The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-05-25
THE GREAT BRIDGE
Opening Ceremonies in Brooklyn
and New York.
The Two Cities Decorated with Banners
and Flowers.
Orations by Hon. Abram S. Hewitt
and Rev. DR.. Storrs.

NEW YORK, May 24.-Today was gala day
| in Brooklyn. Throughout the city there
| appeared to be general surrender OF business
| TO sightseeing and celebration one way or AN
| other. The streets we're decked with flags,
bunting and flowers. Pablo buildings pri-
vate houses, street cars, wagons and trucks
| flew colors of all nations in honor of the OPEN
| ing OF the bridge. Vendors of bridge souven-
| irs were about in hundreds and found ready
sale for ther,wares The decoration Of the
| Academy OF Music occupied the attention OF a
small army Of men, being prepared for the re-
ception today. All through Columbia Heights
and the streets opening into that fashionable
| neighborhood decorations were very general
aud the effect was handsome. The houses of
| Col. ERoebling, the Echief engineer OF the
| bridge, aud Mayor Low, Brooklyn, were deck
| ed with flowers and bunting and coats Of arms
of New York and Brooklyn.
From the tower Of the bridge the national
llss MAxsa Msh ms S asn s V sns river was
From early in the morning crowds began TO
gather at the end where the speech making
was TO take place. In the harbor flags flew
a row off Governors Island flying the national
colors. The navy yard and all the ships along
the New York and Brooklyn water front We're
decked with bunting
In New York also business was partly sug-
pended today. Most dowA town exchanges
closed at noon and many business places sus-
pended work for the afternoon Flags flew on
the municipal and other buildings, and decorG-
tions were general. Crowds began TO gather
early and awaited with great patience the ar
rival of the procession and the beginning of
the ceremonies. Nearly all the vehicles ex
cept street cars were prevented from passing
below the streets near the bridge from an early
hour, and at poon the street cars were stopped.
In Brooklyn the decorations for the Acade-
my of Music, where the evening services were
be held, are complete Stretching across the
proscenium tops IS gigantic painting OF New
York and Brooklyn on either side; and beneath
this, in letters Of flame, viii be the Brooklyn
motto in the old Dutch character, Een
Draght Macket Maght," Union Is Strength)
Above the boxes on the left is shield OF the
stars and stripes, with the initial IA for Ar
thur, and on the opposite side IS shield with
the New York State arms, aad the letter &c"
for Cleveland. Around the front OF the gal
lery and balcony runs the legend, "Welcome
TO our President and our Governor
The Seventh Regiment detailed as military
escort, marched TO the Fifth Avenue hotel, the
Presidents quarters, where il was drawn up.
The sidewalks along the route were lined with
people On Madison Square 1t was estimated
there were 10000 people gathered
The President and invited guests occupied
carriages In the first carriage sat President
Arthur and Mayor Edison. In other carriages
were Secretaries Frelinghuysen and Folger,
Postmaster General Gresham, Secretary
Chandler, Attorney General Brew ster, Mar
shal MeMichael Of the District Of Columbia,
Allan Arthur, L. j. Phillips, Surrogate Rol-
Inns, Governor Cleveland, Governor Ludlow of
New Jersey, Governor Fairbanks of Vermont,
General Slocum, Governor Littlefield of Rhode
Island, the staff Of Governor Cleveland, Gen.
eral Carr and staff, Collector Robertson, Con
gresham Cox, 'Hon. William Window and
ex-Speaker Keller, State Senators and Peru
Wan minister, other guests falling into line and
taking carriages assigned to them. When the
carriages passed the Seventh regiment it galn-
ted aud marched to City Hall Park where the
members of the common council received the
President.
After the President reached the City Hall
the President and cabinet and other gentle
men riding in the procession alighted from
carriages at city hall and joined by the heads
of departments of the city marched from the
city hall park TO the bridge, President Arthur
walking arm in arm with the Mayor. The
procession OF Brooklyn officials and trustees
headed by the 25d regiment left city hallssst
half past twelve and arrived at one o'clock at
Sands street station. The regimen passed up
on the anchorage where Ii took up its position.
