New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-25
DAY SCENES ALONG THE RIVER.

| by her son. The chlef engineer was uuaoio " AZ
tend the exercises but watched the crossing OF the
Bridge from his window.
DAY SCENES ALONG THE RIVER.
Along the water fronts business was partially sus-
pended and crowds Of sailors, 'longshoremen and
citizens gener lily lOungcd in the sun or walked idly
along looking at the decorations and chatting
From nearly every building that faced the piers
flags and other bunting were displayed fresh
breeze blew up from the ocean and fluttered the
flags, and the bright sunlight shone
over all. Along tho piers the hundreds of
ships from every land lay with their spars upfted
like crosses bf peaceable crusade, and nearly
every one vas gay with profusiOn of bunting.
Each vesse carried her national ensign at the peak
and had her rigging decorated with flags of othor
nations and her signals. The most prominent flag
was that Of the stars and stripes for every Amer
lean vessel from flagship to tug boat, carried one
or more. Next IN point of numbers came
the British flag Haunting insolently IN the face of
ODonovan Rosa. Beside these were the white
cross of Sweden. the tricOOr of France, the rcd
White and black of Germany the red, white and
green of Italy, and nearly every other standard
which winds ever waved or sun shone upon.
Along the North River the great steamships were
covered with thousands Of fluttering streamers and
asSs which almost concealed their masts
and rigging. At the Brooklyn wharves
where the hugo storohouscs, with the bales
and barrels of the merchandise of two worlds
locked in their bosoms, frowned on tho blue river
sparkling in the sun as If they disapproved of the
whole proceedings. lay many of those ungainlY
ships of iron called ocean tramps. These vessels
throw out few pieces of bunting, but were not as a
rule very deliberately decorated SOuthst., from
the Battery up to the Bridge. was thronged with
people all the afternoon and the shipping along
hero was the finest display of bunting.
1t was as if the forest of masts had
blossomod beneath the influenceof the young spring
sunshine into thousand gorgeous dyes. Every
where the eye glanced there Heated from, and
almost concealed the network Of rigging, flags and
banners and signals and streamers.
AL the vessels anchored in the stream were like
mass of tutterng color above their dark
bulls. The war vessels belonging 10 the North At
antc fleet and the ships of the training squadron left
ges near Bedloe's Island about and
rook mp position in the East River below the Bridge.
First came tho AaR-hip Tennessee flying the flag OF
Rear Admiral Cooper and gay with waving mass
of bunting She anchored opposite Burllng-
slip and the other vessels of tho fleet. the Kearsarge
Saratoga Vandaa. Minnesota aud Yantic took
position behind her, forming n line that reachcd
down almost far as Governors Island.
All of them were covered with bunting and
formed beautiful sight as they lay at their moor
ings. On their decks the blue Jackets could be
seen massed i'm front Of the mast and the
scarlet and blue OF the marines and the gold rlm-
mings of the officer uniforms flashed IN the
the ship, lay waiting ioi he signal 20 announce b.
the thunder of their guns that the Bridge was
opened All tho fcrrybOdtS on the Last klyrr that
passed in their tup, uctWern On" two cities
anyrhere within sight OF the Bridge or OF The llcet
anchored i'm the stream were crowded IL the after
noon. just before the time for the opening OF the
Br lgr tne boats running or tho Fulton Ferry were
packed with people 80 thckly th1t once IN the
crowd 1t was Impossible 10 move hand or foot
Many people tried the experiment Of remaining on
the boat and riding back and forth until
the ceremonies should be over Inc employees
of the boat. however, intcrfcrrd with the success
OF the experiment by Lustug every ono ashore as
soon as the boat reached itssip. Several excursion
steamer. decorated with bunting and crowded with
people las lust above thu Bridge.
The wL1rves and streets IN the vicinity were
black with "A So id mass of human beings Inc
shining uniforms and helmets could ho seen on tho
Br' and soon the dipping OF the nag on the New
the President had reached that point IN IN, progress
over thc structure. Ihen came a pun of smoke
from the red chbra-ures of Castle W lam, followed
hy report that sounded over the htrpor and clY
Then from the side OF the Tennessee 1prlug forth
tongue OF flame. and al the same instant from the
saluting battery at tho Navy Yard came the
family heard report OF cannon. lhen from
font and fleet and battery the cannon
Numbered. Volumes of smoke wrapped mast and
bat lemcnt and whom the river breeze blew it aside
for moment the bright flags and giItering un-
PLAYED martial and din OF steam whistles arose
from the tugs and steamers ON the river.
National salute was fired when the President
reached the Ncw-lOrk tower of the Bridge and 4
second one when he reached the Brooklyn side.
About Il o'clock the fleet of war vessels dropped
down 10 n, former anchorage of B'dloe's lslaud !
where a swedish man-of-war. which has been Tor
several days n port lay with great spread of bunt-
ing up. recent order of the Secretary of the Navy
not employ pilots on war vessels unless absoutcY
ne, cssary saved the Government several hum rcds
of dollars. for the ships were found auchOrascs by
Captain B1uFmOrc, Government pilot on board
the tug Irlana.