Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-06
A HANDFUL OF EARTH.
officials Arranging for Formal
Breaking of Ground for the
GREAT PHIPPS CONSERVATORY.
Everybody Talking About the Fourth Of
July Celebration.
BY EASTERN VISITORS

C0MPLlMENTED BY EASTERN VlSlTOkS
Now that the Fourth of July celebration
is thing of the past, Chief Bigelow is
planning another attraction to draw the
people to the big playground. He wants to
make the breaking of ground for the Phipps
conservatory a ceremonial to which the pub
lie will be invited to hear music, addresses
by the Mayor and Others. and to see some
prominent person throw up the first spade
ful of earth where the worlds greatest bot
anical building is to be erected.
The ground has been surveyed and every
thing Is in readiness for the contractors,
Lord & Burnham, of New York. In tact,
they desired to begin last week, but were
given orders by the Chief to hold off until
after the Fourth, as he wanted no excava-
tions made which would any way interfere
with the enjoyment of the celebration.
Yesterday he wrote the firm asking the
exact date upon which their men would be
here to proceed with the work. If the time
is not too short the Chief will arrange for
an interesting meeting of citizens when
ground is broken.
Starting the Carnegie Library Buildings.
The initial step in the construction of the
Carnegie library, which was intended as
feature of last Mondays big celebration
but unavoidably postponed owing to
will probably be made an occasion for
music and oratorical fireworks also. From
present indications the conservatory will
be started first, although it is possible it
can be arranged to break ground for both
buildings on the same day.
Everybody everywhere in the city and
for miles around talked exclusively yester-
day of Mondays celebration at Schenley
Park. The wonder of all was the size of
the crowd. 1t was estimated at from
loo, 900 to 400, 900. Mayor Gourley said he
was satisfied, after careful reflection, that
not less than 250,00O people visited the
park during the day and evening, and he
thought that when the fireworks started
there were nearly, if not quite, 100000
there.
Colonel Elkins says the Duquesne and
Fifth Avenue lines carried between 157, 900
and $4,000 people from whom fares were
collected. At one time cars ran half trips,
one and half minutes apart, at the rate of
140 to 15O persons per car.
Money IN the DOuDie-DeCker.
The double-decker had the largest receipts
of any car ON the road, the conductor turn
ing in S170. Another car turned in SS7.
Hundreds of fares were not collected simply
because the cars were so full that the
people reached their destination before
the the conductor reached them. The
Junction Railroad ran trains, every
half hour, of eight cars each and it is esti-
mated that they carried $1,000 people from
the Allegheny side OF the river to the park.
The Second avenue line carried $4,000
people during the day, nearly all of whom
were Schenley Park visitors. Thousands
of people walked to and from the park and
more went in vehicles. Never
before were there so many vehicles at one
point in this end of the State as there were
at Schenley, Monday night.
Mayor Gourley was pleased beyond ex-
preston yesterday and he and Chief Bige-
low were being continuously congratulated
over the successful and pleasant termina-
tion of the Independence Day celebration.
The Mayor had been called upon by party
of Philadelphians who congratulated the
city on its big advertisement
Complim ented by Visiting Philadelphisns.
They were members of the Schulykill |
Navy Athletic Club, the leading athletic |
of "Quakertown," and 20 of |
them were here on their way home from a |
trip to the leading cities in the country, |
during which they participated in many |
great athletic events. Speaking of the Gel
ebration one of them said: 81 have seen all |
the big athletic events that have occurred |
east of the Rockies in the past 10 years and |
I have seen the big crowds at such affairs in
Europe. but have never seen anything |
nj law porly
It was not only immense
but it was fair, impartial, good-natured,
and orderly, and our party was as we'll !
treated as we could ask. We will be glad |
to come back here next year, and you may
rest assured we will all talk about Pitts
burg hereafter in connection with jolly big
crowds, parks athletic sports or the Fourth
Of July. This city forms in our minds a
basis for comparison on any of these
points.
Thousands of other visiting people prob
ably received similar impressions, and will
talk about Pittsburg wherever they 60
hereafter.
Great Advertising for Pittsburg.
s'That," said the Mayor, "is one of the
pest features of our celebrations. They not
,nly give happiness and enjoyment to our
,wn people, but they bring visitors from all
over the country ana they advertise us IN
way that will last and continue to grow.
Chief Bigelow tells me he will keep them
,p after my term expires. am glad of it.
They are permanent institution of Pitts
burg now.
Chief Bigelow said: 'tNo matter who is
,ur next Mayor or who follows him the
Fourth Of July celebrations will continue.
No matter what his inclinations might be
Mayor could not afford to refuse to take
part in these annual gatherings that three
7ears have rooted so deeply in the public
.ffection. A Fourth Of July in Pittsburg
low without bigcelebration would be like
he play of Hamlet with Hamlet left out"
Yesterday contributions to the Fourth of
July fund were sufficient to cover all the
They were: j. M. Gufey, $50;
Hardy & Hayes, s25; Joseph R. Hunter,
5; W. G. Wright, S. A statement Of re-