Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-14
IN GALA ATTIRE.


savannah Ablaze with Bunting and
Colors-FIoral Arches TO Welcome the
Founder - Brilliant Decorations of
Public and Private Buildings.
The rush Of business in the lower part
of the city yesterday and Monday gave
way to the celebration Of great event IN
the history of Georgia. On saturday ana
Sunday the principal streets were given
over to the decorators, and by Monday
morning the public buildings, stores ana
many residences were ablaze with bum
ting and the national colors. Hammer
and saw and the deft hand Of the deco
tors transformed plain gray and brick
buildings into gay holiday attire, and
dressed homely pillars and poles INTO
handsome shafts of evergreen ana col0rs;
Everybody decorated or watched
their neighbors perform the task. Ihou-
sands of yards of bunting We're hung
from roofs and cOrnices, and flags and
banners flOated from every point.
One of the most conspicuous attractions
was the handsome arch spanning the IN
tersectiOn of Bull and BrOughton streets.
The columns supporting the superstruc-
ture We're decked with palmetto and pine,
and living trees were planted under the
pendant decorations. The iron work was
covered with flags and bunting, and moss
and eyergreens and festOons hung from
the corners, forming n beautiful canopy
over the street. Facing Bull street on
the north and south were large pictures,
one a likeness of OglethOrpe, the founder
of the colony, and the other representing
the seal of Georgia, with the motto OF the
State in large letters. From the top oil
the arch tlOated the stars and stripes.
The electric light tower in Wright
square, the armories and puDlc
buildings and private residences
in the upper part of the city were gay
with colOrs. Nearly every business house
down town put on holiday clothes-some
scanty and consisting of handful Of
American flags, others of the most elabo-
rate design, blending eYergreens and
bunting and national flags in tasteful
harmony. On Congress and BrOughtOn
streets the attempts at adornment We're
most ambitious, and many OF the build
ings were. completely covered with red,
white and blue; flags and banp.1,s { nut
tered from every windoW-afid store fronts
were swathed ips4ga-5 attire. and the black
letters and rude signs were entirely con-
cesiled. The front of the City Exchange
was a mass of brilliance that contrasted
strongly with the sOmbre brown OF
the building itself. Below the balcony was
a tastefully arranged ensignia bearing on
a black background the letter ''S'' in
white, and the whole surrounded with ap-
propriate national emblems. The MORN
ING News building, on Whitaker street,
floated the stars and stripes f1om its flag
staff and miniature flags of every nation
fluttered from the windows and roof.
The wilderness of bunting and the mass
of cOlOrs everywhere displayed, were evil
dences of the enthusiasm of the people and
the desire to appropriately commemorate
the recurrence of an anniversary so i'm
portant in the history of the great Com
monwealth of the South. Were OglethOrpe
living and moving among us to-day, his
would be an expansive heart that would
respond to this universal celebration Of a
great Historical event.