Evening journal., 1903-09-04

Lit Up the Heavens and Delighted
Old and Young Alike.
II ever the earth trembled it did last
night when bomb after bomb Of dyna-
mite went OFT with deafening detona-
tions, signalling the fan OF the ancient
city Of Pompeii At first everything
was mirth and merriment The young
people were az their sports and love-
making and the older ones looked on
and enjoyed life in their own Roman
fashion. Then, almost without an in
stants warning, "a thunderous eXplo-
sion was heard This was followed by
one after another ia quick succession.
which fairly rent the atmosphere. A
sheet or flame shoots up. and the walls
of the temple totter and fall. Then
Starts IN a regular cannonading accom-
panied by the flashes Of fire and the
crumbling of the palaces and temples.
FLAMES spring up on every hand. ana
then the populace flee for their lives.
But the most marvellous thing is TO see
the men behind the scenes, as It were,
darting hither and thither apparently
In the very heart Of the fire.
Mayor Bird started the BAH rolling
by setting of "a big dynamite bomb.
Pompeii appeared beautiful and impos-
ing before the eyes of thousands OF
spectators, who had gathered az River
view. Ia the foreground shone the
Temple Of Isis, its white pillars shin
ing In the light OF the silvery moon for
the weather man was kind 10 Mr.. Pain
on the opening night OF his great pro-
duction. In the background ioomed
the white outline of Nesuvius looking
calm and peaceful against the sable
background OF Mount Washington.
The streets OF Pompeii We're gay
for the fete day, and Nydia the l1ind
Z girl, was plying her vocation OF flower
4 seller. The boys OF the city were enjoy
ing 20 the utmost their holiday. and the
e white-robed maidens were gossipng,
e as maidens did even in the ancient
s time ON the steps of the temple with
j. "a flourish OF trumpets. and a burst OF
pyrotechnics, the Roman guards. the
r priests of the temple. and the citizens
T.. of Pompeii made their appearance with
le their retinue of flower girls. fan bear
BE- ers incense boys. and slaves. bearing
rs banners and trophies. The limelight
y famed up ON the scene. and the lasi
day OF Pompeii had in reality begun.
Ia Down the centre of the main thor
k ougnfare Nydia, the blind girl, ap-
le preached the multitude where. with "a
A. basket OF roses on her arm. she seeks
e 10 sell her sweet-scented blossoms. Shr
(. approaches the golden calf and lSnecls
IS in worship before Il, as maidens have
- always done, and as maidens for all
time to come will do. Her basket was
rudely seized by the rough boys. from
whom it is rescued by Glaucus, who re-
sents the insult offered her. Then fol-
lows the pretty romance that gives the
little touch of sentiment TO the produce
u tion. Even fireworks are more attrac-
tive when there is a little love story
| mixed with them.
The pageant IS imposing. The bright
robes Of the dignitaries the picturesque
:, chariots and the cages OF the wild
beasts with the calcium effects adds
barbaric charm to the spectacle The
programme Of varied sports introduced
at this point adds a note OF variety
to the entertainment. The numbers In
clude noted performers. athletes ana
h dancers, who entertain the crowd for
If half an hour. The most enjoyable NUM-
y Der last night was the fire dance a Ia
b Loie Fuller. performed with bewitch-
d ing grace and splendidly augmented by
e vari-colored lights. which was danced
x by six premier dagseusG
& The day ends. ana the sports draw
to a close. The golden calf is brought
- from the temple. and dancing girls ia
d diaphanous draperies, lend their Witch
lf cries to the occasion The populact
g kneels &c the idol, all but Glaucus, who
IF being q Christian, refuses 10 do so. The
~ high priest commands him to do So but
"a Claucus persists In HIS refusal. and the
cry of "Christiaul" "Christiani" "a
N raised The first warning Of an erup-
IA vcrts the attention OF the populace from
s. Glaucus and they hce FOR their lives
=. Then comes the terrific explosion OF
,r the volcano, accomplished by sixty
pounds of dynamite the largest amount
IN used for any occasion. The smiling
" city is buried beneath mantle OF
ashes. and "a connagration adds to II
10 splendor and horror.
NJ The spectacle Is followed by re-
h, markable pyrotechnic display which
4, continues for thirty minutes. The heav-
~ ems are brilliantly lighted up by sucf
"a variety and abundance Of fireworks
as never were seen before in Whining
ton. There are bombs. rockets. show
ers and swarms of fire flies galore, e
say nothing of numerous set pieces. II
was like five or six Fourth OF July.
l. rolled into one and the small boy and
M sides the thousands in the enclosure
a it Is safe to predict that nearly as many
n more saw the display from vantage
points without. The program, I'm short
was as follows: Salute of Aerial Ma
rooms; grand illumination Of the park
ne ascent Of mammoth balloons; batteries
ad Of jewel mines; display Of ten 24-incl
,n shells; ten large batteries Of coloret
rn saucissons; discharge Of ten nationa
-, bombs; Japanese novelty; THE South
ern Cross; device. picture OF Cover
], nor; flight OF twenty colored aerolite
-, and continuous discharge OF electri
- comets; ten Tower of Babel rockets
- display Of twenty combination shells
"a showers Of pearls; swarms OF fire-hies
field of cloth OF gold; ascent of 6-pOunl
rockets; ascent of five mammoth pris
matte whirlwinds; ten electric Shove
mines; ten Louisiana batteries; displa.
of 100 triple star candles; display o
c. sunbursts; ten revolving cascad
p bombs; twenty triple chrysanthemur
ty bombs; ten peacock plume bombs; Tn
liza Dipper; display of 30-inch Manhatta
n Beach bombs; eruption Of Sinbad's Jew
nd eled cave; fascade. cascade ana four
tain: fiight Of S-pound rockets; DeV