New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-18

PERFECT DAY AND
SUCCESSFUL
CELEBRA-
TIoN.
With pomp and pageant. with the booming oS
cannon. with the passing Of two great parades.
one on water and the other land; with big
banquet. with the eloquence OF orator and q
blaze Of fireworks. the Harlem Ship Canal was
formally and officially opened yesterday. The
day was perfect for such a demonstration. The
waters OF the Hudson River and the Long Island
Sound. and the water in the channel connecting
them, sparkled in the rays Of the sun, which
shone brightly, but not too brightly, from
cloudless sky. A cool breeze. laden with the fra
GRANGE of June flowers, blew over the spuyten
Duyvil Creek, the canal cut and the Harlem
River as the fotilla passed through. Thou
sands of people stood on the shores Of the new
waterway and watched the parade OF boats with
enthusiasm and comfort Many thousands
watched the land parade with pleasure I'M
mense crowds were at Oak Point in the evening
to witness the fireworks. 1t was indeed great
day for Harlem and the Annexed District-a day
OF long-drawn show and ceremony and magnin-
cent display In the most perfect weather imagin-
able.
Everything connected with the celebration
went off smoothly and without delay. The
croakers who had been predicting failures were
disappointed and discredied. None Of the ves-
sells stuck fast in the canal, and nobody was
made seasick by the voyage. The arrangements
for the parades for the banquet and for the fire.
works had been made with such care that no
serious failure Of any kind occurred to mar the
festivities. Uncle Sam performed his part or the
programme with promptness and with due for
sf1rc n IA
and Atlanta fired the salutes in the Hudson
River and at the entrance to Long Island Sound
with admirable precision, and his soldiers
marched with equal precision in the land parade.
The Governor Of New-York and the Governors
of other States who had been invited 10 take
part in the ceremonies were unavoidably absent,
but Mayor Strong and the Mayors OF Hudson.
Rochester. Stamford and other cities were pres
ent and many Of the high officials OF the city
Joined in the celebration.
Doubtless the greatest feature OF the day was
the passing OF the fotilla through the newly COM
pleted canal which shortens by many miles the
distance between the two great waterways ae
the chief gateway Of the American continent.
There was a procession OF boats OF varying stzeA
from the ordinary side-wheel river steamboat to
the dainty naphtha launch, and all OF the YES
sells were decorated with flags Nearly all Of
attire Some carried small cannon. which
barked joyfuy. and the others had whistles.
which were blown in an almost endless toot OF
triumph as the procession wound its way from
the river TO the Sound. Great throngs OF peo-
pe were on the shores OF the canal to cheer the
notia and fire occasional salutes. and the bridges
which span the Harlem River were black with
crowds. The land parade had passed over the
Madison Avenue Bridge before the fotilla
reached H. and the crowded draw was swung
open to allow the passage OF the larger boats
Although the two parades had failed to pass In
sight of each other the greatest demonstration OF
enthusiasm was made at the bridge where the
routes OF the two parades crossed. People the
boats waved their handkerctefs and hats, and
cheered: the whistles blew In one long. triumph
ant discordant, ear-splitting scream; cannon
punctuated the din at intervals and mighty roar
went up from the crowds on the bridge and ada
cent wharves. There was enthusiasm enough and
to spare at the Madison Avenue Bridge
The salute fired by the cruiser CINCINNATI In the
Hudson River as the fota was entering the
spuyten Duyv Creek at II 80 p. m. was most ef-
fective. After each shot was fired the report
hurled back from the Palisades and from the
rocks on the east shore OF the river in echoes and
reverberatons which did not cease before another
gun set them going again. Twenty-Five guns
were fired in the salute with pendulum- ke regu-
larity. and the white cruiser made charming
sight as she lay at anchor with white smoke puf-
hng from her sides and rising above the string OF
flags which ran from her stem 10 her stern over
her mastheads. Almost as impressive was the
appearance Of the Atlanta, which had steamed
down from New-London 10 fire the salute or OAK
Point. There such echoes OF the
salute there. but the cruiser fired twenty-one
guns with the same steadiness which had marked
the discharge OF the guns on the Cincinnau, ana
the Atlanta in her holiday dress OF hags. looked
beautiful as she rested on the sunt waters OF the
Sound and performed her part in the ceremony
Next 10 the parade on the water, the land pa.
raie was an imposing and delightful feature OF
the celebration. Government troops. marching
WELL as they usually do pleased the crowds OF
sightseers which lined the route OF the parade
from the Fort Lee ferryhouse on the HUDSON ttiVer
almost 10 Oak Point. The long procession. now
ever. mostly OF a civic character. ana IN IL
were a number OF large floats. each drawn by
several horses on several OF the floats were fine
displays OF flowers. while on others were dis
plaved the operations Of various manufactures In
the city, such the making OF artificial ice the
brewing OF beer. the building OF carriages, tne
drilling of rocks and the cutting OF stone, the
working Of iron and many forms or WOODWORK.
The land parade the largest ever seen In
Harlem. Along its route there was an imposing
display Of flags and other decorations on build
ngs and X looked as II A majority OF the people
in the northern part of the city had turned out 70
witness the display. -
large pavilion AT Oak Point, and about 800 men
sat az the tables They enjoyed the dinner,
famed by the cool breeze which blew through the
pavilion and listening TO the music and the
sounds Of jubation which were wafted from the
fleet of boats and from crowds In the large pleas
ure grounds near by 1t was not good place
for speechmaking. there was. so much noise
in the open air. but Mayor Strong managed 70
make himself heard IN short and effective
speech Fordham Morris delivered the Grafton OF
the day.
In the evening Oak Point. the waters at the
entrance TO the Sound and the Harlem River were
ilu minated by a magnificent display Of hreworks.
which was Witnessed by immense crowds.
FEATURES OF THE WATER PARADE.
GUNS FROM THE CINCINNATI STARTED THE FLEET
uovrvF\T, TRIIrMPHAI. PROCESSION