Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-10-12
MAJESTIC PAGEANT
Second Feature of Gotham's
Quadrennial Festival.
A SCENE OF BEAUTY IN THE HARBoR

a SUENE UE BEAUTY In The HARBOR
The Stately Ships Go by in Imposing
Procession, While the Waters and Land
Are Vocal With the Boom of Cannon
and the Roar of Cheers-A Parting Sa-
lutte to the ''Old Commander Resting
i'm His Tomb at Riversile-War and
Commerce Represented in the Fleet,
Graphic Description of the Parade.
NEW YORK, Oct, 12.-The naval parade
was magnificent sight. That is the
unanimous verdict of about million peo-
pie, for at least that many-probably more
saw the spectacle 1t was the principal
event of the second festival day of the
Columbus week. The general plan of the
parade was this: War vessels of Spain,
France and Italy had visited this port and
the city undertook to show them around
the harbor. To do this with proper eclat
the U. S. S. Philadelphia, Miantonomah,
Atlanta, Dolphin, Vesuvius and others of
less renown, together with a swarm of mer-
chant vessels, steam yachts, tugs, etc.-any
one of which could have slowed away one
of the vessels Columbus crossed the Allan
tic with-were detailed as an escort to the
foreign visitors OF course there was hunt
ing galore, waning the yards, three cheers
frequently repeated, boom of big guns, etc.
all and singular, ad lib.
Viewed From n Distance.
And this is the way it looked from the
top of the Washington building: At
p. m. the observers saw puff of white
smoke arise far in the distance and heard
family the dull boom of many big guns
1t was the salute of 81 guns fred from each
ship of war and answered by the forts.
The marine march had started. Away
beyond the mass of craft in the centre of
the bay could be family discerned two
long, dark lines extending north from each
side of the narrows. They were the star
board and port squadrons of the eScortiGg
fleet. Gradually could be made out row
of what looked like dots. They formed the
advance guard of the procession, the patrol
ing fiotilla manned by the naval reserves.
Salute from Liberty Island.
Slowly the form of the parade could be
made out as the line moved majestically up
the harbor between the hundreds of YES
sells anchored each side of the channel At
1:45 the police boat patrol forming the nose
of the line passed Liberty island, and the
smoke from thunderous salute envel-
oped the Liberty statue. Just behind the
police patrol came the boats of the reserves,
five deep, flying the naval militia's flag
blue field with two crossed anchors and
state coat of arms. In solitary state float
ed long, narrow, low-lying craft, the tor
pedo boat Cushing, on board of which was
Director of the Naval Parade Kane. Fol-
lowing it We're the directors vidette boats,
ready to dart hither and thither at his or
der.
Getting Into Closer Range.
As the procession neared the Battey, and
could be distinguished from the surround
ings it was seen that the ships were
ranged in three columns. The American
vessels thanked the foreign ships of war.
Next following the Cushing and its videttes
was line of white banked passenger steam
ers flying the city flag On them were the
Columbian committee of one hundred with
their guests. The Sam Sloan was on the
starboard line, the Mohawk on the port,
and the Mattawan in the center.
Formation of the Battleships. ]
Then came the first line of battleships.
The big white hull of the double-turreted
Maintonornoh with her two low circular
turrets, dipping down deep in the water,
was first to be noticed and recognized by
every one She was thanked by the flag
ship Philadelphia, looming higher out of
the water than any other craft, and the
French flag ship Arethuse, the largest war
ship in the parade. Her lofty spars rising
skyward from the black hull overtopped
everything. As these majectic ships
showed their prows past Governors island
the Philadelphia gave the signal for the
salute. Then ensued one of the most inter
esting and picturesque scenes of the parade
Firing "A Salute of Twenty-Five Guns. /
Every man-of-war fired twenty-one guns. I
The sharp crack of the lighter guns mingled
with the deep boom of the heavier ordnance. {
All down the long line white puffs of smoke
wreathed from the portfolios of the advanc-
ing ships in succession. The big guns of
Fort William, on Governors Island, belched
forth an answer. The SHOTS We're fired in
rapid succession all around the circular
fort. The arising smoke formed ring of
mist that belted the grim walls of the mas
sive pile for an instant and then fioated
away to mingle with that from the ships.
The warships, of course, We're of most inter
est to the sightseers. At intervals of $50
yards, in three columns 800 feet apart, sailed
after the Miantonomah Philadelphia, and
L'Arethuse nine other naval engines of war.
The United States steamers Atlanta and
Dolphin escorted the French gunboat Hus-
Sard
CLIMAX TO THE PAGEANT.
Scene at the Turning Point Opposite the
Tomb of Grant.
One of the sights of the parade was a SER