The New York herald., 1879-07-05
PATRIOTISM AND GUNPOWDER.
Utter Disregard of the Ordinance
Against Firecrackers.
CONEY ISLAND CROWDED.
Scenes of Excitement on the Boats
and in the Cars.
ENTHUSIASM, SUNSHINE AND SHOWER

The sun and the people were out in full force yes
terday, and the Fourth had at least popular recog
milton, if nothing else. The most indifferent OBJ
of the condition of the Thursday
night could not have failed to notice the blood red
ness of the moon-so very red, indeed as to make
the superstitous shudder. while the philosophical
simply predicted day of terrific heat. Promptly
at twelve O'Clock unearthly choral sprang
from the tongues of bells and the lips of whistles
along the harbor front and up the river lines. 1t
the formal recognition Of the arrival of the
day, and for the space OF five minutes there was
very decidedly not "silence in the heavens" At
sunrise the national flag flung to the air there
was no breezel from the mast of every vessel and
the staff of every fort. and the proper salute
fired from hundred guns at Hamilton. Ricn
mond, Schuyler and the vessels OF war now
anchored i'll the stream Furtively. as it were.
the occasional small boy discharged his can
in the back yard. Now and then some particu-
larly daring youth fred of pistol. The feeble
ports OF mild orpedoes seemed to mock the contrast
between the peace the day and the boisterousness
of its predecessors. Once in great while the meas
ured cadence of the police tramp was interrupted
the well developed ear of vigilant officer caught
the sharp and decisive snap os Chinese cracker but
Notwithstanding these occasional Interruptions the
day devoid of explosive incident and passed
quietly into history unhonored and almost unsung.
EARLY MORNING.
While yet the day was young children gathered in
the streets with trumpets brass horns and miniature
drums, with which they essayed the noisy celebra-
ton sf which the elder Adams wrote so feelingy
and loped much Whatever their parents and
the insurance people may have thought, there
was but one sentiment among the children
aud that was unmitigated disgust and dsap-
prova of the Mayor and the ordinances. AS the
day wore on hacks and cabs were driven rapidly
through the streets, and express wagons laden with
trunks rumbled heavily toward the depots. All
along the river fronts steamboat and barge men
were busy. Preparations making fer the ex-
cursons of the day. of which were to start as
early eight o'clock. The residents the Heights
across the East River We're startled about seven
o'clock by shril series of pipings which finally
assumed form and perpetuated themselves in
echoes along the shores. They from the Cen
tennial organ and the calliope upon which experts
rang the changes of patriotism by steam through
the media OF Hail, Columbia" Yankee Doodle"
"Old Hundred" and the ''Bobtaed Nag
The literal absence of military parade and
luent lack OF attracting centres kept the city free
from rough excited crowds. The hot, hot sun
blazed upon the pavement and pushed mercury far
up in the thermometer. Business on the elevated
roads pressing and enormous, and patronage
on the morse car lines vastly
of that of other days. 1t seemed as il
every was on the move, there was
nothing the street to see the people turned out
by tens of thousands to nothing. Many wan
dered aimlessy along the avenues. Many walked
straight TO the saloon and called for beer 1t
would be difficult to estimate the throngs Central
Park. Although the regular drivers conspicu-
GUS by their absence at certain hours of the day the
drives were as fun as ever majority OF the
equpagcs livery carriages and most all of them
went out on the bouevards beyond In the Park all
the popular resorts were overcrowded. Hundreds
of people waited hours for a chance to get a bite in
the Mount st. Vincent. while the Mall Carrousel,
Glen, Casino and lakes were thronged continually.
The Park policemen had their hands full of lost
tempted by the sight rabbits ears. longed to grab
him by the tail.
FEATURES THE DAY
human features or their exodus from home There
never was such moving day in the history of New
York. No lst of May on record be fsirly CON-
pared to il. 1t would be mistake to think
that the rich and well to do of the city
alone in their excursions for although
there was general stir the ave-
nues and in the better grades of street.
the tenement houses also poured forth their quota
and sweed the professions that hurried to the
dcpos and the piers. The ferry houses were ked
The long wharves whence depart the Long Branch.
Coney Island and Rockaway regular liners were
black with impatient thrones. AS fast boat
loaded another took its place. and still the rush
eleven boats for the three great packed
and the Plymouth Rock was absolutely dense with
passengers g" route for Rockaway and the Coney
island pier.
would impossible to invest the passage of the
day IN the city with an iota of interest. As q
curiosity the non-celeoraton immense; but
OF the hundred and odd anniversaries Of the In
depence Declaration, II was in every phase fzzle
and failure. company OF colorcd soldiers assem-
bled III Prince street at haf-past eight A. NJ; but
they declined to give the metropolis the benefit
OF their display They marched direct 10 tho Ho-
bokcn ferry and thence the Elysiap Fields bevond
where hrst class anger successfully tantalized q
very handsome target in red. white and blue.