New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-02
AFTER TWO CENTURIES.
RICHMOND coUNTYs CELEBRATION.
FLAGS FIREWORKS, CANNON AND PROCESSION
GEORGE WILLIAM CURrIs's SPEECH.

The bi-centennial of Richmond County was
celebrated yesterday with professions and speeches. anu
with fireworks and the booming Of cannon II was aay
of triumph for Staten and the inhabitants Thereon
devoted themselves heart and soul to historical rem
scepce and modern jol1cation. Hundreds OF ags noa
in the cool breezes along the shore and waved ABOVE ~
bright autumnal woods that clothed the hills Anchored
of stapeton was the United States snip Nandana gaS'
decorated with flags and streamers and when the process
i ~ l d,, reached stapleton q salute was fired from
the ship
All the morning there a gathering OF the clans j"
Elm Park Port Richmond Fire companies and military
organizations bands and baseball elubs' ihNiieu s"o9'
in open carriages and giteItng ana resplehueht ln
shas on horseback poured in sparkling stream 10 %
rendezvous At noon the procession started ana "ou"
its WAY along tho roads tho hills and by the shoes
a differing serpent four miles long There was car
Allied with ollegorical figures presided over by the dou
dess of Liberty detachment OF the Grand Army Oh ho
Replblic; fre-engines wreathed III MOWERS anu hoo"
and ladder trucks gay with bunting great 'aioy y
societies walked I'm line and with their bright uh'oi
and regalia helped to make up the picture 1heie was
tho ,cbt battery from Fort Hamilton and there were
twelve men the largest to be found on the South shoe'
ressed as noneers Conspicuous also in the procession
was counterfeit prcscntment OF t1be OF those Peoi
who are spoken Of in the early Ncw-Engahd eioi'oi
ne We domncd salvage" In their feathers anu wa
no,t Tho proccs.Ion proceeded along the Shore roah
In
Here on the low auvia land near the shore had pe''
erected tent and in IT, when the procession had peeu
dismissed were delivered the speeches OF The day III
f. Clark presided. After prayer by inc Kew III
Brownec Erasus Brooks read an historical address TIC
detailed the history of the island from the time OF us 't
Element and was listened to win Close nlItltoh Io
oarr an hour and three quarters. Perry Belmont was
then introduced He said that he was III ana hnl ac az
mi = a surcoh He came there because ne cohsldcTed
he drtv IN he present ard TO show the gratitude Wcn
he felt for tue iriendlness Of the people VI
| County. Algernon = sullivan ana ho"'' d '''''1'
| also made short addresses II, 49,, ,,o VIII
IL was now considerably after dark ana George WI,
lam Curtis vino had prepared oriton, old the CON
Initcc that It 20 lao he Eond mol Keep inc goP
standing any longer nv ,bc tn essbcr AN ngbt if they
might hear the silvertongnCd orator, 1" trS r.,
loud cries OF Curtis; Curtis fihaV MI 'uu' "'O''
| and spokei in part as follows; a., ..,-.t,,. ,-o.
The last document penned by British authority wa
Va,ni,1,ionarv War was directed AT shores. ina
-ho, was our beuedicton To day has Drcn naP9 va!
f staten Island and the great work has been wei done
1 I, NV, rraeT work before Ms. Situated slater
Island IL with IL, shores washed by the waves anu NV ~
hy The hcalthful breezcs of the with It's WOodc,
tifs md rs pleasant valleys ana near to the grea
tity of New York, would suppose INV ~. ~
Djcos would have been reclaimed, it, amps hed W
aud it, hllsdcs covered with prosperous ana udpI?
homes But with everything IN Nature ~ i"f ~ MIL
Henry Hudson first 1t from hr d',k oi tJ a. ii ~,
Nm 4, hat Is The fact Why the chance traveller III u'
Interior OF the island at this day would not 9e I9rlg'
to meet n helatcd sailor from thal SAINT H'l alu. WI,
S,r'" sl,wbcrous spell seems TO have hung over il'
isIml n Eip Van Wrinkle had gone to sleep mere In
stead OF In the Cat,kils he would nave sS'l1' "ur'
he VOC M H. the old place sun In the !,
uotcr parts Of the Island u would not ,c'n ~, lEr 10
] be ,ront,s OF william 81 Orange ana the other Rrca
commanders OF the bygonc time, and 10 see then
shoot Wild turkeys OF The Island ioi tA'I evening
| meal H.. 4. 80 .,.. ~ T.
hut this day T. token that inc Hllinb, .uls -ill y
n,t'U and that we are abort 10 enter into future
,ynrttv of olr beautiful situation aud great opportna
ties When 900 morc yoars shall have passed away Hi'
a.. ntlnuofcd old fos Of to-day are dead ana forgot
fen then viii our Descendants, trust witness the iu
f1,ton Of that future ~ which to-day l. PROMISE ah'
make tIs i-l4ld ~ II deserves Ia be- q precious ato
lei I'm the silver sea- The most Respondent Jewel IN th
| lmrcIin crown Of tie imperial state oi Sew OH
! IL, ma, =. tcuiur there wH- "a display OF Fireworks.