New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-06
THE NATIONS BIRTHDAY.

THE DAY.
The celebration Of independence Day, which
has been long drawn out this year. ended
hastily yesterday afternoon, when heavy
rain began to fall about 3 o'clock. The
observances were generally quiet for the
ordinances against the use OF firearms
and explosives in the city were in force.
Accidents reported were comparatively
few, while probably many smOuldcring fires
were put out and cOnfagratiOns prevented by
the rain. At the dinner of the six veterans
of the War of 1912 Thurlow Weed made a
speech. Other events of the day are given
herewith.
THE DAY IN AND ABOUT THE CITY.
WEARY WORKERS PLEASED WITH A LONG REST -
DECORATIONS ON PRIVATE HOUSES AND PUBLIC
BUuDINGs-DEcKISG OUT THE sHIPPING-CELE-
BRATIONs IN TOWN AND IN THE SUBURBS.
"a double holiday in midsummer-that Is a
break that means rest" said one tred-ooking clerk
TO another as they came out of large wholesale
house in Broadway on Saturday afternoon. lhls
was a sentiment that was echoed in one form or
another by many thousands of weary workeTsr IN
this city on Sunday and yesterday
| The day that was celebrated was more day OF
rest and quiet recreation than of demonstrative
|
Sunday left pleasure-seekers in a condition and
mood for making the most of their chance of enjoy
ment. The cool air and clear sky yesterday morning
| promised another day as perfect There was an
| exodus, therefore. in the morning hours of many
| thousands who had not remained away on the pre-
cedng day, and the streets became more empty and
deserted than is usual even a midsummer sun
day.
The custom Of closing business-places on the
! Fourth of July was more universally OBJ
| served, and those men who had occasion to seek a
| meal at q restaurant eatng-h0use had difficulty
! in finding any open There was little in the way
of noise or explosions to annoy seriously any one
who was at his house or upon the street. The small
boy, and occasionally the large one, found many
ways of breaking with impunity the Aldermen's
commandment: "Thou shalt fire no explosives OF
| frearmsD But much of this done in back
yards and out-of- the-way places to which the
stricest officer did not have easy access. The most
of those who felt that their patriotism must burst
forth in loud explosions found means of getting out
side the city and taking their firearms and explO-
! siyes with them.
The demonstration in the way OF bunting, flags
| and streamers much the samo as on other
| Fourths of July in the last few years. The Centen-
NAL celebrations of 1876 led many private families
| to purchase flags and other National insignia who
otherwise would not have owned them
| SO that since that year every National
celebration has brought out more of these
patriotic emblems than formerly. This was true
Yesterday. Flags hoated before or above many pri-
vate houses, and in some instances there were very
attractive displays National colors were flying on
all prominent buildings, and many business men
| had taken care that an extra show of bunting
should enliyen the fronts of their stores.
GAY BUNTING on THE SHIPPING.
The river fronts and the bay never looked more
picturesque on a National holiday than they did
| Yesterday. The display of bunting exceeded any
thing seen heretofore in the harbor. The shipping
generally was dressed in National ensgns, signal
flags. burgess, and house flags, and the display was
not confined wholly to American vessels Foreign
vessels honOred American patriotism. The receiv-
ing ship Colorado at the Navy Yard, the flagship
| Tennessee and the frigate Powhatan, at anchor in
the North River were gally decorated in ralnbows
of flag from stem to STERN. The French frigate
| Nagcienne and the French ram guubOat DumOnt
dOrvle, lying at anchor oft the Battery, were also
prOfusely decorated with varied cOlOrS of bunting
| with the American flag flying at the main. These
| ships also joined IN firing the National salute at
! noon and with the salutes from the Navy Yard
| the Tennessee and POwhatan, and from Forts Co
lumbus and Hamilton, made the shores reecho. The
excursion boats, the ferry boats and the tug boats
displayed also great amOunt OF bunting. and
| the steamships of Alexandre's, Clydcs, Wards
! (FOmWelS )
| White Star. the National, and other foreign lines,
were elabOrately decked out IN tlags The hose-car
| lines and the locomotive engines OF the elevated
raj rladS were also Urnamented with National cOlOIs.
| The most picturesque of these last was engine No.
10 and its tender, the 1hlrd-aye branch OF the
! elevated road. It was completely covered with
| small American flags and bouquets OF tiOwers.
The venerable and patriotic American ROBERT
| Christian of Castle Garden, not only hoisted over
| the rOtunda large American nag at sunrise. but
also ran up at the peak of The hagp0le long red,
| white and blue stTeamer, TO remind the immigrants
| who landed that they were on the shores of Amer
icas free Republic Fortunately for the officers of
! Castle Garden only one steamship arrived, and
| the employees secured q part holiday with the
exception of Landing Clerk Samuel Hopkins, to
whose lot it fell to remain on duty, with the privi-
| ege of holiday to-day.
The ferIy-boats to Brooklyn and New-Jersey were
densely crowded from morning until night with
! people who unable to enjoy longer excursion
| The best parouzed boats were those OF the staten
| Island Railroad Ferry, which were crowded
| throughout the day. tile number goiAg out on
| Staten island by railroad alone beng 3,02S On
| Sunday there the largest ferry travel ever re-
corded, and yesterday the number was nearly as
! The Battery Park was crowded all day by persons
| who quietly enjoyed the fresh and InvigOrating
sea-breeze which can be obtained there's until tho
rain came up, When 1t began TO sprinkle at o:3o
| D. m the people were driven % shelter under tho
| nand pavilion and the elevated roads.
PLEASED AT The RAIN.
There was one class of business men-the under
writers--whose hearts made glad by the rain
which began to fall about o'clock III the afternoon
and which continued for several hours afterward.
The Fourth of July is always dark day in the cal
epdar of insurance men, and is full of terrible DOssi-
bilites But the hard persistent rain fall yesterday
destroyed their greatest dangerthat OF fires spring
ing from smouldering punk forgotten but glowing
| ire-cIackers. Other persons would probably have
preferred that the showers should have waited until
to-day They drove peasure-seekers from picnic
| grounds and from the beaches and brought
| Thousands of them home many hours
| earlier than they had intended. But
the Americans are very cheerful under such crcum-
| stances and generally find some comfort III their
In IL o.dD ri y