Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-07-06
FOURTH or JULY FESTIVITIES.
Celebration In This City One of the
Noisiest for Several Years.

converted Into smoks-Etfteen Thousand
People at tho Exhibition of the washing
ton heights Association.
! Wilmingtonians celebrated the Fourth
q July Tuesday in various ways.
Hundreds of dollars worth of fire.
works went up in smoke, the result
being one of the noisiest celebrations
for several years. Barring few acct
dents, the people had an enjoyable
time. While the weather was warm, a
good breeze was stirring most of the
day and there was no great suffering
on account of the heat.
| The only public demonstration in
the city limits was that at Washington
Heights, in the evening, when a hand.
some flag which had been presented to
the Washington Heights Association
by the Benjamin f. Shaw Co., was
pnfurled on the tall pole in the plot
Just north of Washington street bridge.
The ceremony consisted Of speech
making, music and a fine display OF
| fireworks.
Tho exercises commenced shortly
after 6 O'Clock and continued until
9.50, and 1t is estimated that during
that time at least 5000 people were
~ the vicinity watching the festivities.
Unfortunately, only few people could
| get near enough to the speakers. but
tary Band could be heard by nearly
everybody in the vast assemblage.
| West Church choir, which furnished
fine vocal music, could also be heard
for some distance. The spectators we're
treated to splendid concert by the
band, under the leadership of Walter
ID. Walls. until 7.30 o'clock, when the
speechmaking commenced.
| During the day all of the houses 10
the vicinity had been decorated with
Japanese lanterns and other similar
ornaments and at dusk the lanterns
were illuminated and made a pretty
scene. AT 7.30 o'clock the exercises
commenced, being opened by s. H. Bay
nard, the presiding officer, who made a
| few Introductory remarks. He intro
| duced Bishop Coleman, who made a
feryent prayer. After the prayer William
Lackey, a Grand Army veteran, ran
the flag up to the top Of the pole. As
it went up 500 small flags dropped
from its folds and were picked up by
people in the crowd as souvenirs.
| During this ceremony 1.-THE Battle
Hymn of the Republic" was sung by
West Church choir, under the direction
of Prof. ]. 7. Clymer. The members
OF the choir were assisted by people in
the assemblage.
Hon. L. Irving Handy, the orator of
| the evening, made stirring speech.
I'VE find fault with the government in
our political differences, he said,
but the great fact remains that under
all parties, under all administrations
it is the best country in the world, the
best the world ever saw. The country
is great, not because of its wealth,
although it is very wealthy country I;
IL is great not in proportion to its ter
ritory, its wealth or the power of its
army, but as it provides for the hap
piness Of mankind and extends sound
and beneficial principles. "
Mr.. Handy congratulated the asso-
citation upon the grand success of its
undertaking and the people who de-
rived SO much pleasure therefrom and
took the opportunity to manifest their
patriotism. .,
Henry +. Pickles sang .fColumbia
the Gem of the Ocean," after which
there was music by the West Church
quartet, which comprised the following
singers: Soprano, Mrs. L. G. Fritz I;
alto, Miss Harriet Walther; tenor,
Prof Jacob 4. Clymer; bass, l.. 9.
Fritz.
Following this, City Solicitor Henry
@. Conrad made an interesting address,
which, like Mr.. Handy's, was brimful
of patriotism. I'VE are celebrating
tonight" he said, "the 123d ami
versary of the Declaration of indie
pendence. and the growth in these 1913
years has been the surprise and marvel
of the whole world. We have made
wonderful strides in the arts, sciences
and appliances of civilization, and we
stand today as one Of the greatest, if
not positively the greatest nation in
the world"
The speaker touched upon the recent
war with Spain and its effects and re-
ferred to the part Delawareans had
taken in the struggles in which the
nation had been engaged. Both Of the
speakers were loudly applauded, as
were also the vocal and instrumental
musicians.
The Rev. W.hW. Campbell read an
original poem.
The fireworks display which followed
was decidedly creditable. 1t was under
the supervision of "a committee COM
prising Elwood Souder, Clarence Green,
Stewart Almond, W. n. Cooley and
William Lawton, and the display was
made at the northern end of the
triangle, within roped space, to
prevent the spectators straying into
danger.
There were all sorts of rockets,
Roman candles, sprays, water falls,
weeping willows, colored lights, flower
pots, pinwheels, etc., and some set
pieces, all of which were very pretty.
One of the notwithstanding set pieces
was an American flag. There were
frequent outbursts of applause during
the display.
MANY AT THE PARKS.
During the day many people visited
Shellpot, Brandywine Springs, Union
Park and the city parks, and the
facilities of the railway companies
were taxed to accommodate the people.
With the exception of the accident at
Bellevue, there were no serious mis-
haps. General Manager Robert F..
Fox and Superintendent Harvey b.
Vandegrift gave their personal at
tention to the operation of cars on the
Wilmington City railway system and
are entitled to great credit for the
manner in which the business about
the city was handled. General Manager
Crook also looked after the business on
the Brandywine Springs road and
although he had his hands full,
attending to the park as we'll, he
made good record for himself and
the men on the cars, as was also the
case with the men on the Wilmington
city cars, exercising great care to
avoid accidents. The Wilmington and
New Castle railway also had big day