New-York tribune., 1896-10-18
SUNDAYEDITION.1 5
OCTOBER IS, 1896. :
"OLD GLORY"
A CAMPAIGN OF PATRIOTISM.
rttr: NETWORK BANNERS OF THE PAST ASS
ALMOST UNKNOWN NOVA REMARK
ABLE DISPLAY IN THE STREETS
OF THE CITY

The Columbian ceteDTdtloH III -~c"0h"i" -
notable for many things. and perhaps one OF the
most remarkable features of 1t all was tne posi-
tive prodigaIty displayed by owners of business
blocks and hou sehoders alike in the exercise or
the decorative spirit The streets were afiame
with color and general enthusiasm was al rever
heat To-day one can hardly turn around at the
intersection Of any New-York streets without
being sIapped in the face by "Old Glory 1t IL
estimated on safe ground that five hundred great
flags adorn the various thoroughfares between
the Battery and Central Park and the HUDSON
and the East rivers Broadway is lined with tnem
in such fashion that sunshny day IL - I'M
possible TO catch the perspective line down town
from Grace Church with any degre OF certainty
In the last analysis the eye is confused and from
separate flags The entire picture becomes mergeo
into a solid block Of red. white and blue
But Broadway is not singular. The popular en-
thusiasm extends further. Ii reaches out INTO
and embraces the side streets. clear to Thirty
hfth-st and down to the Battery.
THE RUSH FOUR YEARS AGO.
The analogy between the Columbian celebration
and the present outbreak Of the decorative spirit
is interesting and instructive. The former was
spasmodc in its character. according to h. H.
Upham, who has had a hand in demonstrations
Of this nature since he began business for
himself forty years ago. He recounts with much
amusement how he labored with the merchants
OF the city for three months before the celebration
began trying 70 awaken an interest in his de-
signs to give the city festival appearance.
Il saw it coming. you know" he remarked with
a twinkle in his eye over the humor OF the remi.
niscence "and for three months before the ceie-
braton began we had our canvassers out booking
orders for decorations. ] told business men thst
they had better put their names down early ana
avoid the rush. but they said they guessed there
was plenty Of time for il. However, we booked
good many orders and just before the day fixed
We began 10 make picture out of Broadway.
Well. sir. then the orders began to come in on US
in a rush. You never saw anything like it, Why.
we were simply swamped. in spite OF all our
previous preparation for just what happened.
Everybody wanted something done. and wanted
il in a minute. The man who hadn't ordered his
decorations saw the business house next to him
being fitted out with flags and bunting. and ne
wanted something 10 match it,
We'll. sir the way the price OF bunting went
up was caution. AMI flags that ordinarily could
be bought for from 81 to 81 went up 10 Sl2 and
SD apiece The demand was enormous, and the
city was sight Then after the celebration was
over a great many big firms that had branch
houses in other cities shipped the decorations
away for use there. since the celebration else
where was a week later than IL was in New
York Visitors TO the city called on business firms
and bought the decorations that pleased them
outright. and had them shipped TO their homes
HOW THE IDEA SPREAD.
The flag movement was begun ] think.
by TWO business me1 IN middle Broadway.
They wanted flag in the block where their
interests were situated. and one Of them just
drew up a subscription put his own name under
the heading for nice, round sum- and started
one Of his clerks round the block with 1t. The
plan spread from block to block. until the flags
that we have put up number about seventy. We
began working at Canal-st.. and went as far
north as Thirty-ifth-st. on Broadway Then We
put up a good many in the side streets. and we
also placed the one in front Of the Produce En-
change. The growth OF the sentiment was steady
and determined and kind OF worked along in
sections. say of half dozen blocks at a time. In
far as know. il was all done by the subscrip-
ton plan the merchants in single block paying
for their flag. Every one had a chance 10 SUBJ
scribe--tfe more the merrier you know.
Il have never seen so many flags. especially
large ones. used in decoration in all my expert
ence. Certainly il has never been done before In
any political campaign. and this campaign will
remain singular for that alone. believe As soon
as the money had all been raised some one would
he delegated TO go and buy the flag Then IL
would he brought 10 us To be lettcred Oh. yes,
there has been A lot of discussion as 70 the mot
toes In addition 10 the names Of Mckinley ana
Hobart. some inscription has been demanded. and
we have had Sound Money some. Honest
Money on others; again. we have written Hon
est Money and Chance 10 Earn IL. In some In
stances this was changed to Sound Money and
Chance to Earn It. Perhaps the best phrase was
this one. which I believe was placed on the last
We put up. II read: IT is Better 10 Open the
Mills than the Nints Another catch phrase In
NO Split Dollars In former years the network
sign the popular medium for campaign use:
but thus far this year We have only made four OF
these for New-York City. Formerly we would
make high fifty for both parties.
THE SIZE OF THE FLAGS
The flag is distinct improvement on the net
sign. for the reason that it is simpler in its ex-
preston. You take net sign and IT Is generally
covered with all sorts of things. from the Ma
tional candidates down To the candidates for
State Offices In some instances this year per-
sons came In here and desired to have the State
candidates placed on the flag. discouraged such
notions all I could. that was localizing the
issue. Now it is everywhere the same and !
think a close estimate for New-York City would
he five hundred flags in use. For the most part
these flags are 20 by 80 feet and - by 81 feet IN
size You hear all sorts Of wild stories about the
size of flags on big buildings but you can make
a pretty close guess at dimens ions. Just reckon
fourteen feet 10 A story. The flag must be hung
twenty-five feet clear OF the ground Count the
stories to the wire running rope. Then take OF
twenty-five feet and YOU can Judge Of the size OF
the story you hear
The same wild reports get abroad about tho
cost Of flags. For instance that one IN 'front.' or
the Produce Exchange cost with its spars and rig
ging and mounting $3.50. The cost was reported
at $500
But this opens up another phase Of the ques-
ton upon which information was sought from .
prominent authority on the question. Time was.
not so many years ago, when the Lowell mills. in
which Benjamin F. Butler was interested, had q
virtual monopoly OF the bunting business Of this
country. although. as the manufacturer OF whom
The Tribune sought information declared. the
English article was better and Of dur.
able quality He said:
The best quality Of bunting for flags Is made
OF alpaca wool. the thread of which Is very long.
and mokes I'm consequence. very strong thread
in the weaving. The most OF the bunting now In
use here Is made OF WOOL In some instances very
short and there IL stability In the thread. The
bunting has been cheapened In response to the