Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-07-17
LETTER FROM NEW YORK..
NEW YORK, July IL, 1876.
Special Correspondence.

ced among the large class whose patrlo-
tism largely outweighs their piety, and
even now numerous traces of the grand
jubilation greet the eye on all sides in
addition to the myriad headaches which
remain to those who celebrated mot
wisely but too well. and which, though
invisible. are equally mementOes of the
occasion. The amount of money that
New York has poured as libation upon
her country's alter. in the shape of fire
works. ETC., cannot be closely computed,
but must have been immense. | have
heard the value of the flags and decora-
lions alone estimated at 100000
Though should not want to guarantee
the correctness of the statement) and the
various pyrotechnics must have amount
ed to more than as much more.
The festivities eliminated on the night
of the Sd, when the city fairly famed.
Everybody was out of doors, rejoicing
noisily or more quietly admiring the
brilliancy of the scene. Millions of
Chinese lanterns and numerous gas jet
frames, representing patriotic designs
eagles, notices and the talismanic fig
ures, '76"-illuminated the dark
streets and brought out the full beauties
of the festooned drapery. The event of
the evening was intenden to be the grand
torch light procession that marched
through the principal streets and finally
brought up in Union Square, which was
the central point of attraction. This
procession, though very long, was a
struggling and irregular failure, which,
however, was amply atoned for by the
splendor of the midnight festival.
Shortly before twelve o'clock the COM
bined military bands who had acconpan-
led the procession to the number of a
bout 500, together with the torch bear
ers, arranged themselves on long plat
fOms, prepared for their reception, and
after few minutes of expectancy, dur
ing which the assembled multitude be.
came breathlessly still, the midnight
bell proclaimed the ''day of hundred
years" 1t seems as though your readers
must have heard the noise that followed
All the bells, cannon and steam whistles
in this and the neighbOring cities, rang
doomed and shrieked in concert, drown
ing the cheers of the crowd and tn,
music of the 800, who, at the same in
slant, struck up Hail Columbia" Sim
ultaneOusly with this, rockets went u
from the four corners of the square an
= along its center blazed Roman candle;
flower pots, " volcanoes, colored high
and the whole catalogue of ornaments
fire pieces The display of fire work
p was continued till day break and, 3
may be imagined, but little sleep wa
to be had that night.
: The Fourth itself, was on the who
: quietly observed in fact there We
thousands who had SO completely pla..
" themselves out the day before that tht
were obliged, willy-nllly, to keep prett
~ still and rest, In the evening there VI
y a repetition on a much more extensiV
~ scale Of the pyrOtechnic display. 1
- this could not be we'll seen from al
point in town took steamer and We
NC down the harbor to where a gener
- view could be obtained. From this stan
~ point the scene was beyond discriptiC
ny On three sides of US blazed the light
"o Brooklyn. New York and the New Jers
shore. while out to seward on
Y fourth side, lay masses of cloud
y which tie lightning played continual
~ a thousand rockets writhed slowly
ward looking like the upreared chests
:. gigantic fiery serpents. Countless ba
" of fire rose and fell against the dark :
'"N and were reflected in the waters of
" bay. Red lights burning in the sire
of the town threw glare far up into
heavens, bringing out towers and b
81 ners, and giving the effect of so nj
~, ~ vast conhagratiOns, So striking '
the suggesting of the times when
IL THE rockets red glare