New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-25
TIE DAY CELEBRATION.

q GLANCE AT THE GENERAL FEATURES
New-York participated yesterday heartily and
warmly in the celebration OF the opening ol INC
rr,at Bridge but it was BrOoklyn's holiday. Inc
spirt of festlvity most enthusiastic III Us
EXPRESSION and most general in It's distribution al
+be other end of the Bridge. Trade traffic and
manufacture here seemed for a while TO begrud%e
the time that was to be spent but the power
of a popular rejoicing asserted itself as inc day
wore away, and when the moving crowds, inc
marching and the music came in the afternoon
New-York too, suspended selfish pursuits IN great
degree and abandoned itself to the
merrymaking The weather could not
have been better for the occasion than
twas "Of course" said an enthusiastic English
man. Its always fine weather on the Queens
birthdav" If meteorological observations have
established this fact, even the lrshmen
who cnioyed the sights of the day might
commend the Bridge Trustees for seizinS uron an
assured thing, instead of running risk. For what
Is their disappointment TO the qualification and
happiness Of the multitudef
The sun rose in the morning in sky sailing
full of light. fl eecy clouds that did not
obstruct his light, but tempered his
glare and heat Early in the forenoon there were
occasional indications of possibility of ram, but
they had disappeared before ard perfect day
had become assured. brisk breeze cOntnbntedlGa a
twofold measure to the good fortunes OF the fest-
val Thousands of bits of bunting were whisked by it
into pretty shapes and effective combinations and
hundreds of great banners were helped
by 1t TO exhibit all their proud
dignity OF stars and stripes. Thus did
the breeze contribute TO the spectacle, while at tie
same time it performed the frlendlcst of offices to
the citizen soldiers who made so popular a feature
of the show, by robbng their march of four
L., fol f1o lint pI
belted and crossbe.ted coats of what
Is frequently great discomfort. The
wind threw life into the surface of the river and
bay tOo and all day long sent little sail-boats and
larger yachts scuddng through the water under the
great structure that never seemed so significant as
then. though it long agp became a familiar sight.
Nature was kind in the elements She provided for
the festiyity and the Bridge Trustees were gener-
Gus in securing features that were calculated to
provoke the maximum of public interest and
curiosity. The President of the United
States, the Governor of the state, the Mayor
and other municipal dlgnitarlcs, with an
escort of beautifully uniformed soldiers,
were ali 10 be seen for the looking Brooklyn and
New-York In the river between the cities in fun
view of hundred piers and wharves. lay fee
OF Wal vessels headed by the flag ship OF the North
Atlantic squadron, hundred gay signals lutterng
from stem to stern on every vessel Some
favored thousands Witnessed the ceremonies attend
ing the presentation OF the Bridge 10 the cities
some more favored hundreds Of thousands spent the
time imbibing the spirit of festivity from the
scenes In the streets on the Bridge and IN the river
and bay.
In the matter of decorations Brooklyn
far eclipsed NewYork. Here the decorations, except
in the ase of few buildings near the Bridge we're
confined chiefly to flags ami banners Across the
rose Fulton-st never looked gay before.
Thousands of yards of bunting fcstooncd
tie houses both sides; pictures OF the engineers
and trustees of the Bridge looked down upon the
multitude that paraded from the City Hall to the
Bridge and desoarng efforts were made
10 give expression to the general glad
ness and universal gratitude i'll printers
ink, notices and burning gasjets From noon
till late at night the streets of both cities were
filed with sight-Seers. In Brooklyn busi-
ness was generally suspended and every
body culled out holiday; in New-York
a great many houses especially in the downtown
district, closed their doors in the afternoon and
gave their employees chance to enjoy the day.
From the towns up the Hudson. from the cities
and villages of New-Jersey and es-
pecially from the little haInlets OF
Long Island thousands of visitors ilocked into the
two cities. They crossed and recrossed the river
and crowded the ferryboats and elevated raj way
AMI street cars until tmid people grew frightened
They swarmed through the streets all day ana
waited by thousands until after midnight that
they might enjoy the sensation of walking over the
Bridge.
The Presidential party escorted from the |
Fifth Avenue Hotel to the Bridge by the 7th Regi-
ment the line of march being packed with |
people. They walked over the Bridge to he vel
coined on the other side by the authorities of
Brooklyn; city full Of men and women watched |
their progress the Bridge from the housetops IN
the vicinity and from a fleet of steamboats, and
sells in the river. In Brooklyn it hours |
Journey from Fulton Ferry to the City Hall
here 1t almost long a Journey from
broadway TO Fulton Ferry. The wharves and ship
ping IN the East River were fringed with people.
wafehousemen sold the privilege Of occupying
Yeats on wharves and turne dapretty penny. IL was |