Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-08-25
The Parade of Admiral Samp-
sons Fleet at New York
Great Success.
AN IMPRESSIVE SCENE
As the Mighty War vessels sailed up TO
Grants Tomb-Hundrcds of Thou
sands of People Cheer the Conquer
ing Heroes Welcome Extended
to sampson by the Mayor.

thins. the fighting backbone of the ma
lions tried navy, passed in review yester-
day before the eyes of the nations chlcl
ritv. steamed up the North river to
tirlnt's tomb. and there fired Il salute TO
the nations mighty dead. The event was
Il triumph and n tributc-a triumph for
the heroes of to-day, tribute to the hero
of yesterday
New York has seen naval paradcs be-
fore; it has never before seen a naval pa
rad, that meant what this pageant means.
il has never welcomed a victorious nect.
frcsn from battle and with marks of con-
1lict still upon it, Five years ago all the
powers OF the world sent their ships here
in celebration of our Columbian anniNcr-
sary. There were Spanish ships here then,
one of them lies shattered ana riddlcd,
wreck ON the Santiago coast 1t was a
beautiful celebration that parade of 1893.
hut the graceful white ships that formed
u shining line down the river could not
stir American hearts as they were stirred
yesterday.
40 one who looked at them could say
that those snips in their war paint were
things of beauty. II was deeper senti-
mcnt than the aesthetic that the! APP
lctlcd. Each one of them stood for cncr-
~ and skill and knowledge rightly direct
81. for duty chccrfuly dcue, for death
hobly faced, for the UNFOLDING of the ma
tons honor and the flags glory. The
men behind the guns were there. too. The
them, but the saluting guns spoke for
them.
As they passed in review-Ncw York,
Iowa, Indiana, Brooklyn, Massachusetts,
oregon and Texas-theY were chcercd
from the shores and the boats by more
people than Spail has left alive in Cuba
Not only did New York turn out, but for
miles around people cunVcrgcd upon the
city to gathcr on the shores of the North
River. ami that not for an event which
had been determined upon long before and
prepared for 10y excursions and special
trains, but Il parade that at best was de-
pendent upon weather which might well
have delayed the expected fleet. Not the
last significant feature of the day is that
never before has such an event been so
promptly begun and completed. The
navy was on time.
What New York could do to honor the
ships it did. No, only did 1t turn ont its
millions, but it noatcd old Glory on Il
hundred thousand buildings it dcckcd its
shipping in gala colors and il answered
the ships salutcs from the mouth of its
own cannon. In fort and in open. There
was not much time for preparation, and
there was not a great splcndor of formal
ity. but the day was one that New York
will not forget so long as generation
hands down its records to succeeding gem
Grafton.
II WAS n simple ceremonial There were
seven ships that sailed up the river, fired
their SalutpS and sailed back to their an
churage. That was all. But the salutes
We're nrcd from guns that have made
American history and the men behind
those guns and the ships that carried
them won new glory for our country.
Admiral SIMPSONS fleet was sighted
from the Highlands at $40 O'Clock yestcr-
day morning, Through the long hours OF
the night many eyes had been anxiously
scanning the horizon and every new light
that appeared was carefully examined
There was feeling that some cause might
have delayed tho fleet so that it would not
arrive in time for the parade.
The rising sun was for time hidden by
n heavy bank of clouds. Then as the light
grew stronger the warships We're made
out away to the south, trailing great vol
umos of smoke behind them. on they
came. until at o'clock The warships were
sharply outlined against the horizon. The
sun had not yet broken through the clouds
and the gray huled craft ploughed Il lead
an sea, looking the embodiment of grin
war.
The ships were in single file. with Ad
mira SIMPSONS flagship the New York
IN the iead The Brooklyn held fourth
place in the line. and could easily be dis
tinguished by her three slender tunnels
The Iowa was second the Indiana third
the Massachusetts fifth and the Oregon
last, As the fleet approached it was seer
to be moving slowly.
1t was s O'Clock when the New Yorl
passed Sandy Hook, Fort Hancock die
not fire salute, but the entire population
OF the place had assembled To give thu
tars "A welcome. On the nagpoe of tn,
Western Union signal tower Il broom wal
run up above the stars and stripes, an'
in tho flags Of the International code wa
displayed the greeting, well done, boys.
As the Brooklyn passed the Hook she ran
up her battle flag to the main masthead
There We're holes in it that showed wha
the ship had neen through. and the peopl
cheered the cruiser heartily.
The run TO the Narrows was mad
without incident The outward bound Gu
nard liner Campania blew her whistle a
did many smaller craft Excursion boat
began to be met with, and the ovation be
gan which was to continue throughout tn
day.
People who had been waiting for hour
or the Staten Island heights cheere
themselves hoarse as the warshps swep
on TO quarantine. Soldiers lined the para
pets Of the forts and threw their hats i
the air, dancing for JOY in the meantim,
AT quarantine, Gen. John Palmer, secro
tary of state, was put on board the Ne,
York from the Gov Flower. He had wit
him registration blanks, which will pei
NIT the sailors and marines of the squad
ron TO vote under the new election Law
1t was here that the real ovation to III
fleet began
If there was one thing above all other
that the people wanted to see about thes
ships, II was whore they had been hit dui
ing the action with Cervera's squadron
The people were in hopes that the wal
ships would como in cleared for actor
so as to give realistic illustration
what they looked like when they did tn
work off Santiago for which they ha
been constructed. 1t was expected thi
they would all look dun and would |
sombrc in color and perhaps that mo-
OF them would be dirty from their SO
voyage and from the result of the can
paign in blockading and in fighting. TT
people were disappointed somewhat In IL
appearance of the ships. They all SCENE
TO have been painted recently, with Il
exception of the Massachusetts,. She WI
dirty, respectfully dirty" as one your
woman who seemed to know a heap abo
war, said In loud voice to companiC
on an excursion boat. The guns and tn
rets of the Massachusetts seemed to
mounted on hull that looked more iii
a>mud-scow than warship, but on clio
inspection 1t was observable that II Il
Massachusetts did not get into the fig
with Cervera she has been doing su,
serious work In blockading that her rus
appearance was simply the sign of G
flciency, and therefore she was all Il
more welcome to the cheers and salut
that she got.
Nor could any of the wounds on Il
ships save one be seen by the casual o
server. That one was hole In the mi
die smokestack of the Brooklyn, Will
seemed to be dozen or fifteen feet abo
the deck, and through which, when Of