The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-30


and barges. and these, too. wers crowded.
ADMIRAL CLIMB TO THE SIGNAL PLATFORM
The Adm raj STOOD taking In the scene and
evidently deeply affected by 1t. Finally he left
the bridge and climbed over on the superstuct-
ure and up on the platform where the signal
boy stands when he wgwngs the signals.
There he was above everything. His was the
most conspicuous figure on the ship. He
stood there with nothing to interrupt
the view either or himself or OF
the multitude alongshore and in the boats
who were looking at him. With his glasses he
swept the river. To say that the scene at this
time was inspiring Ia putting It mildly. No man
could look at it without becoming intensely en-
thusiasic himself. 1t was only natural that the
Admiral should be impressed to degree that
made 1t impossible for him even to speak He
stayed up there on this superstructure for sew
era minutes and then he elm bed back on the
bridge. and for season paced up and down.
sALuTEs THE oYsTERMEN.
The ship was opposite Hobokcn at this time
and Hoboken had apparently determined to
exceed any other town In noise and enthusiasm
Cannon could be heard roaring there. bonn bs
were being exploded from the ends Of PIERS and
rockets were being sent up. though it was day
light. Ships along tho shore. following the ex-
ample OF La Touraine. added to the bedlam
with their fo2horns. Oysterville. on the New
York aide, had bigger floating population
than it ever before had in its history. The
oyster boats there were fllled inside and out
and the sight was curious enough to attract the
Admirals attention again. with the result that
he saluted them time and time again by waving
his hat. When Castle Point on the Jersey
shore was reached it could be seen that there
was tremendous hubbub at Castle Stevens
The beautiful lawn runs down from the house
half way TO the water. This was filled with
people. and nearly all Of them appeared to be
armed with bombs which were fred with tre-
mendous effect.
THE SKY DECoRATEs
A streak OF threatening black cloud from the
south had heightened itself over the sky nd
sprinkle OF rain fell. Then the sun came out
again and when the first boats OF the fleet
were well by Canal street. beautiful rain
bow. arched from the city and extended
clear across the river: the green in it. was
unusually brilliant. 1t seemed as il nature
herself had determined to add to the Gayety OF
the occasion with all the fancy colors she had
at her command. The bow lasted almo twenty
minutes. At times 1t was very brilliant 1t
was still in sight when those on board the
Olympia turned away to pay attention to the
more I'm mediate attractions that were lined up
before their eyes on either side OF the river
Twenty-third street was reached. still there
was no let up In the crowds. and the everlast-
ing noise Of the whistles. instead Of diminish
ing. seemed to grow louder and more earsplit-
ting. Loud and awful az It was. il was almost
redoubled few blocks further on. where are
the piers OF the New York Central Railroad and
where the Central has its yard The Central
railroad piers are equipped with railroad tracks
and the railroad men had run down on them
all the locomotives that they could command.
locomotive has a sharper and moro piercing
whistle than the average boat. Every one OF
these engines started going at once and at
the same me the sirens in the fleet, that had
been comparatively silent since the start OF the
parade. Joined them. 1t was confusion worse
COMPOUNDED. There are railroads on the other
side OF the river at that point. too. and the en-
zines over there Joined in the uproar.
Admiral Dewey walked up and down tho
bridge he tried to speak a dozen times. but he
might as we'll have remained silent for, speak
as loud ne he would. his voice could not be
heard foot from his face.
Near Forty second street one OF the West
Shore boats got ducking from the stream OF
water sent out by the ireboats. There are
coal pockets near Forty second street and
these bore heavier weight OF humanity than
OF coal
vAGRoM BOATS oBsTRuCT THE VIEW.
As the fleet proceeded ur the river beyond
this the boats alongside the Olympia grew
thicker. Many tu2boats. excursion boats and
yachts had pot gone down the bay at all to
Join in tho procession. but had lain In
wait up here for it to come along.
They were RESPONSIBLE in a large measure
for mix-ups in divisions. want OF order
and all that, that necessarily marked the
celebration They fell into the line any
where and everywhere after the war,hips had
passed. The police kept them out until that
time. While the police boats could keep them
out u tho course they could not keep them
out Of the line between the shore and the
paradng ships. They cut Off the view
OF thousands OF those who had gathered
along the shore hoping to have goo look ut
the Olympia. The Admiral saw this and he re-
marked that it was shame that these people
who were undergoing such discomfort as they
were. should by such nuIp bs disappointed
He sent word to tho Patrol and asked II some
thing could not BE- done. but 1t was impossible
to do anything because there were so many OF
tho boats
1t was only II little further uptown. however.
that the ground began to get higher and these
waiting disobedient boats nc longer interfered
with the view. There was more open ground
crowds gathered in spots wherever there was
a vacant lot. Wherever there was place on
the bluff that did not hold "A building. there
was n crowd
LooS at it," said the Admiral. Just look
a it," He turned then and saw the rising
ground Of tho Jersey side AMI there the story
WIS The same. Up and up. almost from the
waters edge. the people sal in great tiers.
A iIte further on, Riverside DrIvr with its
thousands upon thousands o. spectators cama
in view. and in the distance Grants Tomb
doomed M. Along here was yacht anchorage
and every owner was waiting 10 salute the
Olympia when she came along. So again there
b gan the roaring " IN" cannons and the roH-
( ping " tho guns and reviewers on the li'te
yachts. Each new sort Of noise that came
along started up all tho old noses ngain. or
rather gave them new vSNr, Tor they
never stopped, and so it was that on
the way M by Riverside Drive the
earsplttnE features OF the celebration did no,
die out There must have been not less than
100 yachts that saluted the Admiral and his
flagship in this trip before the stakeholt was
reached.