New-York tribune., 1897-08-05
NEWPORTS GALA DAY.
THE FETE AND IILUMINATIONS MORE
BRILLIANT THAN ANY PRE-
VIOUS ONES
NEw-YoRK YACHTS AND GOVERNMENT WAR

NEw-yoRx YACHTS AND GOVERNMENT WAR
SHIPS UNITE TO GIVE spLENDOR TO THE
scENE-THE CITY PARADE.
Newport. r. l., Aug 4.-This is the day of
Newport's great fete in honor of the New-York
Yacht Club and the North Atlantic Squadron
and the boom of the last gun tonight ended
celebration that will long be notable in Its HIS
tory For weeks committees including In their
membership some Of the most prominent men in
the country have been planning for the festivi-
ties with the avowed intention 2f making the
observance one that would overshadow anything
ever before attempted here and the city's per-
manent residents have worked in hearty CO.
operation with her summer guests.
Newport Is never awake very early in the
morning, and even to-day there was no evidence
OF unusual activity during the first part OF the
forenoon Some decorators putting the finishing
touches on their work in some sections. and the
electricians, whose gorgeous schemes Tor the
illuminations were not completed last night
were connecting their struggling wires and MT
ting the last of the muti-coored lamps in their
places To these workers the skies did not
promise the most auspicous weather, and, as
the day got older il became evident that there
was little chance that 1t would clear entirely.
and there was every promise of a cloudy. humid
day.
The old town has often assumed holiday garb
and delighted the eye Of the visitors by honoring
the New-York yachtsmen but it has never be-
fore been decorated on such an elaborate scale.
From narrow Thames-st., which is fiattered by
designation as the principal business thorough
fare, to Bellevue-ave., broad and beautiful, the
stores and residences were mass Of bright
color. Flags and pennants and notices and
bunting were on every hand with welcoming
words to the yachtsmen and guests Of the
squadron.
In the harbor the early morning saw more
life than ashore. The yachtsmen already
here were about their preparations for the day
almost as promptly the disciplined tars on
the warships. Tenders and launches were busiy
hurrying back and forth between the boats and
the shore and Of rowboats paraded
around the ships of the White Squadron. curl
ously watching the sailors at their work. The
feature Of the forenoon was the cutter races in
the harbor between the crews from Fort Adams
the Newport naval reserve torpedo company
seamen gunners from the torpedo station, ap-
prentices from the training station. and the Old
Colony repair shop. for prizes offered by Oliver
II. p. Belmont.
THE RACES IN THE HARBOR
Excursion trains and boats meanwhile poured
hundreds into the city. The course for the
races. which began at IL o'clock, was mile and
quarter long, from a point off the Torpedo
Station TO buoys near the Training Station and
return. The first race was good battle. The
Training station crew proved strongest and
in IL :53; Torpedo Station second: Naval
Reserves. third: Old Colony, fourth. The Fort
Adams crew did not start
The time made in the second race between the
squadron cutters was not so good as in the first
race. but the contest attracted great attention.
The second crew from the New-York won In
1850 with the Iowa, second; Indiana, third:
NewYork first boat, fourth and Massachusetts,,
fifth. The Brooklyn crew did not finish. The
officials OF the races were, ,Judges-Congressman
Melville Bull, Mayor J. p. Boyle. Postmaster
D. K, Young and +. p Gsrretson. Referee
Lieutenant-C Commander r. c. Mclean. L. S. N.
Timekeeper-Lieutenant st. u Grcble, ". s. A.
A ball game was played between the Newport
and the New Bedford clubs Of the New England
League during the forenoon. Newport winning
4 TO J.
The land parade this afternoon was OF course
the great daylight attraction. 1t fully equaled
expectations, and was viewed by what un-
doubtedly the largest crowd that ever filled New
ports streets.
Admiral Sicard and staff came ashore for the
parade about noon, landing at the training