New-York tribune., 1876-06-27
THE JULY CELEBRATION.
PREPARATIONS AND PRECAUTIONS.

Preparations are now going forward very
rapidly the Fourth Of July celebration the opening
torchght procession being set down for the night OF
July and early morning of the 4th. Publicspirited
citizens already preparing for the decoration and
illumination OF buildings and residences. Many business
blocks Broadway will be illuminated from sidewalk
TO cornce by Of numerous gas Jets Business VIII
be generally suspended July g. Fory+x merchahts
and brokers In the coffee trade, headed by B
G. Arnold & Co., have added their signatures
to the agreement to give their clerks
double holiday. Tho leading houses In the
dry goods commission trade have agreed TO close thsr
places business July g. and ask Gov Tilden ossue
proclamation recommending the general observance Oh
that day as holiday. Several firms importing WINDOW
glass have signed paper promising to close their Offices
and warehouses.
In conversation with TRIBUNE reporter Yesterday
Col Rush c. Hawkins Chairman OF the Centennial Ceie-
bration Committee. said have felt Tor long tihe
that something large grand and Impressive ought o DC
done by the City NewYok TO celebrate the signing OF
the Declaration Of Independence and the hundredth
anniversary OF the birth Of the nation and that was
WI ng for Philadelphia to have all tine honor OF ceie
bratug and all the glory Eew-York, as the metropolis
of the country possessing the most wealth, and making
claims 10 the greatest enterprise and intehi
gence could not acqut herself with creoit IL
she went away from home to hnd leehns
Of 10y and enthusiasm. No movement was set on loo'
TIL at last the German singing societies conceived tne
a
a grand patriotic musical festival They invited Bay
ard TAYLOR to write the Song OF s76 and offered $500
as prize to the composer who would best set IL 10 in
sic the successful competitor being Edward hoener
They raised sufficient money among themselves 10 pay
this prize and their Of the cost OF the general ce
bration 1t finally suggested by orc OF this NUMBER
that the celebration ought not to be cohhed 10 lne "
mans alone, but be made general
II was thought that far possible the celebration
should original nsconccpton and different from all
others which have taken place In this city, ana ABOVE a
that IL should be impressive aud dgnlhed; that shouu
consist OF nothing but men, torches haSs' ana music
no groups North American Indians or goddesses OF
,berty or Wasbn rtons crossing the Delaware ale
gorical rcprescntaons of trade and commerce, aad
all that safe and soap manufacturers shouu DC
allowed to advertise in the procession. Win Heheta
plan the great work began in the endeavor 10 carry IL
into effect Two hundred and fifty Of New-lor"s most
wealthy citizens were invited to cooperate. About 30
refused 10 anything to do with the scheme but most
OF them allowed their names to be used Those es-
pecially active were Augustus Schcl Thurlow Weed,
Gen. shaer, Gen. Sigel, John o. Kundt Henry Have
MEYER ex-Judgo Charles A. Peabody, Dexter A. liaw-
kins, Peter Cooper, samuel IL. RuggleS' L. ID
Musgrave Willy wailach, Paul Goepe, Edwin NJ Felt,
Edward schuberth Dr. Damrosch. Clark Bell. Col a.
w Shield ,n and John Il. Paunes We ought to have been
able To rae 600 easily. But the fact we shall be
lucky IL we get $4,000 We have been compelled 10 ac
cept the aid Of patriotic people In the middle Walks OF
life who have little time and less money To devote 10
such purposes We applied to large number OF very
wealthy men about In three contributed something
others buntly refused anything, and many others eT-
pcssed their dis rust with Fourth OF July in general
thought 1t was a nuisance and made point to be out
OF town A. is shall have from 2J,OOO 10 ioooo
mon in the procession. which will he at least sA mics
long
The grand central idea Of tho celebration was to wish
the first hundred years God speed" and welcome the
nc century and for that reason II decided TO begin
before midnight Of July 3. At the last stroke OF Midnight
tennch gun viii be fred IA signal az Fort CoumDus'
on Governors Island Tho forts anu batteries IN the
barbor and meuoiwar will fire salutes and the chimes
and bells Of the city viii be There VIII then be IN
imneusc display OF aerial pyroechnics without figure
onsquare In other parts OF the city which
will continue ior 10 minutes Then follows the mhseh
programme to he concluded by another display OF nfe-
works The most brilliant part OF the hlsHts
celebration will be the illumination ana process
s,on We thought some respect ought 10 be shown
the traditional OF celebrating the Fourth so IL
was concluded to have the Declaration of Independence
read and delivered In the Academy oi MUSIC
AZ IL A. H. OF the Fourth. The eiort was made To get
descendant Of original signer to read the Declaration
but not finding one, the services Of George Vandenhoh
were gladly accepted Charles Francis Adams was irst
invited TO deliver the oraion but declined yet We were
so fortunate rs Ia secure DIR. Richard S. storrs MT
Bryanrs ode will be sung by the German musical soc
ees Gen. DIX will preside at the meeting The invited
guests will comprise the chief officers OF tho State ana
Cty Governments presidents OF civic societies. colleges
judges courts Of record, and officers OF the army ana
navy"
GUARDING AGAINST TIRES.
Representatives. OF the FIRE insurance companies doing
business in this city met yesterday at underwrteiS
Hall, No. 1856 Broadway and after some discussion
adopted long series OF resolutions in regard to preca
tioDs against ige during the July celebrations Follow
Ing are the more important parts Of these
TI,at, ,hc nreu nd u
other localities here represented deem II their profes
sonal duty 10 counsel an unusual G'IIte OF oa'oh ~
the handliny storing and using of nrcwotks "i "ha'
ever kind the Sd and it OF Juy ana that every men,
her ~ m, community be- sclfmposrd with the OF
necessity for this canton only by each assuming his
full share OF personal responsibility Tor the pnDlc adry
that we invite and claim from the municipal anthor
ties in this time Of unusual peril, and especially rom tne
fire and Police Commissioner protection for our citi-
ems and for the interests which represents and ad
migablo and efficient as are our flre ana fo" pePa,t
ments under ordinary circumstances we feel that the
present occasion demands redOubcd vigilance system
aiically and continuously exercised To prevent S n,
unweared energy to secure the quick extinction oi
Resolred, That the Fire and Police Commissioners be
urgently requested To give serious coh'ueIto 70 nc
poffecting Of the most thorough and comprehensive
system prevention and protection whlc the occasion
demands in order that nothing shall be left undone that
wise foresight supply toward relieving the anxiety
that the Fire Underwrters here Represented Will not
to the display OF fireworks within or rom any
building will they grant permission 10 Illuminate
public private buildings, except III the following
By sas fixtures when the lights least twelve inches
removed work and curtains bunting OF dfapeIy
are suspended within reach Of the lights. -, ,
nv hanging lighted with or talOw candles anu
tapsrs secured IN metal astcngs and suspended ON e out
side building least eighteen inches nom all "Oou
work and beyond the reach ~ bunting
by stationary lanterna lighted with wax or alow cadeS o
taprs secured by lard sperm or ohVe
oil metal the lanterns 10 he placed upon stone OF IRON
inches from wood work, the
lei with sand oherwiie secured II being s9ndion
I'm m that supply and responsible party shsl
be n staonel every hOOr -
That the attention Of policy yholders be called 70 the
fact that any Increase OF hazard without the consent ol
the underwriters, viii render null ana Sod 'heir s ne
spectiye policies, and that any Illumination III manner
other than above provided for may prtJudice ther III
nr Crowel said that the Fire Patrol Committee would
.tI,.E E..nIr hnf InlN hl