Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
Our New York Letter.
NEW York. July 8, 1876.
A COSTLY CELEBRATION.

mSHO0u "noh6 VIZ Ai6e 1850
patriotism largely outweighs their piety,
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-
brated 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
altar, in the shape of fire works. ETC.,
cannot be closely computed, but must
have been immense | have heard the
value Of the flags and decorations alone
estimated at 800. 900 (though should
not want TO guarantee the correctness
Of the statcment) and the various
pyrotechnics must have amounted to
more than as much more.
UsHERING IN THE NEW AGE.
The festivities eliminated on the
night Of the Sd, when the city fairly
famed. Everybody was out of doors,
rejoicing noisily or more quietly admir-
ing the brilliancy Of the scene. Mil
lions of Chinese lanterns and numerous
gas Jet frames, representing patriotic
designs-eagles, notices and the tails
manic figures, "76' illuminated the
dark streets and brought out the full
beauties of the festooned drapery. The
event Of the evening was intended 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 attrac-
ton. This procession though very
long was struggling and irregular
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 accom-
panied the procession to the number of
about three hundred, together with'
the torch bearers. arranged themselves
on long platforms, prepared for their
reception, and after few minutes Of
expectancy, during which the assem-
bled multitude became breathlessly still,
the midnight bell proclaimed the "day
Of a 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
neighboring cities, rang, doomed and
shrieked in concert, drowning the
cheers Of the crowd and the music Of
the 800, who. at the same instant,
struck up "Hail Columbia" Stimuli
taneously with this, rockets went up
from the four corners of the square and
along its centre spouted Roman candles.
.'fowcrpots" ''volcanoes, colored
lights and the whole catalogue Of orna-
mental fire places. The display of fire
works was continued till day break and.
as may be imagined, but little sleep was
to be had that night.
SIGHTS IN THE HARBoR.
The Fourth itself, was on the whole
quietly observed: in fact there were
thousands who had SO completely played
themselves out the day before that they
were obliged illy-nilly, to keep pretty
still and rest. In the evening there
was reception on much more exten-
sive scale Of the pyrotechnic display.
AS this could not be we'll seen from any
point in town | took steamer and
went down the harbor to where gen.
eral view could be obtained From
this standpoint the scene was beyond
description. On three sides of US blazed
the lights of Brooklyn, New York and
the Jersey shore. while out to seward
on the fourth side, lay masses Of cloud
in which lightning played continually.
A thousand rockets writhed upward
looking like the upreared crests Of
gigantic fiery serpants. Countless balls
Of fire 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 a glare far up
into the heavens bringing out towers
and banners, and giving the effect of
so many confagrations. So striking
was the suggestion at the time when
ne rOcketS ftu giaTt,
The bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there"
that on some ones breaking out into
the inspiring strains Of the national
anthem, the sound was taken up by the
whole company and the hymn sung
through with magnetic power.
THE REcEDING BUSINESS CENTRE.
The recent opening Of the new jew
elry palace of Black, Starr & Frost,
for whole generation known as Ball,
Black Il Company, besides pointing to
this brighter prospect recalls chapter
in New York's early history and the
enormous growth of that city. Away
back in the beginning Of the century,
before our second war with England
and before the memory of this genera
ton, there was opened down on Broad
way near Wall street the little jewelry
shop which was the beginning Of the
present magnificent establishment A
little lover down, at number IS, was
the fur trading shop Of John Jacot
| Astor Wall street itself showed nc
signs Of ever turning into menagerit
Of "bulls" and .bears," but was quie
street of residences, churches and stores
Even Broadway began to get pretty
thin few squares above, and turned
into country road between corn6elds
long before it got up to the new quarters
Of the concern. The little jewelry store
was honest and smart and prospered
from the beginning. Four times in it,
existence thus far, the business ha'
been obliged to follow the reoeding cen
tre Of trade, which is constantly push
ing toward the head Of Manhattan Is
land The last change brings then
into an elegant structure on Fifth ave
nue., and 28th street, which their open
ing display turns into very Centennia
Exposition. In times like these i
seems daring to launch out on such {
large scale as this change indicates