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

xteen hours day Of times" said one OF the Fulton
Ferry employees last night but I've never yet seen
the ekal o. this days crowd, Eor never shall again
! reckon" Certainly to one whose experience OF
ferry traffic was hardly extensive 1t
seemed as If the whole of New
York had made one simultaneous rush tor
the various ferries in mad desire to bivouac for
the night in the sister city, From until 4o'cock
the open space In front of Fulton Ferry was one
black seething mass of people. After that time
they began to come more slowly. but still in
steady stream filing each boat as fast as 1t dis
charged its contents. About o'clock the rush
began again. and continued for the next hour unln-
teIrupedly. At 5 o'clock, when the nreworKs
began to render the sky symphony
in dark blue and gold" an idea, brill
liant as the rockets struck the passengers They
found that of the best views of the display was
to be obtained from the decks of the boats, and so
they raced around to the toll-gates soon as the
bows touched the slip, and, deposlting their two
cents, joined the crowd in waiting for the sliding
doors to be thrown back. This manGuvre was ex-
ecuted by at Least 90 per cent of the passengers
AT the close of the pyrotechnic exhibition the
ferrymen and dcckhands braced themselves to meet
a grand rush. In a few seconds after the doors
were thrown open the boats were filled and started
of with their jostling freight only TO DISCHARGE
them and return with hardly smaller cargo. ana
receive yet another mstament. The arrangements
were perfect. Steering on river crowded win
peasurc-boats and special steamers OF every de-
scription must have been an arduous and apDrehen-
svc task. No collisions, however resulted.
When once on terra iirma on thcNew-l ork side the
dsembarked passengers began TO meet their moSt
dISagrceabc experience. The stages and cars at
the different ferries all filled before they drew
NJ al the entrances and those unhappy Wights VINO
mcekly waited at the ferry for place III stage OF
car were doomed 10 endless disappointment.
TIIRONGS AT THE NETWORK TERMINUS.
As the time for the pyrotechnic display on the
Bridge drew near the stages. street-cars and
elevated railroad trains filled TO their utmost
capacity with men, women and children all bound
for the Bridge. the nearest point To II which
could be reached. In a short time Franklor-St and
every other thoroughiare from which glimpse
of the great dark towers could DO obtained were
completely blocked. The plaza before tho CITY
Hal! was packed with gazing crowds. From the
Bridge entrance back TO the Old Hall of Il cords
there dense of gaping people, through
which the overloaded street-cars forced passage
with much yelling and swearing on the drivers part
and much good-naturcd banter from the crowd AZ
each new piece OF fireworks set
off thrill would run through the throng
and a few admirng long-dravn obs - and
"ahs could he heard. The crowds on the house
tops were greater than in the afternoon,
aud weird effect was produced when
the more brilliant pyrotrchnic pieces were
sent up and the Irregular skyline Of tall
building, fungcd with sorIel lines of human beings
stood out against the black horizon. When the last
rocket had whzzod and the last bomb ha1 exploded
the crowds in the side streets poured into CIV
Hall square. and for an hour the crush
was tremendous. Constant watch had to be kept
b, tue police 60 prevent the pushing crowds from
breaking their gray hclmctcd lines and citing
le "