Huntsville gazette., 1883-12-01
NEW YORK, Nov. 26.

NEW YORK, Nov. 20.
| The day opened with dull, leaden sky,
| indicating rain or snow, and the atmos-
/ phere was moist and raw but not cold. At
| sunrise the forts and ships fred a salute of
! twenty-one guns. This was followed in half
an hour with successful effort of the steam
| whistles in the bay and on the rivers to
create the most disagreeable noise imagin-
| able, thus emphasizing the wonderful diff
| ference between navigation in 1883 and
1888. At nine o'clock people took posses
sion of the streets and every means Of con-
! veyance leading down town. They filled
cars, omnibuses and carriages, and still
| the sidewalks on Fourth Fifth and Sixth
| avenues and Broadway presented a dense
mass of humanity.
| The decoration was elaborate on the pub
lie buildings, and the club houses content
ed themselves with display of stars and
stripes. Occasionally the colors Of France
and Germany mingled with the red, white
and blue. All places of business were
closed and the entire population Of Man
haitian and Long Island gave themselves
| up to the enjoyment of this patriotic occa-
sion. Points of historic interest were sur
rounded by crowds anxious to recall the
scenes of the day when the British with
drew from the American shores and indie
pendence was really made secure.
| fog on the bay and rivers deprived the
| fiotilla of steam vessels of much of its ex-
pected glory. 1t was novel parade to
New York, and it attracted great deal Of
observation. The programme laid down
for it by Admiral John H. Starin was
| strictly adhered to. Boats, to the number of
several hundred, rendezvoused in the bay,
| formed in divisions and steamed into North
River and along the New Jersey shore till
opposite Sixty-fifth street, New York,
thence returning down the New York side
Of the river, around to the Battery and into
| the East River, steaming up there as far as
the navy-yard, and returning along the
Brooklyn shore to the starting point at Bay
Ridge. As the boat bearing the Admiral
Of the fleet passed the Tennessee, flagship
of Admiral Cooper, several ships of the
United States fired a salute Of twenty-one
guns, manned their yards and made other
demonstrations customary on such occa-
sions. AT noon every steam whistle in the
city began a salute, which was unbroken
for hve minutes, the time during which it
was to last.
About nine o'clock President Arthur, ac-
companied by ex-President Grant and Gen
eral Varnum, left the Fifth Avenue Hotel
for the point where the head of the column
was being formed. There they took their
places in the line. 1t was nearly ten O'Clock
before the line was formed and put in motion.
The police had great difficulty in clearing
the passage. After the police came Gen
eral John Cochrane, Grand Marshal, and
staff, accompanied by the First troop Of
the Philadelphia City Cavalry under COM
mand of Brigadier General Z. B. Grubb.
The first division was commanded by Brev-
ct Brigadier General Richard H. Jackson
OF the Fifth United States Artillery, and
composed of United States troops an
escort to the distinguished guests following
i'll carriages.
President Arthur and his Cabinet officers
were in the first carriages, and were followed
by the Governors of the States, Mayors of
municipalities and other civil officers,
officers of the army and navy and delega-
tions of mercantile bodies from this and
other cities. The Grand Army Posts came
next followed by the associations of volun-
teers, the fire departments of the present
and past, and more civic societies.
The head Of the column reached
the Battery at 1880 p. m. When President
Arthur arrived at the Battery stand he was
assigned a place there with the Governors
of the States, and reviewed the procession.
Later he was driven off to review the river
parade of steamboats,, after which he went
to the sub-treasury to witness the unveilfng
of w ashington's statue Lower Broadway
was crowded with a surging mass of hui
manity that cheered the President heartily
and gave lusty recognition to Governor
Butler, punctuating 1t occasionally by cries
of Tewksbury." The procession required
four hours to pass given point. Notwith-
standing the rain, the procession was the
grandesJ New FORK has ever presented and
was witnessed by vastly greater number
Of people than any previous affair Of the
| kind The rain was continuous, and those
in the procession got thoroughly wet.
| There was a continuous roar from the
| throats of the people while the fremen
marched by.
The unveiIing Of the statue Of George
| Washington on the steps of the Treasury
was attended by brilliant company, in
| cluding the President Of the United States,
members of his Cabinet, Mayors Of New
York and Brooklyn, Bishop Potter, Rev.
| DR.. StoIrs, Collector Robertson and VIII
| liam NJ. Evarts.
George W. Lane, President Of the Cham
Der of Commerce, opened the ceremonies
! with brief address, speaking of the asso-
| Citations connected with the spot.
Rev. DIR. Storrs made a. short prayer,
after which Royal Phelps, on behalf ot the
| statue committee of the Chamber OF Com
merce, presented his report to President
/ Lane.
! Governor Cleveland then unveiled the
statue, and, after the cheering had subsided
! President Lane turned to President Arthur
! and SAID tnaU, as TfeSlueHb OI tlo CHainDcL
of Commerce, the pleasant duty devolved
on him of rendering through President
! Arth to the Government of the United
| States the custody Of this statue Of Wash
ington. erected by the citizens of New I orK,
pursuant to an act of Congress, 70 com
memorate his taking the oath OF once on
this spot as the first president.
President Arthur replying said:
! Mn. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW CITIzENs-lt
| is fitting that her lips than mine should give
| voice 10 the sentiments of pride and pleasure
whi ch this occasion can not fail to inspire IN
| every breast TO myself has been asslgneq
| but d slight part of the days services anu !
! shall not exceed its becoming limits Eate
come to this historic spot where the hrsb
| President Of the republic took oath 70 pre-
serve. protect and defend its constitution,
! simply to accept in behalf of the Government
this tribute to his memory. Long may the
noble statue you have here set up stand
where you have placed il. a monument allke
to your own generosity and public spirit, ana
to The wisdom and virtue and genius Oh the
immortal Washington.
The chairman then introduced Geo. VIM.
Curtis as orator of the day.
At the close of Mr.. Curtis Grafton the
vast assemblage united in singing " Praise
God from whom all blessings fow." AS
sistant Bishop Potter pronounced the Dene.
diction and the people went on 70 LOOK AZ
the procession. Thousands of persons WIZ.