The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-03-12

families.
Pyrotechnics.
The public celebration ended with &
grand display of fire works. In character
it was like all displays of fire works. but I,
volume and variety it is said to have ez.
celled any former pyrotechnical exhibition
upon this continent. Withal it was success
full TO the minutest detail. The scene of
the exhibition was the White House lot, an
area of 200 or 500 acres sloping gently away
from the south fronts of the Treasury, Elk
ecutive mansion and State depart
mentS. Uncounted crowds began early
TO find their way toward the spot
from every quarter of the city. For an
hour or more they waited. commenting in
the meanwhile upon the singular appear
ance of the monument a hundred rods be
You'd the fireworks enclosure. The lower
third of the shaft was not visible. but all
above was dimly outlined like the ghost of
| itself against the black sky, and rejecting
TO its peak the rays of the electric lights in
the city for half mile away. Ii seemed
enormously higher than by daylight. and TO
have not the slightest relation to terrestrial
things. When the preparations were com
plete and the display had once begun. the
people in charge had the good taste
to leave no intermiSSiOn. ,Jack-o'-ian-
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 in vOlleyS for
half an hour, filling the air with showers
of fire. Explosions half 4 mile above the
earth took place, and consultations num-
stars tloated away over the Potomac, borne
by gentle northern breeze. Three set
pieces" Of mammoth proportions were
among tie last and grandeSt features of
the entertainment. The first was JET
ferSon.'' There was a buzz and Sput-
ter audible a mile away as jackie
lantern touched his torch to the piece, and
then the mammoth face in points of
white fire eHcrcled by a novel fraIse in red
with banners in National cOlOyS festOOned
gracefully about it, burst out of the dark
ness. 1t glOwed for 4 minute in full bril-
liancy, then an eye went out with an eXplO-
sion followed by a 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
recognizable to the masses of the
spectators, hut 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 Nice-President, WAS
flanked by notices and emblems This
piece was 100 feet long Ivy - feet in
height, the largest set piece ever fired in
America. The flight of 5000 rockets AZ
once. forming a vast floral bouquet in the
heavens, illuminated the display. No eSti-
mate of the numbers who witnessed tho
fireworks would be trustworthy. One felt,
but could not see the vast thrOngS.
The voluntary dispersion of tha
multitude when gathered in tho
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 a 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 We're for the most part exceedingly
Jolly. and laughed at themselves and each
other as if it were part of the programmes.
THE TOPEKA FLAMBEAU CLUB.
Immediately after the regular display of
fire works occurred the parade of the Flam-
beau Club, OF Topeka, Fan, took place.
Although this organization is comparatively
a small one. numbering only Seyenty-iiye 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, quiveriNg pluneS of fire
six feet in height, We're all new features i'll
Washington, and were all subjects of re
mark when the club made lis first appear
ance on Pennsylvania avenue last evening.
Last night about $50 O'Clock, just as the
immense crowd was returning from the eX-
hibitOn 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 i'll perfect tornado OF fire, accompa'
MED by all inceSsant vOlley of explosions
and the continuous kissing roar of ascend
ing rockets. Every member of the club
white bag filled with rockets, Roman candles.
red and green fire, Catherine wheels, tOrpe-
does. bombs and fire works of every con
ceiyable 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 Will
a hurricane of fiery prOjectiles and dense
cloud of smoke, through which cOuld only be
dimly seen the white spectral uniforms OF
the club marching in perfect time, and the
regularly inceSSant discharge Os fireworks
not being allowed to interfere in the least
degree with the PROFESSIONS movement
People in the vehicles fled in terror before
the advancing column of smoke and fame
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 SiilIfully supplied with
fresh ammunition from large wagon that
followed it, and as it wheeled from FIT
teenth ,Street 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 al least 10000
people.