The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-12-07
THE WATER PROCESSION.


The shipping along the docks of the North
and East rivers made an excellent display of
the colors of various countries, and the three
United States vessels in the stream were
decorated from stem to stern. As one looked
southwark over the heads of a mass of people
that lined the Battery walls, Governors and
Bedloe's islands could be dimly seen through
the thick fog that covered the river. Crafts
of many kinds, gayly adorned with bunting,
darted out of the fog Unexpectedly, and then
as suddenly disappeared again. They were all
steam propelling vessels, ranging in size
from the tiny tug to the large steamer.
Moored to the dock at Castle Garden
lay, the steamers John I. Moore and
decked with Tapping squares of red
white and blue. Groups of well-dressed men
and women hustled on board of them. and at
10 o'clock they steamed slowly out into the
river. AS the morning advanced, the river
seemed to be alive, resembling a moving
bridge of boats. Every bow pointing out
ward, and the crafts were proceeding with
all degrees of speed toward Bedloe's island,
the appointed rendezvous. At abodt half
past 10 O'Clock the steamer Sam
Sloan, having on board John II. Starin, the
admiral of the fleet, forged away from the
others, and stood out i'll the river with her
Prov pointing n%orthwdrd. A few minutes
later a small tug. with an immense flag fly
ing from its stern, took a position in front of
the Sloan. This wa; the flagship, F.
~ ~ b. - pun u ShAOhNs INV
and denser than the. fog. shot out
from the deck, and served as the signal for
the parade to start up the North river. Tug
boat after tug boat fell into line. until a dozen
were in motion. After these were a few steam
boats, which completed the first squadron.
There were eight other squadronS, COM
prising hundreds of tugs and steamers of all
sizes, many of them decorated from bow to
stern, and presenting an animated and pic
threuaph t6 SPpea MateI in as st6 5hteiE a gl,qed
Soon the three United States men-of-war,
Trenton, Vandalia and Tennessee, were
reached, and near them lay the
revenue cutter General Grant. The
men-of-war. were dressed in bunting,
spread in what is known as rainbow fashion,
from the taffrail up over the trucks of the
masts, down the fore-royal stay, and ending
in a line of flags falling from the bowsprit to
the water. The cutter had flags running
from trucks to rails. All were crowded with
Beyond them lay the feet which was to pa
rade, stretching away to the south as far
as the eye cou u reach in the navy atmos-
phere. The Sam Sloan came about, hea led
to the north. and fired the first gun at 10:0S.
All around lay coasters and ocean ships.
many of them gaily decked out. The Ger
man ship Hedwig was a picture with her eX-
tensive array of flags. After the gun was
fired the small, but very pretty steam yacht
Cadet was sent down the line to start the fleet
III lllpllpu. Al lO.-f dlOUncT gun was lTtl
and the Sam Sloan started up the North
river, the energetic brass band in her bow
playing Hail Columbia with all their hearts
and lungs. The d. K. Martin, the upper works
of which were shrouded in pendants and ma
tional colors, came steaming a Ter. Behind
her was a big tug dressed in her holiday at
tire. Then followed q long array of tugs,
steamboats,, steam lighters and Other smaller
craft, all covered with fags. and pouring
forth volumes of steam. Each gave two
or three preliminary toots to tune up their
whistles as they started. The parade
proceeded up the north river as far as Sixty
fifth street and then turned back. At
twelve O'Clock, as the fleet sailed Town the
North river, the Sloan gave the signal for
the grand whistle. Then the Steamboat
men "opened her up" and all the outporings
of noise which had gone before
when compared to this outburst, were
as the ''murmur of n meadow brook
to the Wild tumult of a mountain Storm
Men with weak nerves held their fingers in
their ears. while Others we're brtathless with
pier a small gun added to the uproar AMI
the SCANS howitler banged away as
fast as it could he loaded. Blu the grandest
salutes were yet to come. When the Sloan
steamed by the Tennessee the ports of the
war-ship were seeI to be open. In another
moment a sheet of bright rcd flame shot
out and a laundering report rang across the
harbor. In a second the Vandalia had fired
and the Trenton followed. For several min
utes the believing of their guns was heard
and the three vessels were hidden III the
smoke. Then the procession headed up the
East river, while the guns of Castle William
were fired. Ferry bells and ship bells were
ung AMI every available steam whistle was
blown, ever the ferTy-boats stopping in mid
river to take a blow. Nearly every vessel
on the East river front was dressed in flags,
the display on the tall spars of the John r.
Kelly, the largest sailing craft afloat, being
particularly well exhibited. Guns were fired
from several piers, the elevator Manhattan
being especially energetic in the manipula-
ton of a small ear-splitting gun. The crowd
on the big bridge paused and gazed down as
the screeching feet steamed under the span.
The fleet sailed up the East river as far as
Twenty-third street, and turned and went
down the bay to Bay Ridge, where it dis
persed. About 300 vessels were in line.
UNWILLING OF WASEHINGTON,S