Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-24
How America Will Receive the Hero
of Tlanila Bay-The Olympia's
Reception at New York.

stucco. and IS handsomely ornamented
with figures of appropriate design.
These figures represent the ascendency
Of the United States as a maritime ma
ton, symbolized by four groups. bold in
design, and poetic in conception. One
group represents patriotism, or the call
to arms The second group typihes war,
or the first with the enemy. The third
group stands for the return. which, of
course. means the homecoming of the
victorious fighter while the fourth and
last group will show the dawn Of peace,
the returned volunteers again taking up
the peaceful occupations Of their home
life. Extending on either side Of the arch
there is a double line OF ornate columns,
constituting a fit approach to the one CEN
trail piece. The different groups on this
central arch are treated in an allegorical
way. but have in the foreground certain
realistic groups. These will contain such
Portrait figures as Farragut, Decatur,
Paul Jones. Perry, Foote, Hull Cushing,
Porter. and Macdonald. Besides these,
there will be medallions of other naval
heroes who could not be included in such
heroic groupings, each figure be-
ing u feet in height. More than
two dozen Of the most efficient
artists of New York have been
at work upon this arch for some time.
and. while its nominal cost IS deckoned
at $2G50O. its actual value IS many times
that modest figure. on IT the four SPAN
drels over the main archway will be
taken up with figures typifying the At
lantic and the Pacific on the one hand
and the North and the East rivers on the
other. The argument Of such an arrange
ment Is. OF course, the important mari
time position Of New York as the door
way Of the new world. In addition TO
this. the arch itself will be surmounted
by four sea horses drawing wing-prow-
ed ship containing n figure Of victory.
on the whole, the arch is one Of the most
beautiful structures Of its kind ever put
up in America many Of our best artists
and sculptors having gladly volunteered
their services to their country.
Besides this one great arch there have
been smaller affairs Of a like kind erect
ed by individuals and clubs, to say
nothing of the two huge columns which
have been put up in Brooklyn, and
which may be seen from all parts Of the
harbOr.
BUNTING GALORE.
II has been estimated that % 10000
yards OF bunting will be in use to cele-
brate Dewey's return. orders for the
decoration Of residences and other
llllQlnES nave Dttu given Win d
prOdigality that IS unprecedented. The
big insurance companies and the clubs
and hotels Of Manhattan have expend-
ed large sums for decorations, one or
two Of the first mentioned having in
vested over $4,000 for gala day
establishment Of their buildings from
roof to basement with bunting. flags,
and the national colors. The great de-
mand for bunting and Turkey-red and
blue has caused the prices Of these ma
terials TO go UP considerably, and II Is
expected that even the present prices
will be doubled before the celebrations
shall have come and gone. Even hard
ware and grocery stores are now dis
penslng these gay colored fabrics, and
establishments that never before ham
dled such things are selling hundreds
of flags and emblems.
BY no means the most insignificant part
OF the programme will be the pyrotechnic
and electrical display Although some
thing less than $4,000 will be officially ex-
pended on fireworks, 1t IS expected that
many times that amount will be spent by
patriotically inclined citizens for little
pyrotechnical displays OF their own.
Brooklyn bridge viii be the centre Of at
traction. and it is said that the electrical
display which will flare up along its many
stringers on the night Of September 2Sth
will be visible in all directions for over
fifty miles. Before tho Admiral and his
men reach Sandy Hook they Will be able
TO read through the darkness the glazing
"Velcome. Dewey" which will swing in
LIQUID fire from the centre Of the great
bridge. which, from the distance, will
seem like a vast cobweb Of many colored
lights. Each letter will be &c feet in
height. and the entire device will be 300
feet I'm length. Nearly 10000 arc lamps
will be alight on the bridge. On each or
the four towers strong searchlights VIII
be in service and, taken altogether, this
will be the greatest electrical display or
the kind the world has ever seen.
Besides the bridge Nominations there
will be equally splendid displays on land.
At the Battery there will be stationed six
floats OF fireworks New York's old City
Hall will be weighed down with enough
electric-light bulbs TO illumine the whole
Dark Continent, and strings OF many col
ored electric lamps will be festooned from
every tower and tree about the park In
front Of the hall The same designs viii
be carried out in connection with the
Brooklyn municipal building decorations,
while two long professions or IRE noats
will parade both the North and East
rivers. so If Gothamites do not go about
ophthalmia It win not be the fault Of the
Dewey Reception Committee.
The different railway companies ope-
rating ferries about the harbor have en-
tered enthusiastically into the plan, ana
every scow, barge, tug, and car ferry
afoat will seem like a floating garden OF
fairylke lights Private yachts and eX-
cursion boats will be the same, and,
under a rain Of rockets and Roman cam
dies. the entire lower part Of New YORK, |
the Battery. and the inner bay will look |
Ike a iubilant inferno. There VIII also |
be floats laden with hundreds OF young !
voices singing national airs.
Just what plans many OF the private |
concerns and different individuals intend |
10 carry out are not yet known, as these |
are kept secret until the MT and proper |
time for springing them on an astounded |
public. II is Known. however that every |
I'm Greater New York is at |
present working overtime. and that |
enough electricity will be expended du- |
ring the three nights Of the celebration !
"a light every child in the United states /
to he'd for the next two years.
A GREAT GATHERING.
Inst how many thousand. or. rather 4
,o,ilion neople viii congregate In Man
,attan and line the banks and wharyes
along the Hudson and the bay 70 wit
nees the return OF Dewey 1t is impos-
slble IA say. Military delegations are
coming all the way from Texas ana
Florida and throughout the West Dewey
clubs have been iormed'