The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-03-13

1
Government officials with their ladies an,
families.
Pyrotechnics.
The public celebration ended with
grand display Of fire works. In characte
it was like all displays of fire works, but Il
volume and variety it is said to have ex
celled any former pyrotecllnical exhibition
upon this continent Virtual it was success
full to the minutest detail. The scene o
the exhibition was the White House lot, al
area of 200 OF 800 acres slOping gently ava,
from the south fronts of the Treasury, Elk
ecutive mansion and State depaSt
ments. Uncornted crowds began ear7,
to find their way toward the spo
from every quarter of the city. For al
hour or more they waited, commenting II
the meanwhile upon the singular appear
ance of the monument hundred rods be
yond the fireworks enclosure. The lowe
third of the shaft was not visible, but al
above was dimly outlined like the ghost Of
itself against the black sky, and refiectins
to its peak the rays of the electric lights il
the city for half mile away. 1t seemed
enormously higher than by daylight, and Il
have not the slightest relation to terrestia
things. When the preparations were com
plete and the display had once begun, the
people i'm charge had the good TASTE
to leave no intermission. Jack-o-lan
terms danced from place to place about
the enclosure, and whenever one paused
an explosion followed. Rockets, balloons,
mines, fountains bombs, batteries and
shells were sent heavenward i'm volleys TO,
half an hour, filling the air with showers
of fire. Explosions half mile above the
earth took place, and consultations mum.
bering thousands of beautifully tinted
stars floated away over the Potomac, borne
by gentle northern breeze. Three ''set
pieces" of mammoth proportions were
among the last and grandest features of
the entertainment. The first was 'tJef-
| ferson." There was a buzz and sput.
| ter audible mile away as jackie
lantern touched his torch to the piece, and
then the mammoth face in points of
| white fire encircled by novel frame in red
| with banners in National cOlors festooned
gracefully about it. burst out of the dark
ness. 1t glowed for minute in full bril-
| Iiancy, then an eye went out with an explo-
sion followed by portion of the nose. and
| last of all the blue stars of the banner.
The face of the titular patron of simplicity
and unostentatiOn, was probably not
TeCOplllLaDlc 10 tHt IldcSeS Ol tilt
spectators, but when the letters of
his name beneath were made out his
memory was honored in prolonged cheers.
The large piece representing the Ma
| tional Capitol. with excellent portraits OF
the President and Vice-President, was
fianked by notices and emblems. This
piece was 160 feet long by IS feet in
| height the largest set piece ever fired in
America. The fight of 5000 rockets at
| once, forming vast floral bouquet in the
heavens, illuminated the display. No esti-
mate of the numbers who witnessed the
| fireworks would be trustworthy. One felt,
but could not see the vast throngs.
The voluntary dispersion of the
multitude when gathered i'm the
park, which was open upon all sides, would
seem to be simple affair and easy enough
of accomplishment. But the experience of
the evening proved the contrary. Carriages
became entangled with each other and pc
| destrians wandered around in bewilderment
| trying to find their way around, through OF
out of rushes which occurred in hundred
place. No one was hurt so far as known, but
many ludicrOus incidents occurred. Fam
lily parties became separated, wives and
husbands lost each other, and parents found
themselves leading children not their own.
Calls of one to another in the darkness
sometimes indicated distress or fear, but
people were for the most part exceedingly
jolly, and laughed at themselves and each
other as if it were part of the programme
THE TOPEKA FLAMBEAU CLUB.
Immediately after the regular display OF
fire works occurred the parade of the Fam
beau Club, of Topeka, Kan., took place.
Although this organization is comparatively
small one, numbering only seventy-five OF
one hundred men, it perhaps has attracted
as much attention as any civil or military
body which has participated in the inaugu.
ration ceremonies. Its white, ghOStly uni
form, its precision of drill and its peculiar
hollow torches, whose flame can be blown
up into slender, quiveriAg plumes of fire
six feet in height, were all new features in
Washington, and we're all subjects of re-
mark when the club made its first appear.
ance on Pennsylvania avenue last evening.
Last night about $50 o'clock, just as the
immense crowd was returning from the ex.
hbition of fire works at White lot, the fam
beau club came marching in regular open
order down Fifteenth street between the
Corcoran building and the Treasury depart
ment in perfect tornado of fire, accompa,
MED by an incessant yOlley of explosions
! and the continuous kissing roar of ascend
ing rockets. Every member of the club
had sluns over his shoulder capacOR
white bag filled with rockets, Roman candles,
red and green fire, Catherine wheels, tOrpe-
does, bombs and fire works of every con.
ceivable description, which were lighted
ON portable frames or discharged from
sheet iron tubes with such never slacken-
ing rapidly as to literally fill the street with
hurricane of fiery projectiles and dense
cloud of smoke, through which cOnld only be
dimly seen the white spectral uniforms OF
the club marching in perfect time, and the
regularly incessant discharge OF fireworks
not being allowed to interfere in the least
degree with the prOceSSiOn'S movement
People in the vehicles fled in terror before
the advancing column of smoke and flame
which was headed by two or three huge
blazing wheels and from every part of which
burst fires and explosions. The club was
constantly and skillfully supplied with
fresh ammunition from large wagon that
followed it, and rs it wheeled from Fiji.
teenth tstreet into Pennsylvania avenue
in a glare of red fire, amid the shouts
of the vast multitude of spectators, il
suggested moving British square attacked
on all sides at night and defending
itself with musketry, bombs, rockets and
hand-grenades. 1t was one of the most
striking features of the whole pyrotechnical
display and the club was followed down
Pennsylvania avenue by at least 10000
people.
English Opinion.
LONDON, March 4.-The Times says Mr..
Arthur filled the Presidents chair with