The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-10-25

NEW YORK, Oct. 24-The most
unique marine spectacle ever seen in
the waters of this harbor, took place
tonight. 1t was a magnificent display
participated in by two hundred differ
ent craft and witnessed by an immense
crowd of people.
The event was the nautical grand
fireworks display, Illumination and
marine parade of the shipping, and
industrial sound money association,
IN honor of Mckinley and Hobart, and
was the first demonstration of its char
acter ever held hereabouts.
From One Hundred and Thirtieth
street on the North river. Just above
Grants tomb, to Governors island, off
the battery, the flotilla steamed, every
vessel in gala attire.
AIR FILLED WITH FIRE.
For an hour or more. the air was
filled with a flood of brilliant lights
and dazzling colors, showers of burn
ing stars torrents of golden sprays,
batteries of colored candles and bombs
and, for the time. night seemed to
have turned into day.
The pyrotechnic feature of the even
ing was carried out on an elaborate
scale. Tt began with a salute of 101
aerial guns, followed by an illumina-
ton of the harbor with 500 colored
lights. an ascension of "a balloons with
powerful magnesium lights, which lit
up the city; colossal fire pictures of
Mckinley and Hobart; umbrellas of
fire, illuminated kites. floating festoons
of fire; a magical Illumination of the
harhor with chemical compounds; the
American. flag unfurled in the sky in
five colors: submarine explosions;
grand fire bouquets and innumerable
other devices, which made the soec-
tacle inspiring and seemingly magical
IN character.
The night was clear and cold when
the parade began formation at z
O'Clock. Steam craft only participated.
The feet was in four divisions, the
first in command of Rear Admiral
Staples the second under Rear Ad-
r1iral Dalsell. the third under Rear Ad-
miral Moore, and the fourth in charge
Of Admiral Valentine, and the whole
under command of Admiral ]. L. Wiler
these titles, of course, were political
and conferred for the occasion. The
four divisions were composed Of four
squadrons in each, and each squadron
in command of commodore. The adj
fniral'S staff, elaborate in numbers was
composed of representatives of naviga-
ton in this city. Commodore Michael
Moran, a well known vessel owner,
was in charge of the flying squadron
of seven speedy tugs. The feet was
formed at th= lower end of the Pail
sades above One Hundred and
Thirtieth street. the first and third d.
visions on the west side and the sec
ond and fourth on the east side of the
river. All divisions formed in columns
of vessels heading down stream.
A BEAUTIFUL SCENE.
The preparatory signal was fired
from the flagship at s p. m. and i'm
naediately the admiral's flagship and fly
ing squadron proceeded to midstream.
After q short delay, amid the blowing
of whistles and a flood of pyrotechnics,
the parade started. The speed was six
knots an hour, and to facilitate naviga-
ton and prevent accident there was a
distance of 300 yards between divisions
and 200 yards between squadrons.
When the head of the column was
abreast Of Grants tomb, the fireworks
programme was begun by a salute of
101 guns, followed by bombs, rockets,
etc. The display was continued as the
vessels fell into line and as they passed
down the river there were more fire.
works from anchored fiatboats at
Weehawken, Stevens Point, Fourteenth
street, Hoboken and the battery.
Every boat had its own supply of
pyrotechnics, too, and kept up a con-
which was over eight miles in length.
The biggest display was at the bat
terry. where the most distinguished
guests and the reviewing party were
assembled.
After passing the reviewing vessel,
the larger craft passed around Gov
eruor's Island, through Buttermilk
channel, the smaller up the east river,
keeping near the Brooklyn shore as far
as East Thirty-fourth street. The
sduadrons were dismissed after passing
the reviewing boat
1t was 9:15 z. N. when the head of
the line reached the reviewing boat
Aurora, off the battery. The arrival
of the fleet was greeted with a grand
fireworks demonstration. AS each
boat arrived she took up a position OPP
posite the Jersey shore, and soon the
waters in the vicinity We're alive with
northumberland vessels.
The trip down the river was a pic
furesque' one. The great fiotilla re-
sembled a big city. Nearly every boat
from the saucy little tugs to the big
two-screw steamboats,, was illunin-
ated--some with bright lines of lights.
which were strung around the rails
and decks.
A number of buildings near the wa
ter front on the New York side were
in festive attire. 1t is estimated that
q. 900 persons were aboard the vessels
in the parade, and that fully 100000
were gathered along the river on the
banks and piers, from Grants tomb to
she battery on the New York side. and
on the Palisades to Jersey city. About
$4,000 more were gathered in the big