Morning journal and courier., 1883-01-26
Grays, Grand Annual.

AIiIftmry-The Grand Military March
 The Decoration of the Carn Opera
 House.
 The grand promenade concert of the New Haven Grays and Veteran Grays' Battalion last night at Carll's Opera House was one of the most brilliant occasions in the history
 of the company. The hall was finely deco-
 rated Against the facing of the lower gal lery were fine oil portraits of Gen. Merwin, Col. Hendrick, Col. Morgan, in military dress, and of Mayor Lewis, Hon. James M. Townsend and the late Capt. Steele, in civil
 fan dress. At the center of the gallery face were guns crossed over background of the stars and stripes, over which stood an Amer
 ican eagle with wings spread, while undsr- meath depended chandelier wholly of cut glass. Below an American flag was appro-
 priately arranged. On the posts between the galleries hung knapsacks. Canaries sang ! in gilded wire cages which were attached to the pillars supporting the lower gallery. | The stage boxes were finely adorned. A l large crsyon portrait of Gov. Jewell fronted | the upper part of the right hand lower box, \ and in front of it were two more cages of songsters, and at the right hand against the l pillar hung an oil portrait of Corporal Good | win, who lost his life in the service of his ! country. fine oil portrait of the lamented Major Osborn adorned the front of the upper box. and hanging basket of foliage plants was suspended over it, while at the right handsome flag depended from flag
 staff toward the stage Against the left low
 CT box hung 8 fine portrait of ex-Gov. English, and two cages of birds,
 and at the upper box 8 fine oil ! portrait of General Sloat in military uni
 form was displayed, while at the right was 8
 portrait of Brigadier General s. R. Smith,
 and flag hung from the box toward the
 stage and over the box hung hanging bas-
 ket of foliage plants. On the stage much | tasteful establishment was lent to the occa- sion by the military scene presented. In the
 rear of the stage on either side was tent.
 such as used by line officers, each of which ! was fronted with a stack of guns and fanked by brass field piece, which came from General Russelrs. These with knapsacks tastefully arranged and military trappings \ gave military background to the rear of the stage. Here, fanked by the guns and field pieces and tents, sat the orchestra, twenty pieces, George Robinson leader and musical director. The scene on the stage was beauti- fully diversified by large pots of foliage | plants arranged on either side of the stage and in front of the boxes, furnished for the occasion by Dickerman, who personally su- | perintended this department. Palms and dracenas predominated in this display. The fine effect of these decorations was greatly heightened by brilliant array of festooning l in red, white and blue from the proscenium
 arch to the upper gallery front; and by an ! important new addition to the equipment of
 the opera house, just completed and used the first time on this occasion. MT. Carll visited
 New York few weeks ago, not finding what
 he wanted in this city, and engaged the ser-
 vices of number of New York plumbers, who
 were two weeks in preparing it. The new
 affair is of gas piping, mammoth circles or
 rings, one above the other at regular inter-
 each studded with gas burners and the
 whole surmounted by pIanished
 reflector, adding much to the brilliancy o1
 the many lights. There are between 200 and
 300 burners in all. The lower ring is over
 60 feet in circumference and the upper ones
 are 36, 24 and 16 feet respectively in cireum-
 ference. The reflector is IS feet in circum- ference The upright shaft on which the circles were depended is GO feet in height, | being securely fastened in the roof timbers. ! Facing this array of gas jets and suspended
 likewise over the stage was s1816-1ss3" in | gas jets with an arch ttGrays' be- l-tween the dates This extra lighting ar.
 rangement, together with the regular burn.
 CTS, the sunlight cut glass refectors in the ceiling oyer the galleries and the extra glass NaITo 1alfG fha a41f 3 Capt. Arnold, Lieutenant Lee and O. 0. Ford , with efficient aid, were indefatigable in pro : tsviding for and arranging the decorating, and the work was pushed forward with great en 3 ergy. The stage, as usual on such occasions was heightened out, covering the parquette . The seats in the upper gallery were nearly
 every one secured several days in advance. The concert opened at about 9 o'clock and the grand march occurred at about 9:45, led by Captain and Mrs. Arnold. The music by Wheeler & Wilson's band, twenty pieces, and
 the orchestra, twenty pieces, was very fine
 At about 1O:3O finely framed and engrosse6
 set of resolutions, Aanked by six pictures was brought upon the stage. It was pre- scented to the Grays by the Washington Con tinentals, of Albany, who were guests of the
 Grays last fall, through committee of the , Continentals who were present, viz, Colone s. P. Corlin, Major H. P. Stackpole and Corporal 0. E. Read. Colonel Corlin made . the presentation speech, acknowledging tht ] courtesy and attentions extended . by the G5ays . to the Cont oGntinentals ali; 3 perpetual friendship between the two com ]. I mands. Capt Arnold very appropriately re , piled, accepting the handsome gift and ex
 pressing the hope that the Grays would b.
 able to accept an invitation to visit Albany
 this year as the guests of the Oontinentals.
 At about Il o'clock the grand military march occurred, led by Gov. Waller and : Capt. Arnold, the Grays, Gin uniform, th' Actives in their gray, the Veterans in theil > blue, each escorting guest Among those
 in the march were State Officers Gov. Waller
 Lieut.. Gov. Sumner, Gen. F. D. Sloat
 town. The members of Gov. Wal
 ler's staff. viz, Adj. Gen. Couch : Assistant Adjutant General Sweeney, Guar
 termaster General McManus, Assistant Guar
 termaster General Woodbridge, Surgeon General Bissell, Messrs. Colt and Meacham
 and Colonels N. G. Osborn. George D. Post
 W. N. Woodbridge, l.. H. Heery; also Col onel Graham of the Second, Major H. H
 Strong, Leutenants Blakeslee and Hall
 Quartermaster l. W. Hine and Sergeant Lud
 dington of the Horse Guard, Chaplain Tough ton of the Second, also members of the Hartford Foot Guard and c. N. G.. members l from different parts of the State; also mem bers of the colored battalion. Among Veteran Grays present were Mayor Lewis. Gen. Mer win, Lieuts. Dewell, Newcomb M. Bassett F. Bowman, Peck Sperry, Tracy B. Warren, 3 (of Bridgeport 8. Darlington, Loren Stan nard, H. N. Whittelsey, jr. Gen. ". H. Russell was among the prominent visitors
 There were many fine toilets to be seen ir the gay throng of dancers. The boxes were
 occupied by Gov. Waller and staff, Mir. Carll, Gen. Merwin, R. Mallory, F. Bowman and Capt. Arnold and Meuts. Howarth and Lee of the Grays. The refreshments were
 served in the library by Diebel A number , of the officers and members, of the Old ] Guard, New York, were to attend, but one oi
 their officers died yesterday and telegram
 was sent to Capt. Arnold
 The evenings programme was as follows SELECTIONS.
 l. March, 1.-The Ambassadors" Reeves ! 2. Overture .Egmont, -Beethoven
 8. Selection, sIolanLhes Sullivan ! ORDER DANCING.
 Il P0Gt1Il1on. ss.. .A1uLh'
 l. Lanciers, ''Black -Boettger The Palms. -.faure
 2. Waltz, "Womens Love, .Farbach Patience. ......... -SzInVan
 3. LAnciers, ''Ioianthe. Sullivan II IraFlAba.. -Oon1zett1
 4. Galop, ''He1gh-Hos Me1ngarten Merry War. .StEauss