New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-20

y VesseEs Parade Under Bridge WhiIe
Spectators Line Shore.

No one had better view of the superb fire.
works which ended the opening of the new
Williamsburg Bridge than those on the huge
fleet of towbOats IN the naval parade. Nothing
marred the display, there not single acci-
dent and everything went with the smoothness
OF clockwork from the time the first rocket
marked its fiery path in the sky until blazing
Good night" signifed its close
Soon after dark the bridge was outlined by
thousands of incandescent lights At either end
of the bridge. surmounting the towers, were the
national colors. At the base Of the short poles
were burned great flares of red fire. At little
distance the star spangled banner seemed to be
a blazing bit of color.
AT : o'clock rocket sent high into the air
signalled the beginning of the display. A mo-
ment later at equal distances twenty aerial
bombs were sent aIoft, bursting with cannon
like reports two hundred feet above the bridge.
Then, with no warning. the bridge was suddenly
transformed into sheet of fame. From tower
to tower the flames turned and writhed and
fared high in the air. Illuminating the water
front for blocks.
Then came a kaleidoscope medley of coors
red, green. purple. orange. vioIet-more coIors
than a French ribbon dealer could enumerate-
from huge rockets that sailed two hundred feet
above the bridge. Some of them broke in huge
into ionS connected streams OF parti-colored
flames while others displayed long thin. hair
like streams of glowing red
Every time that an unusually beautiful piece
was discharged 1t was greeted by a salvo Of
cheers from the hundreds that thronged the
waterfront, and by ear splitting shrieks from the
whistles Of the great feet of towboats that lay
Just below and above the bridge. One of the
finest things shown the aerial girandole
over two hundred and fifty and pound
rockets were sent aloft at once All were so
timed and aimed that they met In a point high
above the centre Of the bridge. Then they ex-
pIoded almost simultaneously The long. scin-
tillating streams of blazing stars in thirty dif-
ferent colors shot outward In every direction
For moment they hung almost stationary in
the sky, and then slowly and gracefully sunk
disappearing by one Right after this
volIey of twenty meteor-like blazing balls were
sent upward. When they burst great fiery
dragons zig-zagged in every direction. Ten
enormous shells were then discharged. When
they burst an irldescent sheet of gold hung
fully minute in the sky before the shimmering
particles faded slowly away.
PORTRAITS IN FIREWORKS.
Later the boats kept their whistles shrieking
until steam was exhausted over a string OF
flaming fountains thdt were ulSpIayeu at snort
intervals the entire length Of the bridge. A
full hundred feet upward were thrown a thou
sand cleaning bits ofsfre, thak blazed and
glowed like diamonds in the air. The cleaning
violet and purple OF the stars blazed forth like
the discharge from a steel retort-
Two things stood apart from the others In the
applause that they evoked. Portraits OF the
late Andrew H. Green. Mayor Low. Mayor-elect
Mcclellan. Senator McCarren and Senator Tim
othy ]. Sullivan were shown in fireworks. The
pictures were colossal in size. being 80 BY 80
feet. The first 10 be shown that of Mr..
Green. When 1t appeared. limned in fire. In the
centre of the vast arc there was roar from
the river that could have been heard for miles
The whistle cord OF every boat was tied down.