Daily globe., 1883-05-25
THE EIGHTH WONDER
Formal Opening of the Great Brooklyn
Br1dge-An Immense Concourse of Peo-
pie Present.

Formal Opening Of the Great Brooklyn
Br1dge-An Immense Concourse of Peo-
pie Present.
New YORK, May 24.-To-day was gala
day in Brooklyn: throughout the city there
appeared to be a general surrender of
business to sight seeing and celebration.
The main business avenues, the Heights
and many streets clear out into the sub
urbs were decked most gaily with flags
and bunting and flowers for the bridal with
the city, over the river. Public buildings,
private houses, fstreet cars, wagons, and
trucks fly the colors of all nations in honor
of the opening of the big bridge, On
every hand preparations are being made
for grand illumination tonight. Great
satisfaction is expressed by the people of
Brooklyn at the completion of the work
of which so much is expected for their
. city.
/ The venders of bridge souvenirs we're
about in hundreds, and found ready sale
! for their wares. Enterprising merchants
,, took the opportunity of advertising their
wares on the backs of pictures Of the
! Brooklyn bridge. Fulton street, from the
furthest end to the river front, was gay
with colors. The decoration of the acad-
envy of music occupies small army of
men, and is being prepared for the recep
tion tonight. All through Columbia
Heights and the street opening into that
fashionable neighborhood decoration very
general and the effect handsome.
The house of Col. Roebling, chief engi-
neer of the bridge, and Mayor Low, of
Brooklyn are decked with flowers and
bunting and the coat of arms of the
cities of New York and Brooklyn. The in
valid engineer will receive the president
and mayor, and in the evening, for a brief
hour the public. The colonel is feeling
better to-day, but too weak to leave the
| house and share in the ceremonies atlarge.
From the towers of the great bridge ma
tional flags wave, and the span across the
river is dotted with flags from one end to
the other. From early morning crowds
began to gather at the end where speech
making takes place. In the harbor
flags flew from all shipping.
The war vessels, the Tepnessee.
Vandalia, Kearsarge, and Yantic, lie in a
row off Governors island, flying the ma
tional colors. The navy yards and all ships
along the New York and Brooklyn water
front are decked with bunting. In New
York business is suspended. Most of the
exchanges closed at noon and many busi-
ness places suspended work for the after
noon. Flags flew from the municipal
and other buildings in the city hall park,
from business places along Broadway and
other streets, and from many private resi-
dences. Houses along the route of pro-
cession are decked with colors. At the
| New York end of the bridge workmen have
been busy ell morning putting the finish
ing touches to othe decorations.
| The picket fence in front of the bridge
had been removed and strongsfOrce of po
liceIguarded the approaches sThe crowd bes
gan to gather early and waited with great
patience the arrival of the procession and
the beginning of the ceremonies. Nearly
all vehicles except street cars were pre-
vented from passing below the streets
near the bridge from an early hour in the
morning, and at noon the street cars were
stopped.
1.-THE Seventh regiment, N.G.S, New
| York, Col. Emmens CLARK commanding,
| detailed as military escort for the occa-
| sion, as embed at the army this morning
in full uniform. A guard of twenty was de-
tailed to march on either side of the presi-
dents carriage. The command marched
down Park and Fifth avenues to Fifth av-
enue hotel, the presidents quarters, where
| it was drawn up. The sidewalks along the
route were lined with people. On Madi-
son square it was estimated that 10000
| people were gathered. The president and
invited guests occupied carriages which
were drawn up in a line on the south side
of the hotel. In the first carriage sat
| President Arthur and Mayor Edison, in
other carriages, Secretaries Frelinghuysen
and Folger, Postmaster General
Gresham, Secretary Chandler, At
torney General Brewster, Marshal Nc
Michael, District of Columbia; Allen Ar
thur. 7. J. Phillips, Surrogate Rollins,
Governor Cleveland, Governor Ludlow,
New Jersey; Governor Fairbanks, Vermont;
Generals Stryker ard Slocum, Governor
Littlefeld, Rhode Island, staff, Governor
Cleveland, General Carr and staff, Collector
Robertson, Congressman Cox, Hon. W.
| Window and Speaker Keifer, state senator's
and the Peruvian minister. A committee
representing the Brooklyn bridge trustees
escorted the president and cabinet to car
riages. When the carriages passed the
Seventh regiment the command presented
arms. The military then broke into COL
umn and marched down Fifth avenue and
Broadway to the city hall park, where
members of the common council received
the president and cabinet.
The procession of Brooklyn officials and
trustees, escorted by the Twenty third reg
iment arrived at the station at l o'clock.
The regiment passed up on the anchorage,
where 1t took up position. Mrs. Roebling,
wife of the Invalid chief engineer, and her
party arrived afterwards in twenty-five
carriages, and at 1901 Bishop Littlejohn
and his assistant in their robes. Way was
made for them with great difficulty
through the crowd that already filled every
foot of space in the station. Hundreds
were turned away without getting seats.
A salute, announcing that the priests had
arrived at New York tower, was fred
by war vessels in the harbor, and forts. At
PIG p. m. the yards of the men of war
were manned. Fifteen minutes later can
nonading from Fort Green and the navy
yardl announced the arrival of the process
sion at Brooklyn tower, where Mayor
Lowe received it. On account of the great
crowd, much difficulty was experienced by
the mayors and officials in obtaining pas
sage way to the platform. At the conclu-
sion of prayer by Bishop Littleiohn, ]. S.
| F. Stranahan who presided. successiyely