The Portland daily press., 1889-04-30
IN GALA ATTIRE.
How New York Prepared to Celebrate
the Centennial


NEW YORK, April 29.-Broadway was
sight this morning. Itwas Ike a. human
river at flood tide, with long streams of
people emptying into it from every side,
Sidewalks were jammed to the very curb.
and as far as the eyes could reach there was
seen struggling, pushing, elbowing sea of
people, while the gaily colored flags, bunting
and streamers which foated from every
house-top and window, and the bright col
ors which cleaned in the sunlight fiom the
front of every building, presented picture
of kaleidoscope beauty never excelled. Ev-
erything was George Washington. Great
pictures of the Father of his Country, in
many colors, designs and positions, graced
the fronts of massive buildings, surrounded
by strings Of richly colored flags and bunt-
ing. Every available inch of space was util-
lied by stands and places for people to in
vest their money in seats during the grand
parade. Goods had been moved from show
windows, and in their place chairs, boxes
and stands placed. Every window sill, win
dow and roof where 1t was possible for a
stand to be placed was being turned to ac-
count. Carpenters were reaping great har-
vest, and thousands of them were at work
along Broadway from the roofs Of the build
ings to the sidewalk. Great plat
forms were being built out from
windows, and hundreds OF signs bearing
the. words: Reserved seats. inquire with
TO-" were strung along Broadway. The Nor
ton house at Fourteenth street is completely
enclosed with a. stand which reaches to the
first story on both Broadway and Fourteenth
street. Union Square is surrounded as II by
ramparts with grand stands, with only space
enough to allow the Broadway cars to pass
through. Hotel corridors were jammed with
people. The corridors of the Fifth Avenue
Hotel were Jammed with soldiers from near
ly every state, and the Rhode Island Com
pany with their long gold braid hanging in
folds from their long jackets and gilded
sword scabbards suspended from their
waists, looked gorgeous indeed. Fifth Ave-
nue. from Twentythird street down was a
moving panorama. Every front yard, every
doorway, every stairway, every window, ey-
cry roof, and in fact every inch of space
formed into place for sight-seers.
OF the buildings below the City Hall the
most noticeable are those opposite the Equit-
able building the Drexel-Morgan building,
the custom house, the various exchanges,
and last but not least the sub-treasury build
ing. The display at the last named place
created an attraction for a large crowd of
people. The eight massive columns in front
OF the building are entwined with flags, and
from each column a United States shield Is
The stand on which the exercises took
place was covered with numberleSs tastefully
arranged flags and coats of arms. Large
American flags cover the barge office, and
each window is framed with the national
emblem. The decorations ct Trinity church
are mainly about the entrances, and consist
of simple but beautiful display of large
flags. From a window in the steeple pro-
trudes pole on which is suspended large
flag.
The greater part of St. Paups decorations
are in the interior. The altar, Washington's
pew, and the windows and columns have all
draping of flags, while from the spire Of
the church floats two flags. The tablet to
the memory of Gen. Richard Montgomery, in
front of the edifce, is also tastefully draped
The decorations on the City Hall are of
most artistic nature. Immediately over the
entrance are eight American flags arranged
in the form of half rosettes. The balcony
above is trimmed with shield, surrounded
by half dozen small flags, and in the CEN
tire is a portrait of George Washington.
Above the balcony is set a large picture.
representing a collection of colonial flags, 1t
Is lanked on either side by triangularly
draped flags, and each corner of the central
extension of the building is hidden beneath
the folds of a large flag. Each window In
front has base consisting of a half rosette
of flags and a coat OF arms OF some foreign
country, and above them floats small colon
ial flags. In the spaces between the win
dows appear the arms of the States. On the
Broadway side of the building the windows
are draped as in the front, and two immense
flags are spread to their fullest extent across
the top.