The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-25
.u|SH.ERE'.DI|3lN'I J.
CFlRlSIEIAS HI / | n
Broad Strect83lV Was Throl1gcd BY
III a Merry Crowd for Hours 5i.Ss
FEW uNT:oWARDl A Q, / INCIDENTS. i !! ] !
Good Nature Prevailed 5Eand tile
Spirit Of Christmas Vas More
i'll Evidence Than Ever 5S
j. astaNigllt. ".


Along the eight or snino cen trail squares n
OF Broad Street last nlghtgall Richmond
surged, while Mt every step tho !pop-5
cracker spoke, the dynamite bomb roared
In its might, tho sky-rock6t and tile Ro-E
man candle whizzed and ssputtered, and
tho vilninous splt-devil chased he pop.
Sulnce.5 n AZ 4 '&t
That tho crowd was not SO large as9cf5
yore matters nothing to tho actually
present members OF the holiday frater-
nifty. Any disadvantag accruing; from
this fact were easily offset by tho tadn,i-
rabc department. of tho throng. Year
by year Of late there is being gradually
eliminated tho rowdysm that was at
one tino on tho eve OF Christmas u X
disgrace ana a danger to tho people OF
stl,c city. Good-natured md jolly Waa \
tic crowd or yesterday. FREQ and happy,
and hoistcrous. 1t it true. but not rough \
uad ili-natured. For the evo OF Christi
mas It was q gratifying condition, slight-i
aly married by one or two fights, but at
no lncmcnt over seriously disturbed.
Long-Sounding Fuss. ~
= yt,l IL Y =
For long distances on either side thsl
clarion call OF the reyclers carried an
echo that tlrresistibly drew hundreds sot n
others to the scene, Tho blure OF many
horns wrculsetl the stiffness of the night.
Whllc tho earth quaked With n rattle fot
fireworks that wns increasing and colt
3tinuous. For Il half-mlo or moro the echo I
extended, made more realistic at times
BY Il fringe OF fireworks that reached a
above tho housctops, and was visible In (
tile distance. q 4
since tho early morning the. street had
been crowded throughout Il dark and
gloomy day. with an occasional spls
of RAIN that sent many scurry-
Ing toward home or shelter, Esy
nightfall the sky had oissipatcd
its gloom, and, With thn 5 crowd
,rudc brave effort to smile and take on z
the holiday air. a watery and dri2zy
moon stole out az II ashamed and par
TALLY hid itself behind u mist, a few
bright stars gathered round aud trlrh
to blink tho rain away, while tho clouds
shifted about ,lneaslly. but somehnW
managed To move without going any,
where. ono the whole, though lt Was an
improycnrnt, and the Obvious efforts OF
thu elements above to do what II WAS
IN To them to do, met With the hearty
.rasponsc OF the people, The crowd cST
pandcd It's sides.
After nlghtfall rapid additions lilled tls
street and started the annual CHRIST
mas eve parade that Is always
spectacle eagerly witnessed by hum
gureds OF Richmond people, Early SUD-
pels wore eaten and then all hied them
away to Tie llowing street, where already
many we're gathered, From then 'ln',l
midnight the rovei continued nnchecked,
Sleep drove some home, the noise, 9TH
iers, still others, the Santa Claus prepa-
5ratIons that had yet To be made s'lt
hundreds hung on and kept the fun sp--
Ing until at last, With q lingering and re-
grctful glance at the almost deserted
silcwalks they were forced to desis'
A Striking Scene,
II was II curious and striking scane that
mot the eye as one turned from side
street and ran full tilt Into tic blara and
confusion OF Broad, Tho holiday reyel
compressed itself into the squares be4
tween EFoushee and Nirtl Streets. From
end to end OF this distance all Was AMI Z
nation and movement and good che'sg
The sidewalks held y dense macs 81 ~ mi "a
cling people that emptied ltsclf ouL ~
enc end and back Into The othss. y ~