Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-26
THE BRIDGE DEDICATED,
East Washington Feasts and Listens to
Oratory and Poetry.

Oratory and Poetry.
THOUSANDS GATHER AT TIE RIvER-rHK LITER
AIRY ExERcIsrs AND BARBEouE-THE CONCERT
AND FIREWORKS COME OFF, BUT rHR CROWD
GIFTS A pREScHiSa-IHE REGATTA
The formal dedication of the Pennsylvania
Avenue Bridge over the Eastern branch Of the
Potomac passed off yesterday afternoon accord
ing TO the program previously announced. 1t
was opened with cannon firing and closed with
bonfires and skyrockets The military parade
consisted of company A. Washington Light In
fantry, Capt Frank Schwartz; National Fenci-
bles Capt c. s. Domer: Merchants Rifles,
commanded by Lieut.. T. L. Dunn. and Gprcoran
Cadets. commanded by Lieut W. F. Morrow.
As the column, headed by the Marine Band,
formed at AZ street and Pennsylvania avenue
the salute of seyenty-six guns on the bluff at
the Washington end Of the new bridge was be-
gun by the firing of two guns Of battery A.
The discharge Mt intervals OF twenty seconds
continued almost half an hour. BY the time
the salute was concluded the military
had arrived ut the bridge. and vast
throng of people. numbering many thou
sands. had gathered about the grand
stand in the open field north of the avenue at
the Washington end of the bridge, while as
many more were on the other side OF the
branch witnessing the barbecue OF three oxen.
the climbing of the creased pole, chasing Of
the creased pig and other amusemeBts. The
bridge itself was so laden with humanity that
police order forbade teams passing either way
till the exercises were over. In the meantime
the several oarsmen and boat teams were
practicing on the river below, which at that
honr was at about three-fourths tide and con-
cealed the piles of the old bridge, which are
seen at low water.
AT THE GRAND STAND.
1t was a few minutes after 5 o'clock when
President G.. +. Dawson, president of the East
Washington Citizens Association, as chair
man of the meeting at the grand stand. opened
the literary exercises by introducing Rev.
costa, who blessed the bridge. Commissioners
Hue and Robert, the orator of the day; Repre-
sentative Jonathan ii. Rowell, ex-Representa-
tive A. y. Bliss, Representatives Post and
Morrow, III. l. Weller and other prominent
citizens occupied seats on the stand, with the
Marine Band few feet in front of il. In his
opening remarks Chairman Dawson referred
TO fhe work done for the District by Messrs. In
gals. Blackburn, Harris and Plumb in the Senate
and Messrs. Rowell TOmpkins, Grant Hender-
son, Bliss, Compton, McComas and others in
the House.
Commissioner Hine, as setting president Of
the board III the absence of Commissioners
Douglass. was then introduced, and spoke in a
happy manner Of the push and enterprise of
the East Washington people. and after the
band had played For They are Jolly Good
Fellows" Mr. Dawson read a short poem on
1.-The Old Burnt Bridge" that gained him re-
reated applause from the Thousands within
hearing of his voice.
REPRESENTATIVE RowELL's GRAFTON.
Mr.. Jonathan P. Rowell, in his thirty minute
address, referred to the history OF the old
bridge, the legislation securing the new bridge
and the grand strides that Washington has
made and is making. A happy aliusion was
made TO tho scare our people received when it
was proposed to remove the Capitol to some
western city, and it was suggested that nothing
else made people get there" so well as to be
scared. He thought there was little in the
capture and sack of Washington that either the
British or Americans could with pride remem-
Der. The speaker was repeatedly applauded,
although a gathering rain storm made some
confusion in the audience and drove thousands
home. The benedctlon was pronounced by
Rev. James ". Clark Of St. James Church.
Washington.
CONCERT AND FIRE WORKS
The Marine Band concert was drowned out
after few numbers had been played and the
heavy rain soon emptied the seats at the grand
stand But several thousands OF people still
huddled in carriages and under umbrellas till
the storm had passed. when the vocal concert
the grand stand and enjoyeN while skyrockets
were Illuminating the dark sky and dozen
bonhres blazed on the further side of the
branch
THE REGATTA
During the literary and musical exercises the
regatta. in full view from the bridge and banks
OF the river, was in progress, the firing Of a gun
announcing that the first race was on 1t was
for single skiffs. and the starters we're VIM
Fowler, VIM. Padgett, E. c. Clark and Herbert
Lewis. The course was only half mile. with
the finish at the bridge. but notwithstan dng
the short distance Lewis and Psdgett were the
only ones who finished, the latter winning the
race and the former being second. The others
were left SO far behind that they gave ND the
contest before IL was half over.
The second race was between Herbert d.
Dickinson and John Z. Irwin of the Columbia
Athletic Club and W. c. Bailey and Frank H.
Barber OF the Potomacs, III double outrigger
working boats. IL was won By the former cas-
lily by four lengths.
The third event was for four-oared gigs the
entries being limited to the Columbia Athlet tic
Club. The winning crew was composed of
Eugene ". johnson. r. ID. Simms, Ralph W.
Lee. II. VI. Woodward and George ". Hender-
son, coxswain. The losing crew comprised 4.
Z. Ballantyne, Frederick StaylOr, George 3.
Brock. Platter Green and Charles Z. brock
coxswain.
The fourth and last race and the most inter-
esting feature of the program WAS between two
eights from the Potomac Athletic Club. Ii
was the only close race of the day, and between
the two crews. both OF whom rowed in excel
lent form. there was not Mt the finish more than
two boat lengths. The winning crew was COM
posed follows: Barber. stroke; Mccoy, Z;
Humphrey. 6; Pierce, 5; French, 4; Green, s.;
HIbDs, 2; Warden, bow, and Il. G.. Prescott
coxswain. The others were: Otfiey stroke;
Bailey, q; Seldom, g. Whiting. 5; Ciliey, A.;
fruckle, 3; Sheriff, 2; Johnson, bow, and J. NJ
NOrr. cOxswain.
About . O'Clock q second heavy rain began
20 fall. and as the formal exercises were over
the crowd scattered for home, declaring that
in spite VI the wet IL had been a glorious time
and the celebration a grand success.
THE BARBECUE.
Thousands were fed with bread and beef at
the barbecue lunch counter. but there was a
grand stampede when the rain came down.
Some of the bread was soaked, but no one went
away hungry or unhappy. There was not a
Single arrest on the county side and but one on
the Washington end OF the bridge. The rain
itself, though not on the printed program,
was strictly in order. for there was a deluge in
The city seventy-six years ago last night and
The red coats went away wet to the SKIN. The
citizens Association, therefore, builded better
than they knew, and the affair was more COM
plete than the wisest had foreseen
A Dinner in the Harem.
Mrs Ross in Mnrray's MAGAZINE.