Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-23
FIRST In ALL HEARTS.
How the Twin Cities Celebrated
George WashingtOn's Birthday.
THE STREETS CROWDED ALL DAY.
Beautiful American Flags and Bunting
Used for Decorations.
SALOONS DID A RUSHING BUSINESS

The crowds of people on the streets vester-
day were phenomenal. The parade was
without doubt one of the most successful
ever given in the city on Washington's s
birthday. 1t is quite evident that Ameri-
can patriotism is not on the decline, as some
alarmists have at various times advanced.
Early in the morning, with the arrival of
the Canton band, the people commenced to
pour into the city from the country, and the
city folks began to turn out into the Streets
The local railroads had plenty to do to carry
the excursionists The local service of the
Pennsylvania road was taxed to its utmost
between the mountains and Pittsburg. The
scenes at the Union depot were lively in the
extreme.
HARD WORK FOR CoPPERS.
Extra policemen were detailed to guide
and protect the crowds. All the available
men about the place were called to work,
and last night the day force we're still at
their posts. The dingy old depot was dirtier
than ever, and the floors in the evening
were in frightful condition. There were
no accidents of any account, and so far as
could be learned nobody was robbed.
One drunken citizen tried to get on train
after it had started, and was thrown, vio-
lently to the platform, but he escaped with
bloody nose and a bruised face.
On an overage 80, 900 people pass through
the Union depot daily, but the number was
doubled yesterday, and the other railroads
Jared well In proportion. A full account of
the great parade appears on the thirteenth
page of The DISPATCH.
The large crowds on Pittsburg's streets
yesterday are an indication of the wonder
full growth of the city. Though there were
many strangers here the bulk were Pitts
burgers who had come in from the suburbs.
When Mr.. D. G. Herbst claimed the popula-
tion would in a short time increase to 500, 900,
and that there were nearly that many peo-
pie in the two cities now, If the census were
taken, it must be admitted that if the
crowd of Yesterday is any criterion, then
Pittsburg has the people.
CAN'T HELP CRowDNG.
One thing the citizens will persist in
doing, and that is crowding on Fifth avenue
and Smith6eld street in the neighborhood
of the postofice. Yesterday was no excep-
ton to the rule, and some complaints were
heard against the police force. While
the parade was moving, in fact
long time before the first line
appeared, it was simply impossible to push
through the jam. A gallant copper said
last night that they could keep the streets
open, as they do in New York, if they were
allowed to use the mace, but Chief
Brown has wisely vetoed all such
harsh measures. The best of
good nature prevailed. There were
lots of pretty girls and women to be seen,
and their presence inspired the marchers.
1t was amusing to watch beautiful dam
sci, or bevv of them, as frequently hap
pened, brighten up when a certain council
passed, and sometimes they would keep pace
with them for a short distance. The young
fellows couldn't see the dear girls for the
crowds that intervened, but they seemed to
have an inkiing of what was being enacted.
Their tread became more elastic, and they
walked with a dash that surprised them
selves.
VERY FEW ACCIDENTS.
Some ladies tainted in the press about the
postofice, but taking the day as a whole
there we're few accidents, and the police,
though more alert than usual, hadn't much
work to do.
Early in the evening the crowds began to
scatter, and the number OF people on the
streets was reduced to its normal dimen-
sions. The change was welcomed by the
reporters, who hada tough time pushing
around through the crowds.
The most consummate thirst seemed to
pervade all classes of people yesterday, as
all the downtown barrooms we're so crowded
it was virtually impossible to serve the Gus
toners. Two of the leading barrooms on
Smithheld street were closed for short
time in the afternoon by the proprietors to
check the rush. The bartenders certainly
earned their salaries by the swept of their
brows yesterday, for large drops OF perspira-
tion crowned the intellectual foreheads of
the gentlemanly toxicologists.
1t need be good customer or an inf1uen-'
tial man who got a mixed drink at any of
the downtown bars yesterday, and the re-
quest for such -refreshment was openly
ignored by the wearied compounders. The
recei pts in the different barrooms must have
been simply enormous. one alone which
runs two registers claiming to have passed
81, 500 through one Of them before 4 P. M.
SOME FINE DECORATIONS.
The street decorations were not elaborate
or costly. but they consisted OF the Stars
and Stripes, dear to every true American
heart. There were plain flags and silk
flags, but every one bore the red, white and
blue, and these beautiful colors are always
admired. The big emblem of THE DIS
PATCH, suspended OH Fifth avenue, spread
out its ample folds like birds wings and
with kindly touch reached out for the head
of the passer by. The flags on the
postofice, placed there in honor
Of Ben were still there yesterday in memory
of the immortal George. More than one
man was heard to comment on the beauty of
the flags carried in the parade, and as for
the women, well, they raved as only ladies
can, and in truth in many instances the
emblems were presented by them, and why
shouldn't they admire their own work?