The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-05


sky, and rejecting to it's peak the rays OF the
electric lights in the city from half mic away
1t seemed enormously higher than by daylight,
and to have not the slightest relation to terres-
rial things
When the preparations were complete ana&he
display had once begun, the people in charge
had the good taste TO leave intermission.
Jack o-lanterns danced from place to place about
the Enclosure. and wherever one paused an ex-
ploslon 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, some
times half mile above the earth, took place,
ana consultations numbering thousands OF
beautifully tinted stars foated away
over the Potomac, borne by the
gentle northern breeze. Three set pieces Of
mammoth proportions were among the last and
Sranoest features OF the entertainments The
first was Jefferson" There was a fizz and
splutter, audible mile away as Jack-o-antern
touched his torch to the piece, and then the
mammoth face, i'll points of vh!.e fire, encircled
Dy an oval frame III red, with banners in the ma
tlonal colors festooned gracefully about it. burst
out of the darkness. 1t glowed for a minute in
full brilliancy, then an eye went out with an
explosion, 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 probably not recognizable to
the masses of the spectators but when the let
tiers of his name beneath were made out his
memory was honored in prolonged cheers.
The large piece representing the National Capt.
tol. with excellent portraits of the President
and Vice president, flanked by notices and en-
blems, was then fired. This piece was l60 feet
long by seventy five in height the largest set
piece ever fred in America. The flight of S, 00C
rockets at once forming vast floral bouquet in
the heavens, terminated the displays.
No estimate of the numbers who witnessed
the fireworks would be trustworthy. One felt
but could not see the throngs. The voluntary
dic0a nf irI1da nrha uafh IN
park open upon all sides, would seem to be q
simple affair and easily enough of accomplish
ment, but the experience of this evening proved
the contrary Carriages became entangied with
each other, and pedestrians wandered about in
bewilderment, trying to find their way around,
through or out of the brushes which occurred in
a hundred places. No was hurt
far as known, but many ludicrous incidents
occurred. Family parties became separated,
wives and husbands lost each other and parents
found themselves leading children not their
own. The calls Of one to another in the dark
ness sometimes indicated distress or fear, but
the people We're, for the most part exceedingly
jolly, and laughed at themselves and each other
as nit were all part of the programme.
AN EXTRAORDINARY DISPLAY
Immediately after the regular display of fire.
works occurred the parade of the Flambeaux
Club, of Topeka, Kan. Although this organiza-
ton is comparatively small one, numbering
haps attracted as much attention as any civic
or military body which has participated in the
inauguration ceremonies. Its white, ghostly
uniform, its precision of drill and its pecu-
liar hollow torches, whose flames can
be blown up into slender, quivering
plumeS of fire six feet in helghtS
were all new features ia Washington and were
all subjects Of remark when the club made its
appearance on Pennsylvania avenue last even
ing About half past s, just as the immense
crowd was returning from the exhibition of fire.
works. the Flambeau Club came marching in
regular open order down Fifteenth street, be-
tween the Corcoran building and the Treasury
Department In a perfec1Dornado of fire, accom-
panied by an ineessanr volley of explosions
and the continuous Kissing roar Of
ascending rockets. Every member of the club
had slung over his shoulder capacious white
bag filled with rockets Roman candles, torpedoes,
bombs and fireworks of every conceivable de-
scription which were lighted on portable frames
and discharged from sheetiron tubes, with such
neverslackening rapdty as to literally fill the
street with hurricane of fiery projecties and
dense cloud of smoke, through which could be
only dimly seen cen the white he spectral
ing was perfect in time and regularity,
the incessant discharge OF fireworks not being
allowed to interfere in the least degree with the
PROFESSIONS movement People in vehicles fed
in terror before the advancing column of smoke
and flame, which was headed by two or three
huge blazing wheels from every part of which
burst fires and explosions. The club was con-
stantly and skillfully supplied with fresh
ammunition from a large wagon which followed
it, and as it wheeled from Fifteenth street into
Pennsylvania avenue in a glare Of red fire. amid
the shouts of vast multitude of spectators, it
suggested a 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 pryrotechnical display, and the club was
followed down Pennsylvania avenue by at least
10000 people.