The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-30
BAND PLAYED "HoT TIME"
On the Olympia Amid the Din of Last
Nights Celebration.

New Y FORK. Sept. 30-The fireworks show
last night was a fitting climax to the
days celebration. It began opposite
the Olympia's anchorage. just below
Grants tomb, where a series of scows
were anchored.
These humble mud scows were loaded
to the gunwales with serried rows of
rockets, whole picket fences formed of
roman candles. an endless array of
mortars, bombs and all those sorts of
hendiSh inventions. When seven bells
rang from the Olympia's deck, the
aerial artillery was let loose. From that
time on it was one continuous glare of
many colOred fires. and a continuous
roll or rafting explosions, till the fiery
trail of the serpent wound its way
down around the battery engulfing
Governors Island and Bedloe's Island
in it's coils.
All the beautiful effects with which
the visitor in Manhattan Beach is IA
miliar were produced, but on a much
grander scale. Many new features were
added. Among these were the electric
bombs, which certainly electrified ev-
eryOne within five miles by their ear
splitting defamation. Another new de-
vice was a species of bomb that burst
into an enormous starfish of fire. Spor-
adic arms of fire radiated from the ex-
plosive center, producing a vivid eff
feet.
While the fireworks popped, the jack
les on the Olympia cheered and the
Olympia 3 crew, not to be outdone, put
their excellent brass band into commits
sion and the strains of 'There'n Be a
Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight -
Joined with the bursting of bombs and
the screaming of fire spirits.
After half an hour of this sort of
thing, the cargOeS of these ScOWs were
exhausted. Then three tugs hitched on
to another string of similarly laden
ScOWs anchored out in the stream. and
started with them down the river A
pushing crowd Of excursion boats had
gathered in a black circle about the
fireworks scOws, almost hiding them
from the Olympia even. The sailors got
a good view of the picture of Dewey
however, and cheered it loud and long.
Slowly the procession wendell its way
down the river, the three putting tugs
in advance, the volcanic scows strain
ing at the hawsers behind, vomiting up
red, white, blue and green shapes of
every possible design, and the great
black fleet of excursion craft hanging
in the rear like a threatening storm
cloud. On the way other fireworks
could be seen popping up from the Jer-
Sey shore and twinkling behind Man
haitian Island. The piers and buildings
along the New York shore were a blaze
of light. The warships and the yachts
shone like ships of stars.
When the warships were left behind.
and the 1otflla approached the battery,
the situation became interesting The
crush of steamboats, became something
international
race veteran pale. All sorts of craft
from the giant steamer Plymouth of
the Fail River line, to the smallest /
launch, were gathered to view
the display on Governments Island
From the top of Old Castle William and
from the sea wall to the east of it
there, went up another rush of rockets
and bombs which wrought aerial effect
of every conceivable design. Liberty
looked over from Bedloe's Island with a
glare of red fire to rouge up her dusty
old charms, and companion displays
shone against the Brooklyn skies in
many places.
The fireworks scows coming down the
river circled about with their batteries
still belching up every imaginable vari-
ETY. of cOmbustibIe.
The Olympia remained the object of
all absorbing interest and her graceful
lines We're the subject of universal COM
ment, but the New York seemed even
more brilliant with her shield of fire
above her bows and her glowing fight
ing top. The strong searchlights were
kept in almost constant motion, so that
their effect were not unlike lightning
Tugs bobbing up and down the river |
seemed mere glow worms from the |
shore.
From the deck of the Olympia squirt
ed a myriad stars, showers of red. |
white and blue, sheaves of gold and |
fountains of emerald hue. Choruses of |
Abs" and Obs from the spectators
accentuated the explosion of the most |
effective pieces
A vast bonfire f1ickered in a vacant |
lot on Riverside Drive. casting a red |
glare for several blocks and making |
the shadows on the hillside black by /
comparison
While people on the west side were |
venting their enthusiasm on the assem- |
oled Warshfps, other crowds in Central /
Park, Mount Morris Park, Union |
Square, City Hall Park, and at the en-
race to the Grand Boulevard and con- |
course in the Bronx were equally en- |