Mrs. RQebling, wife of the invalid chief engi-
neer and her party, arrived afterwards In 20
carriages, and at half past one O'Clock Bishop
Littleiohn and his assistant in their robes Of
Office A way was made for them with great
difficulty through the crowd that already filled
every foot of space in the station a salute
announcing the Presidents arrival at the New
York tower was fired by war vessels in the
2.16 p. m. the yards Of the men-of-wsr were
manned, and fifteen minutes later cannonading
from Fort Green and Williamsburg announced
the arrival OF the procession at the Brooklyn
tower where Mayor Low received it.
The President and his Cabinet was met on
the bridge by the Twenty-third Regiment Of
Brooklyn and escorted to the place set apart
for them. On the platform were seated Bsh-
op Littleiohn and Rev. George X. Wander
water in their clerical robes. Gen. L. Chris
81 II nfergaf AfauC
Schroeder, Howell, Booth, Hunter and Lam
bert, members of the Brooklyn Common
Council and United States naval officers and
officers Of the First and Fifth Artillery.
The proceedings we're opened by Mr.. S. j.
I. StranLan introducing Right. Rev. Bishop
Littleiohn, who, assisted by Rev. Mr.. Vande-
water, read the collects OF the Episcopal ser
vice andoffered up prayer
Then William q. Kinslev arose and on be-
half of the trustees delivered the presentation
address.
Mayor Low of Brooklyn, accepted the bridge
on the part of the city, in few happy re-
marks.
At the conclusion of Mayor Lows address
Mayor Edison Of New York in a brief speech
accepted the bridge on behalf OF the city.
Hon. Abram s. Hewitt then delivered the
grafton.
GRAFTON OF HON ABRAM s. HEWITT.
After remarking that two hundred and sew
enty years ago the bnrning OF the ship Tiger,
at the south end Of Manhattan Island. forced
her crew into winter quarters and resulted IN
the building Of the first house on the land
where New York now stands, Mr.. Hewitt
contrasted that scene with the scene Of today,
and asked If there could be a more astounding
exhibition Of the power OF man to change the
face OF nature. Referring to the bridge, hs
said that % an had indeed wrought far more
taan strikes the eye in this daring undertak-
ing, which, by the general Judgment OF engi-
neers, stands today without rival among the
wonders OF human skill. 1t is not the work
OF any one man or any one age Ii is the re-
suit of the study OF the experience and OF the
knowledge OF many men 10 many ages. IL II
not merely creation; IL is growth. IL stands
before us today as the sum and epitome OF hn-
man knowledge; as the very heir OF the ages;
as the latest glory Of centuries OF patient OBJ
| servation, profound study and accumulated
| skill, gained, step by step, In the reverend
| ing struggle of man to subdue The forces of
| nature to bis control and use.
But the bridge is more than an embodiment
| Of the scientific knowledge of physical laws or
| a symbol OF social tenfencies. IL is eqnally q
| monument TO the moral qualities OF the human
| soul. 1t could never have been built by mere
knowledge and scientific skill alone. II re-
| qaired, In addition, the infinite patience and
| unwearied courage by which great results are
| achieved. Itdemauded the endurance Of heat
and cold. and physical Distress It's oonstruc-
| tors have had 10 face death IN its most repnl-
sye form. Death, indeed, was the fate Of its
| great protector, and dread disease bhe heritage
| OF the greater engineer, who has brought 10 to
| completion. The faith of the saint and the
| courage OF the hero have been combined In the
conception, the design and the execution of
| this work.
| Let us then record the names Of the engin-
| eers and foreman who have thus made hui
| manity itself their debtor, for the successful
| achievement which is not the resalt Of accident
| or of chance, bat Is the fruit OF design, and OF
the conservation Of all personal interest to tte
| public veal. They are: John A. Roebling,
who conceived the project and formulated the
plan Of the bridge; Washington A. Roebing,
| who, inheritng his fathers genius, and more
than bis fathers knowledge and skill. has di-
| rected the execution Of this great work from
| lis inception to its completion; aided in the
several departments by Charles g. Martin,
| Francis Collingwood, VIM. II. Payne George
| w. McNulty, Wilhelm Hilderbrsnd, Samuel
| II. Probasco and E. II. Harrington, Arthur V.
Abbott, VIM. Wander Bosch, Charles Young
and Harry Tupple, who in apparently subor-
dnate positions, have shown themselves pecul-
iarly fitted TO command, because they have
| known how to serve.
But the record would not be complete with
out reference 10 the unnamed men by whose
unflinchng courage, IN the depths of the Gals
sons, and upon the suspended wires, the
| xunrir utao carrfad IN amid Etortna and acct