St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-07-14
Our Radix Letter.

THE CENTURY PLANT-A COSTLY CELE-
ERATION -USHERING IN THE NEW AGE
SIGHTS IN THE HARBOR-THE STAR
SPANGLED BANNER - TRADE POR>-
PECT, THE RECEDING BUSINESS CEN
TIRE MATTERS AT PHILADELPHIA
AI>LEs OF BU MING AND ARCHES OF
TARI DEMONSTRATIONS THE WEST
POINTERS.
NEW York, July :, 1876.
! 10 the Editor Of tie fdie'iOHidH
The week has been almost one long
holiday. On sunday evening 1t COM
menced among the large class whose
patriotism largely outweighs their pietN,
and even now numerous traces of the
grand jubilation greet the eye on all
sides in addition to the myriad head
aches which remain to those who cele-
hratrd mot wisely but to" we'll" and
which, though invisible. are equally
| memrntoeS ot the occasion. The amount
of money that New York has poured as
libation upon her country's altar, III
the shape of fire works, etc, cannot he
closely computed, but must have been
immense. | have heard the value of
the flags and decorations alone e>timat-
ed at SlW,Um Though should not
want to guarantee the correctness of
the statement) and the various pyrn-
technics must have amounted t" more
than rs much more.
The festivities eliminated on the
night ot the ID. when the city fairly
tlamrd Every body was ont at doors,
rejoicing noiSilN or more quietly al
mining the hIillianrN of the scene.
Millions of Chinese lanterns and numrr-
on> gas jet frames. representing patriotic
designs eagles. mot oeS and the tails
manic figures. TO Illuminated the
dark streets and brought ont the full
heauticS of the tcstonned draprrN. The
event of the evening was Intended tn
be the grand torch light procession that
marched through the principal streets
and finally brought up III Union Square.
which was the central point of attrac-
tion. This procession. though very long,
WAS Il Struggling and irregular failure,
which. however. was amply atoned ful
bN he spltnd"r of the midnight festival.
shortly betnc twelve o'clock the com
bnrd military bands who had accom-
panied the pIocr>Sion to the number OF
about 300. together with the torch bear
els. arranged Themselves on long plat
! .. II Il
after IL few minutes of expectancy, dur
ing which the assembled multitude he
came hltathle>slN still. the midnight
bell proclaimed the day of Il hundred
Years" Ii seems ;tS though N"uI read
rr> must have heard the noise that fol
lowed. All the bells. cannon aud steam
whistles in this aud the nrighh"rimg
cities rang. doomed and Shritkrd in
concert. drowning the cheers of the
crowd and the music of the 300, who at
| the same instant, struck up "liall Co
| lumhia." simultaneously with this.
rockets went up from the tour corners
of the square and along its centre spout
ed Roman candles, flower pots, 'rol-
canoes." colored lights and the whole
catalogue of ornamental fire pieces. The
display of fire works WAS continued till
day break and, as may Ice imagined,
but little sleep was t" be had that
night.
The Fourth itself. WAS on the whole
quietly observed; i'll fact there were
! thousands who had 81 completely play eel
themselves out the day before that they
were obliged. willNnillN, to keep pref
" still and rest. In the evening there
was Il repetition ON IA much more ex-
trn>iNe scale al the pNInterhnic display
A. this could not he well seen from any
point in town | took steamer aud
went down the harb"r to where Il gen
cral view could he obtained. From this
standpoint the scene was beyond de
>cription. On three sides OF lis haZed
the lights of Brooklyn. New York and
the jersey shore. while ont to Seawarl
on the fourth side, lay MASSES of cloud
III which the lightning played c"ntin-
ually. \ thousand rockets writhed
slowly upward looking like the uprear
ed crr>ts "f gigantic fiery >crprntS.
Countless balls of tire rose and fell
against the dark sky and were reflected
in the waters of the bay. Red lights
! burning in the streets of the town threw
II glare fan up into the heavens. bring
ing ont towers and banners. and giving
| the effect of many vast contiagIa-
tions. SO striking was the suggestion
of the time when
The rockets red glare
The bombs bursting i'll air
| Gave proof through the night
That our hag still there.
that on some ones breaking out into
the inspiring strains of the national
anthem, the sound was taken up h\ the
whole company and the HYMN sung
through with magnetic power.
As | said above, 'the dtN we ccIe-
bratc" has 50 monopolized attention this
week us to leave but little room for
other occurrences. The 3D., though not
Il legal holiday, was generally observed,
50 that business WAS practically SuS-
pended for -four days. But now that
the long anticipated anniversary is be
! hind us, Indications of the early fall
trade will begin to show themselves.
The general feeling Is that there will he
more business done this coming season
than for three Years past, and this
doubtless will he the case unless the
prOyerhial dizziness of presidential
year tends to its prevention.
The recent opening of the new level
~ palace of Black, Stan 4 Frost. for :,
whole generation known us Ball. Black
n Company. beside pointing to this
brighter prospect recalls Il chapter in
New l"rk's early history and the rnor-
nous growth of the city. Away back
III the beginning of the century, before
our second wal with England. and be
t"ie the memory of this generation.
there was opened down on Broadway