Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-10-19
The FIREWORKS.

the creat bonfire was to end the dav's
celebration began promptly at O'Clock.
The apparatus for firing the different
pieces was located in the Langdon
meadow, just above the Dewey terminal
station, and the displays were set off fac
ing toward the terminal and Nicholas hill.
This was done to enable those, who lie
sired to be at tho station to take the
trains for home to sec as much of the
display as possible The streets of the city
allowed a very inadequate view Of the
fireworks and to get p good view the
crowd were Obliged to mount the hill
back of the Capitol or still better 10
mount tho slope of Nicholas hill, where
the display was seen 1T its best The fire.
works were from the Laboratories of the
Masten & Wells Fireworks Manufacturing
company Of Boston and were sent to Mont
pelier in special car. They were in
charge of George G. Fitzpatrick of Boston
and corps of seven men on the grounds
where they were displayed was a large
tent for men and a profusion of poles and
frameworks to hold the various designs.
The opening piece of the exhibit was
prismatic illumination 500 feet in length
stretched across the exhibition grounds.
This was preceded by the admirals salute
of II guns Flights of rockets made up the
next display and this was followed by a
volley of shells and bombs which exploded
in the air The next was a special design
words forming an arch above it: EYER
mont Welcomes Her Hero Home" This
was especially beautiful Groups of float
ing parachuets and great balloons of fire
were then set loose, the finish showing
string of five jewels nearly 100 feet in
length. Flights of starry meteors aero
ltcs Of great beauty and another Consing-
ment from the shell batteries followed and
then came the exhibition design, "Gyral
Circles" This was a sexagon wheel in
the centre of which was the sun in minia-
ture. covering "A space of about 50 feet.
Next came a display Of golden fire foun-
tains flights Of rockets. Japanese shells
and tourbilions, introducing the great fire
motto, "Mamla, May 1S9S-Montpelier, oct
1890"
An exhibition Of mines and sprays
mammoth mctcors and rockets preceded
another grand Illumination which was a
prelude to the design star of America"
More shells. golden gcNsors and whirl-
winds followed and there was shown one
of the finest of many excellent designs.
"Tho Meteoric storm" After prelijni-
r1ry pyro-sConic display this piece cXplod-
cd with loud report and filled the air
with thousands of fire balls leaving gilt
tcrinC trails of flame. "Rcmombor the
Maine" was then shown in naval signals,
and soon after THE Kaleidoscope filled
/ the sky with angles and figures of light
Mines candles illuminated umbrellas,
golden sproadors and another grand gon-
eral illumination introduced the design
The cruiser olympia" Dhis design was
nearly % feet in length and showed the
American Nag and the admiral's flag,
" hilc the miniatliTe guns sent forth balls
Of fire as the real guns sent forth balls Of
! iron at Manila. a nest of serpcnts A
flock Of pigeons and beautiful cascade
quickly gave place to Roman candles" pN-
ramids and bursting metoorS ana then
came 4 design showing the state coat or
arms in lance work.
| "The Saxon Cross was the next s"t
piece shown and this was both preceded
and followed by bomb shells, rockets, COL
den mines, gold and silver fountains. nests
Iuf dragons and pNthons and 8, display OF
signal rockets "Thc Flag Raising was
one of the special designs. which aroused
much enthusiasm. This showed a snatt
OF fire 40 feet in height upon which a Tag
!. feet long was slowly raised To- tn" t"n
where it hoated gracefully for a low sec
ouds.
The grand closing piece Of the displa!
was a reproduction Of the battle OF MA
Mia. This Vas preceded by rocFetS' snow
crs of stars, icwoled strcamors Whhl'
winds and heavy rockets The design H.
self WAS "A fit.ing close for the maGnlnCen'
display A burst of light illuminated the
representation of Manila Bay, tn" Amer
lean and Spanish squadrons md the forts
This was followed by explosions, the rev
ALTERATIONS of which must have beer
heard for miles and which represented
The progress of the battle. The dcstruc
ton of the Spanish fleet closed the piece
and the words Coed Night in ralS %
fire closed the finest exhibition of pyro
technics which Vermont has ever seen
THE BONFIRE.
The fireworks We're great success an'
4 he
Iangdon meadow near the terminal sta
tiou and from Nicholas Hin. The piece
which received the most applause was
flag raising which was very effective. I'M
display continued for an hour ana tnfe
quarters and when the letters OF Goo
Night" had disappeared a rocket on cap
itol Hill announced that a bonfire was L
he ligtcd Miss Margaret Pitkin, the ilNe
: vear-old daughter of c. II. Pitkin, Of tn
Lane Manufacturing company pressed tn
electric button which lighted a spark Il
the Oan Of powder and the immense Struc
ture was abaze in an instant, The flame
at once shot skyWard and for more ina
an hour the sky was brilliantly illumit.
ated. This feature of the celebration wa
| a great success and was oquallcd from
spectacular point of view only by tn
, Capitol building itself which with ITS lH
electric lights stood mlrrored against IN
sky with a bright BACKGROUND made ny tn
bonfire.
The state House grounds were liGhto
by hundreds of Japanese lanterns nun
, on wires and lighted Sy candles, the ,neC
being something that will always renal
in the minds of the thousands who wer
4 so fortunate as to he in Montpelier o
Dewey day 1899
NOTES.
The Pavilion Hotel is the handsomest dec
GRATED huildnf in the city aside from tn