Morning journal and courier., 1888-07-04
BRIDGEPORT LAST EVENING.


 A Grand DIspIay-UnIted States steel
 Cruiser Atlanta in the Harbor-ManY
 New Haven Boats-Grandest Sight
 Ever Seen on the sound.
 BRIDGEPORT, July 3.-The roar of cannon, the glare of lights and lanterns, the long arch ing fire of rockets and the bursting beauties of candles turned Bridgeport harbor into a mirror of the most astonishing and fantastic character this evening. The celebration be- gan with marine parade and harbor illumi- nation. Vessels had been arriving all day and the harbor was crowded with craft of all kinds. Captain McNeil received the visiting boats and distributed fireworks among their commanders. There wers about one hundred boats in and about the harbor. Most of the arrivals were sailing craft, and steamers were
 Stranger, Dare Devil, Molly Pitcher and Wave and the little steamer Lucy, all of the New
 Haven Yacht club, sailed into the harbor and dropped anchor. A number of other yachts
 were also from New Haven. Several yachts
 which left Stamford yesterday morning ar rived at two o'clock. The wind was very
 light to-day and sailing vessels made slow
 progress on the way here. Late this after noon there was an immense Influx of boats.
 The harbor committee inquired concerning the number of passengers each boat would carry in the parade and distributed fireworks
 accordingly.
 The steel cruiser Atlanta cast anchor this
 morning some distance south of the Bridge
 port lighthouse and about three-quarters of a mile out from the eighteen-foot limit. Her
 black hulk as seen from the park loomed up like huge building in the distance. The steamers and sailing vessels which traversed the intervening space looked insignificant in comparison.
 About 9 o'clock this morning steam launch from the ironclad with Captain F. N.
 Bunce and Ensign A. E. Waters aboard ac- companied by a marine arrived at the Rosedale wharf. Captain Bunce and MT. Waters were met by Captain McNeil
 and Major D. M. Read, and driven to Seaside
 Park and other interesting points. The of the Seaside club where they were enter tained. Among those present was P. T. Barnum. After leaving the club rooms the guests were driven to the Atlantic Hotel where they were entertained by Mayor Coughlin, Collector Goddard, Colonel Mason, members of the city government and others. When the signal gun was fired last even- \ ing the greatest blast of fireworks ever seen \ on Long Island Sound burst forth. Six hun dred heavy Roman candles were fired and \ the vessels, carrying torches of colored fires, | circled about the harbor and displayed | pieces of pyrotechnics, some striking in their immensity, others exquisite in elaborate de- sign, and all making the grandest display ever seen by the city. Several signals were then given and the vessels put forth various colored torches. They were then taken in
 tow by steamers prepared beforehand and a slow westerly course sailed under one bell. After going half mile they turned to the southwsrd and formed into circle, moving I in this during the display of fireworks from | the boats. The end of the great marine sight was signalled by three guns from the steamer Isis.
 A party of about three hundred was taken from New Haven by the steamer Margaret and witnessed the evenings celebration from position as Hne as could be desired. B.