Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-12-13
USHERING IN OF The
TWENTIETH CENTURY
Philadelphia Record. December sth.

Philadelphia Record. December stli.
Philadelphia's reception to the
Twentieth Century will be great
demonstration. The city officials CHOSEN
to devise ways and means In the prem
Uses are vieing with each other for
suggestions Of unique and novel
features, and although the general
committee met for the first time yes
starday, no time was lost in organizing
and getting right down to business.
Councilman Jacob j. Seeds Is work.
ing out plan Of converting City Hall
| plaza into fairy forest, and his asso-
ciates on the committee have promised
their approval. Nurserymen. florists
and Mr.. Seeds consulted for hours on
the subject and finally pronounced as
feasible the placing Of $50 full -grown
cedar trees, OF q uniform height OF 30
feet, along the sidewalks surrounding
the Public building. The plan includes
| four rows set on the north and the
eoutn sides aud two rows on the east
| and west sides. The trees are to be
planted in earth and to be set 20 feet
apart. The roots and soil are to be
hidden by false pavement placed
completely around the City Hall, and
In the branches Of the trees are to be
placed thousands of minute electric
lamps of red, white and blue, making
the effect at night particularly daz-
cling. This fairy forest IL to be main-
tanned for at least week. The cedars
will be placed so as to make perfect
archways OF foliage, and other winter
plants are to adorn the plaza during
the celebration.
The exterior decorations of the City
, Hall arc to be Of a character entirely
different from any heretofore displayed
ON public occasions. The electric light
effects arc to be of more elaborate de,
slams, and over 10000 incandescent
globes will be displayed In manner
never before attempted. Cannon will
, boom forth salutes from the. roof Of the
, Public Buildings and tho most power
full searchlights available will be SO
focused as to make the figure Of Will
/ liam Penn on the tower seem ablaze.
J It is asserted that In this manner the
: statue ef-Penn will be made visible for
4 more than 80 miles, II the night be
clear. There are to be myriads Of
iiidescent electric lights in allegorical
{ figures swung about and above the
Public Buildings. There will also be
4 illuminated figures tyrefying the
4 achievements OF the Nineteenth Gen.
fury.
the roof an exhibition Of the latest
electrical inventions that may be ap-
i, plicable to such purpose. In this
y connection Edison, Tesla and the great
= inventors of this country are to be con.
y suited.
9 A subcommittee will consult the
y owners Of the American rights OF wire.
: loss telegraphy, and If it car. be ar
:, ranged messages of greeting from the
= apex of the Penn statue from Mayor
% Ashbridge to President Mckinley, al
Washington and Mayor Van Wyok, nj
y New York, will be- sent by the wireless
y system. If it is found that these dis
~ tances are too great messages will be
y sent to nearer points.
~ proposition was yesterday made by
y an inventor OF an airship to equip his
D aeronautic yehicle with electric illumi
T. nation and to maze trip at midnight
:, of New Years eve from the roof of the
70 City Hall.
10 A number OF captive balloons are tt
~ be anchored at the Public Buildings
% from these electric wires are to b,
~ strung over 1000 feet above the stree
~ level and utilized for various novel i
No Nominations 10 mid-air. Other equal.
striking novelties are to be displayed
il the COMMITTEES succeeds in obtaining
q large enough appropriation.
ut A meeting of the committee was helt
AZ yesterday in the office of President Nc
,g Curdy Of Common Council. Chairman
ip Swain presided and all members wer
a. present 1t was resolved to appoin
IT. sub committees to frame plans for tn
e- celebration, and submit them In detail
as at the meeting Of the general com
b mittee next Tuesday.
r.; Mayor Ashbridge who is absent fror
y. the city, will be consulted when he re
er Turns on Monday, and II is expecte
that shortly after the general meetin
Of next Tuesday the finance commute
W. will make an appropriation, and oh
IL details will then be fully determine
L. upon. Chairman Swain said yesterday
IL I'VE will aim to mako this a notabl
y; event, aud IL we are given sufflcier
,e- money by the finance committee IL wi
IL be one of the grandest celebration
il Philadelphia has arranged"