The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-08
FIRST NIGHT OF FIRE.
Bomburdment Will Take Place This
Evening.

This evening, after night has drop
ped her sable curtain over the city, and
especially over that great commercial
artery, the river, every vantage ground
along the gorge of the Father of
Waters from the Indian mounds to
Mendoza, will be thronged with eager
spectators, for tonight will take place
the first of those splendid entertain
ments which are to be, from the spec
tacular standpoint at least, the crown
ing glories of carnival week. This is
to be the first night of fire, and as the
attacking forces wage their mimic war
il, on and above the ripping waters of
the river, every whizzing rocket, every
hurting bomb, will be mirrored in
manifold beauty in the thousand
waves, already silvered by the mellow
moonlight. Not since the days of old
ice carnivals will there have been such
display will lack that rich beauty and
snowy grandeur possessed by the old
show. the water will lend it's share to
the scenic effect, scarcely less than the
superior location which tonights dis
play will offer to the thousands who
always want to see these things.
The attacking forces under command
of Capt. E. S. Bean, will consist of
about 300 men. Those participating
will be Company D, Third infantry, of
Zumbrota Under command of Capt.
Person; Company E, Third infantry,
of Merriam Park, under command of
Lieut. Baker; Battery A, First artil-
lery, under command of Capt. Roos,
and Camp No. l, Sons of Veterans, I'M
der command of Capt. Henninger. The
battery with three rife cannon and
the force under Capt. Bean, will be
assisted in the attack On the fortress
by the steamer Bennington, which will
carry a cannon on the forward deck.
The piers of the Broadway bridge will
also be used by the attacking forces as
a stand for firing bombs Capt. Bean
and his command will leave the arm
ory accompanied by band and drum
corps at SIS sharp, and proceed to the
fort via Sixth, Robert and Fillmore
avenue The assault will be commence
ed at S:45 o'clock. and will continue
about forty-five minutes. The pro-
gramme is to have the attacking forces
repulsed tonight, but Thursday night
the fort will be captured. Tomorrow
night the force under command of
Capt Bean will be augmented by
Companies D, c, and H, of the First
infantry.
Company D, of Zumbrota, which will
take part in the assault this evening,
will be the guest of the city during
their stay in ST. Paul.
The defensive forces will be under
the general supervision of Mr.. French,
of the Boston Flambeau club, which
will participate with the Redmen and
Sons of Veterans. The central for
tress. which faces Sibley street, is
octagonal in FORM and each of its
faces mounts a cannon and rocket
tube, while apertures are left for the
musketeers, a double row OF Whorn
work, one from the ground and the
other from an upper deck ten feet
above. The other two Notifications
are twelve feet square each, and sim
ilarly equipped as to armament, in
proportion to their size. The defend
ers will be equipped with antique pis-
tolls of one sort and another, and will
wear brilliant red uniforms, with
glistening breast plates and helmets,
the latter bearing instead of the or
binary crest, counterparts of the faces
of fierce carnivorous animals.
The Notifications will be lighted by
acetylene and red fire, and, if neces-
sary, by bonfires. The bombardment
this evening will continue an hour.