Of july mornings for mau
yesrs. He smiled benignly. as a cheer for " Tn
ole David" arose. Then he went to the foot o
fhe d q post while a salute OF a dozen guns wa
pred A man with oockade In his tail oeave
lat mounted dry goods box, and tolC
the story Of the sailor boy, "Unci
David's' father, who, a hundred years agc
climbed a LOFTY flag STAFF on that very spot an
lore down the British ensign. Then ncl
Dayid" mounted the box, barring his white hea
70 the morning breeze, and cheer sf er cheer ~
Size dag rolled over the water. The rope
placed in tho old mans nds and he pulie
with Will Up shot tie greaI hnV, higher an
higher, var ialy unfolding az II felt the breeze
and Just ss II touched the gaf. a pun Il whit
imoke issued from an enbrlsure Of Fort &c
lutnous, and then the booming OF a he wv gu
rolled and echoed across tle bay. Dun su,
eeeded gun until the old fort was iringed wit
smoke, aud tbus The Id lag was welc Iined
tose viii the sun OF the hundTedth year.