New-York tribune., 1898-01-01
PRICE THREE CENTS.
BIRTH OF THE GREATER CITY
HILARIOUS CELEBRATION IN HONOR OF
THE NEW METROPOLIS.

SION UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE
NEw-YoRK JouaSAL"-cRowDs
N CITY HALL PARK.
The sun will rise this morning upon the great.
est experiment in municipal government that
the world has ever known-the enlarged city.
Brooklyn is no more Brooklyn, and Long
Island City is more as Long Island City and
many othes towns have left behind them the
individual existences that they have borne for
many years. The historic city of New-fork'
old New-York and what it has stood for in the
eyes OF the world. has closed its books. Ne"
ones it opens this morning. The firm name is
the same, but there are new partners, with vari-
Gus business trainings various histories and
various notions OF bushes conduct. The new
firm invites the business of the world. and upon
It the eyes OF the world turned.
The end of the old New-York and the begin
ming OF the greater city were marked last night
by perhaps the biggest. noisiest and most hi
larious New Years Eve celebration that Man.
haitian Island has ever known. The spirit OF
license was abroad in the air. 1t hung over the
island. 1t flung abroad it's arms and beckoned
the jewellers from far and near. Did the revel-
lers respond? They did. They focked toward
City Hall Park in thousands All the downtown
trains were 1dtnHeC 10 EoOiS anu "SiS AtNi"
ten minutes to half an hou, late The Bridge
trains could not carry enough Of the gay and
the noisy The air was full of the din OF hum
dreds Of horns and thousands OF shouts. The
streets were full of bowling, pushing, showing
hilarious multitude. The saloons and cafes were
crowded to the doors with throngs OF the merry.
full OF enthusiasm and other things. Liquor
flowed last night in reality like water. a thing II
is often said to do but seldom really does
NIGHT OF REvELLING.
II was a night OF reveng and OF license for
was not Tammany about TO assume the reins
OF government over the second largest city In
the world? Were not things 10 be run wide
open" again as in the good old days OF TAM
many's former rule? For this the spirits OF dis
order poured forth into the city streets and
found their noisy and tumultuous way to City
Hall Park, where the formal demonstration, held
under the auspices OF THE New-York Journal,
WAS TO be held. Great preparations had been
made for the celebration. The Journal offices
were ablaze with colored lights, electric hags
! and all manner OF illumnations. The CITY han
| sent forth shafts OF light into the foggy ar.
| City Hall Park was a mass OF colored IRE anu
set pieces Of every description. The Dig ONCE
buildings about were brilliantly illuminated from
basement 10 roof and from their tops the big
ovas of many a searchlight winked daylight
over the park and the streets theteaoout
The crowds came early. by y O'CLOCK tneS
u,oro hacked in dense masses about the park
Then came the police under Inspector CrosS a''"
forced them to the west side OF Broadway ana
20 tho east side OF Park Row. BY 10 o'clock 1t
was impossible TO force ones way through me
thronr and to gain entrance to the Office build
| ,ncs made necessary a round about journey OF
three or four blocks
PROCESSION A SHORT ONE.
The procession was short one. owing to the
heavy rain that fell all day long ana INTO the
evening 1t was proposed at one time to post
none the celebration. but when the rain stopped
it was determined to proceed with the plans aS
laid The head Of the procession arrived at the
! civ Hail AT 11:05 o'clock, led by a platoon OF
mounted police. Three-quarters OF an hour
| later. the last division had passed and the en-
tire line of fire engines, colored floats, bicycsts
! and organizations had passed down Park ROW
! ont OF sight Then the German singing socie-
ties and the bands that fell out Of line massed
in front Of the city Hall. and led by Professor
Fanciulli made music during the few minutes
of the old year that remained.
In the intervals masses Of fame sprouted into
view all over City Hall Park from background
OF colored fire; aerial bombs exploded In the air.
and a huge balloon with trailing skirts OF COL
ored flame, floated away over the East River
while over all the searchghts sent their hery
arms Two minutes before II o'clock the din IN
creased perceptibly and was added TO by tho
shrieks Of the tugs and steamboats, in the har-
bor and the rivers. The city flag rose to the
ton of the flagstaff on the City Han on the frst
s,roke OF - in response 10 the touch OF the
nnqer of Mayor Phean. OF san Francisco. upon
an electric button over three thousand miles
awav The singing societies had been singing
"Auld Lang Sync' but their voices were at
once overwhelmed in the din that arose.
AT the moment the flag arose. unsteadiiy' IL
NAV be significant 10 note, to the top OF the
naestaN. Wilson's battery, stationed near the
Postofice. thundered out the first Of loO-gun
salute The charge shook the big buildings ana
again the crowd hurrahed
Az This time snow was falling somewhat
heavily. but the noise was undated, ana IL was
some hours later before the multitude iaded
awav from the streets about City Hall PARK Al
sunrise a. lOO-gun salute was fired at Governors
Island. according TO orders issued by the Secre-
tary OF War.
START OF THE PARADE.
7, waa nearly 1870 O'clock before the parade
hogan to move from the startng-point, at Sew
enteenth-st and Broadway. There was a great
display Of fireworks, and there was crowd that
packed every inch OF available space in the
streets adjacent, and on the stoops and In the
windows OF the buildings. The pagaders. hoats
and other parts OF the procession formed in the
I nearby streets crossing Broadway. and fell into
line when their turn came The parade was led
by a corps Of mounted and bicycle police Then
came number of carriages. in which were seat
| ed members Of the Chicago delegation. A large
number of volunteer hremen from various bor-
oughs came next. and made big showing.
Scattered between the dozen hand engines and
hosecarts were several drum corps. Following
the aremen was a detachment Of militia A min
,,t,,re Are-engine bore the legend: Should old
| acquaintance he forgot?" The crowd. seeing II.
! shouted. "Now A number OF advertising wag-
ons found room to push between the paraders
| and march along.