New-York tribune., 1876-07-04
DECORATIONS OF THE DAY.


PLAYED IN EVERY QUARTER OF THE CITY
THE POOR EVEN MORE LIBERAL IN Ornament
THAN THE RICH-ApPEARANCE or BROADWAY,
FIFTH-AvE., THE BOwERY, AND oTnE. PARIS
OF NEW w-YoRK-PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The city wore an air of gayety and festivity
throughout the day. and reminded the travelled OBJ
server of the carnival scenes of Southern Europe
although there was none of the n'imc buIooneTy OF
fantastic enjoyment which charactCrzcs carnival
scenes abroad. There was instead an eXuberancc oi
spirits and an intense patriotic fervor, which az
fordcd satisfaction unmarried by single element
of discOrd. The people seemed {" have cOncurrcd IN
the sentiment that this occasion called forth the
highest aesthetic effects and that IuIles1uc, or even
humor, would be beneath the dignity Of the cclc-
bration. Therefore, without exception, the en-
deavors of ALL both ych and poor, high and low,
were directed to making their houses and
business places beautiful. Success crowned their
efforts and from the Battery to Harlem River, New
York was brilliant as it has never been before. Not
merely were the broad avenues decorated and iliu-
minated but the occupants Of the poorest tenement
quarters made liberal outlay for decoration in
portion to their means. Indeed, il any comparison
might be betlrawD il would be IN favor of the tenement
districts In the business and weather. dwelling DIS
tricts the decorations were often simple ana uilosten
tatiOus but in the tenement quarters the na2s
we're of the most vivid coors and the bunting OF the
most conspicuous kind. As a consequence the streets
were very bright and attractive. From one window
the stars and stripes goated, and from the next a
green flag with the harp of Erin, or German ban
ner according to the nationality OF the occupant
Looking up and down Broadway, the Bowery, ana
principal avenues the effect was very fine ana the
mass of flags and bunting displayed IN the side streets
was simply bewildering
HOW BROADWAY WAS ADORNED.
Every building, no matter how insignificant, had
a flag waving At the historic Bowling Green there
was less attempt ut decoration than III any other
part of Broadway. Every house had ts banner.
large or small but there was no attempt at display
From Trinity to Grace Church, however, The appear
ance of Broadway was impressive. The occupants
of many offices and buildings, while content with
merely displaying flag outside, expended their
taste and money in the decoration Of the interior
Trinity Church had single large standard flying
from the steeple, and visible at a great distance.
The massyeness Of the Equitable Life Insurance
building at Broadway and Cedar-st was relieved by
several large national ensigns floating from the
front.
The Glsey building at Cortlandt-st and Broad
way, was gayly decorated with small flags flying
from each of the windows.
The Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Company
made no attempt TO decorate the exterior of its
building at the of LibcTty-st., but the main
Office on the ground floor tastcfully embcilishcd
with flags by the young women employed as clerks
and telegraph operators.
Tho Western Union Telegraph building had its
standard flying but at half-mast, "A mark of re-
spect to the memory Of the late Col. Marshall LET
ferts II was not decorated until late in the after
noon, when the door-posts were dIaped with bunt-
;,, ba balconv was hung with at rims
tri-colored muslin.
The Knox building at Fulton-st and.Broadway,
was claborately decorated with flags and bunting.
sheet of tri-colored bunting extended around tho
awning posts and lines Of small flags were drawn
from the roof TO the sidewalk
couple Of large flags fOated from the roof Of the
Astor House. but no attempt had been made at other
decoration during the day.
Devhn 81 Co., the clothiers, at No 2GO Broadway,
were very lavish in their decorations. Large flags
of many nations loated from the windows and the
national ensign from the staff in the roof
No attempt had been made at display at A. T..
Stewart & Co.'s stores, either up or down town, tile
only distinguishing feature being the fine standard
over the roof of each building.
Al the marble building of the New-York Life IN
surance Company, at the corner of Leonard-st.,
special efforts had been made to ornament the
edce Large flags decorated the front, and lines of
red, white and blue globes combined with gas jets
furnished brilliant illumination in the evening.
The buildings at Nos 37J and 406 Broadway were
rendered attractive by the arrangement OF festoons
of small flags.
Baldwin the clothier, at the corner OF Canal-st.,
beaufed the front of his store with the flags of oil
nations, one protruding from each window.
The decorations of Deylin & Co.'s Grand-st. store
were similar to those of the lower store, large flags
| of all nations being hung from each window.
| The Apprentices Library, at No. 472 Broadway,
| was draped with bunting and hung with flags.
] At No. 5O4 Broadway flags doated from each win