New-York tribune., 1900-12-30
BIRTH OF NEW CENTURY
UNUSUAL CEREMONIES, RELIGIOUS ANN
CIVIL. TO MARK ITS ADVENT

upperHOst IN mems minds, and to-day in the
various cHuIches services will be observed in
eofnmeinorauon OF the momentous occasion
1t is considered by many most fortunate .,o.
a Sunday should have come So ,,ear :. ~.
Years Day that that event can he annro-
priately celebrated and at the Same time ha
removed by the space of one day from, the claroor
and wild confusion of the initial hour ,,sa,.
For within twenty-four hours after tho clocks
have finished striking - to-night the new con-
tury is to be ushered in no century was ever
greeted mere before When the year 1901 ar
''eu Il hedLo considerable Of a rumpus on the
southern end of Manhattan Island whore sixt,,
thousand people were for the most mart o,,aIa
and where the younger members Of tho com,
munlty were making much din with fin and
brass as their descendants are able 10 do at the
present time. But the new century heard but n
few scattered boots and toots from that mart or
the city north Of Canal-st Not a Steamboat
whistle resounded in the harbor. for that was
before the day of steamboats,
The coming Of the year 1901 is m erd . eor
different welcome in store. A thousand steam
whistles in the Bay and hundred thousand fin
whistles ashore, together with innumera bla
bells. will be heard. Instead of sixty thousand a
city Of nearly four million will do honor to the
incoming century.
THE REIGN OF THE TIN HORN.
With sunrise tomorrow the reign of the tin
horn viii begin Great quantities of these in
struments have been on exhibition in the store
windows during the last few DAYS. and MANY
thousands have been sold. Many thousands
more will be sold during the few hours remain
ing OF the old year. The more impatient OF the
small boys will begin footing tomorrow as soon
as he is awake enough to blow This particular
stamp Of boy is the kind that always fires off all
his frecrackers on July 2 who always eats his
cake before his soup. and when he begins to
work for a living wears silk hat and Prince
Albert suit before he is getting $15 a week
The other small boys generally get their horns
by noon, and then the toots increase and thicken
and swell up TO the midnight hour
It is. indeed, a wonder that after so much
wind has been expended in getting ready for the
final blow that there is any blow left But there
always is plenty, and more than enough.
SOUNDS OF HARMONY.
But on New Years eve there will be heard
sounds Of harmony and Of solemn song above
the hubbub Of the more careless. On the steps
Of the City Hall thousand voices will Join in
one great, united melody, made still more deep
and impressive by an accompaniment Of fifty
instrumental pieces. The vocal exercises are to
be rendered by the United German Singing So
cieties and Damrosch's Choral Union.
The City Hall will be darkened Just before the
passing Of the century, and at the exact second
OF the Sncoming OF the new the electric lamps
with which the porch of the hall and the trees
OF the park have been hung will blaze out and
the chorus viii sing the National anthem This
will be followed by a lavish display of fire.
works.
Preparations for the celebration, for which
the city has appropriated funds were begun yes
terday. Men were at work covering the front
OF the hall with series Of red, white and blue
lights, group Of which arranged to re-
semble the American ensign.
II was reported that eighteen cases Of cham
pagne had been ordered out OF the appropria-
tion. This was emphatically denied by Alder
man Muh, who has charge OF the celebration,
who said the money would be spent Cor fire.
works but not frewater.
OBsERvANCEs AT CHURCHES.
At the different churches appropriate services
will be held. In St. Patrick's Cathedral the
ceremony will be conducted by Archbishop Mar
tineIIi. the Apostolic Delegate. At St Thomas's
Church, at Fifth-ave and F1fty-third-st., there
will be a union service. at which the cholrs of
St. Thomas OF st. Bartholomew and OF the
Church Of the Incarnation will join in one
chorus. The service will begin at 11:30 o'clock.
Short sermons will be delivered by Bishop
Potter, the Rev. DR.. Greer, rector of St Bar
tholomews Church. and the Rev. DR.. Grosvenor.
rector Of the Church of the Incarnation. The
service will last only a short time after mid
night.
There will be Seguin chimes at St. Andrews,
at e-hundred-and- -twenty-sev and
FIfth-ave, A long programme Of music will fol-
low. Special service will be held at the Evan
gelical Lutheran Church Of St. James, at Madi-
son-ave. and seventy-third-st The Rev DR..
J. B. Remensnyder will preach on the progress
Of the lest hundred years.
There will be an old fashioned Methodist
watch meeting at the Twenty-fourth Street
Methodist Episcopal Church. between Eighth
and Ninth aves. There will be sermons by the
Rev. Edwin Hunt and the Rev. w. NICK. Oar
wood Another watch night service viii be cele-
brated at the old John Street Methodist Epis-
copal Church the Oldest church in America
The service VIII begin at D. m. by praise SER
vice. At midnight the Doxology Will be sung.
A WEEK OF PRAYER MEETINGS.
A circular has been sent ont TO the pastors
and laymen of the churches Of the Lord Jesus
Christ" inviting the participation of all in the
prayer meetings which are to begin to-day and
last until next Sunday.
The circular is signed by the Revs. Francis
z. Clark, George T. Purves. Robert S. Mac
Arthur Henry Mattel, J. Wilbur Chapman
David J. BurreIl, S. Parkes Cadman and A. c.
Dixon, and a special meeting is to be held to-
morrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the Young
Mems Christian Association Hall. Twenty-third-
81 william Phillips Hail. chairman Of the Ma
tonal Century Committee OF the National Cos
pei Campaign, is to have charge of the religious
revival which is expected TO be continued
throughout the beginning Of the new century.
Besides the many religious Observances there
VIII be great number OF dinners and some
balls OF especial mention is the Century labor
dinner at Arlington Hall, Nos. 1923 st.