Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-04
OFF FOR DAYS OUTING
MERRY PARTIES LEAVE By RAIL
AND BOAT.
Regular Trains and Steamers Crowded
With Pleasure Seekers-Many
Picnic Parties.

The railway trains, river steamboats, and
the suburban electric cars carried an i'm
mense throng Of Washington residents out
Of the Capital city to seaside, river and
country resorts today. By far the larger
number Of the excursionists left the city
during the early morning hours, and prior
to 10 o'clock the railway depots and the
steamer wharves were crowded with Wash
ington people eager to escape the heat of
the city and to celebrate Independence Day
away from the scene to which they are
daily accustomed. From the multitude par
ticipat ting in the exodus from the city 1t
would have been supposed that the city
would be almost deserted for the day, and
that deep quietude would have reigned
within its limits.
The railroads did not run any special
excursion trains from Washington, but the
regular trains carried large crowds from
the city. Many Westinghouse held tick
cts for Gettysburg, where the historic old
battlefield was visited during the day. Still
others went to Philadelphia and Baltimore
and to the smaller cities bordering on the
mountains, while the passengers for the
seaside resorts were numerous.
The excursion steamers plying between
Washington and the river resorts were
literally patronized by the Washington
people, and every boat which left the local
Wharves today was well filled with pleasure
seekers, while the decks of the steamers
leaving the city during the early morning
hours We're crowded from rail to rail with
eXcursiontsts to the river resorts
Colonial Beach was the objective point of
many of the pleasure seekers this morning,
ana including the crowds going there today
1t Is estimated that about 5000 Washington
residents have gone to Colonial Beach since
Saturday evening
An immense throng of excursionists have
nlled the steamers for Marshall Hall and
River View, the nearby river resorts, during
the day.
On all the steamers the bands were play
ing patriotic airs Justify they left the
docks this morning, and the eXcursionists
were In holiday attire and holiday mood,
and everything indicated that there would
be merry dongs' down the river today.
Heavy Traffic on Potomac.
The Fourth of July traffic on the Po-
tomac this year, 1t Is stated, has been
heavier than for several years past. In
addition to the crowds that utilized the
excursion steamers during the day, many
other citizens of the national capital made
trips down the river in private launches,
yachts and sailing craft OF the hundred
or more small pleasure craft owned here
not dozen were in port this morning.
The suburban electric cars were filed
with passengers for Chevy Chase, Glen
Echo, Cabin John Bridge and other re-
sorts outside the city limits. Many Of the
passengers carried large lunch baskets
filled with appetzng picnic stuffs for con-
sumption beneath the shade of the trees
surrounding the resorts. The picnickers
swung hammocks between friendly trees
that sheltered the occupants from the rays
OF the sun, and others stretched them
selves laZily about on the grass and rested
and reflected and fought the all too familiar
ants and other ground insects that help
to make life interesting and diversified for
the picnicker.
Several large tally-ho parties composed
OF young folks, were also noticed leaving
the city early this morning bound for
side of the Potomac.
Out Anacostia Way.
The suburbs adjacent to Anacostia were
visited today by hundreds of persons seek
Ing the country breezes and in many in
stances picnic parties were formed and
the day spent In the woods At Congress
Heights the car line was taxed to carry
the excursionists to the parks in that To-
callty. In the woods there the Recha-
bites of the city gathered for an outing
which was largely attended. and the mem
hers of the local Methodist Episcooal
Church also gave a picnic which attracted
many There will be display of fireworks
tonight
COlored people observed the Fourth in
Hillsdale and in Garfield by picnics at Eu-
reka Park and at Rollins Park respec-
lively.