The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-08
600 ORPHANS IN DREAMLAND.
VHISKED Nv MOTOR CARS TO
COMFY ISLAND THRILLS.
They Took 1t solemnly. but Even the Rain
Did Not Discount Their Enjoyment
-"Ftghting Flames" Too Real for Some
f,.osru fvowus rrnuds AUD Soo.a

Did Not Discount Their Enjoyment
--"Ftshting Flames" Too Real for Some
Cream, Clowns, Crowds and Speed.
strollers on Surf avenue. Coney Island.
were startled yesterday afternoon by q
squad Of mounted policemen gallopin &
like Rough Riders toward Dreamland while
behind them dashed $50 motor cars, all
grinding out speed as II there were no
traffic squad.
The cars were filled with little orpha MS
from New York and Brooklyn institutions,
and when they drew up in front OF Dream
land 900 children poured out Of them and
swooped down upon the Pike and then CO
upon the edibles supplied by Sir Thomas
Dewar's representative on the pier.
The orphans had made the best time
anybody could possibly make from the
Bridge to Coney. The mounted police
men had chan ged horses twice-onoe at
tho Bridge and once at Prospect Park
yet when they arrived at Dreamland horses
and riders looked like the remnant OF the
Six Hundred after the charge. Some Of
the poor, prosecuted chauffeurs and auto
owners wished they could always have
an orphan or two with them. Anyhow.
those $50 cars, all owned by members Of the
New York Motor Club, had had their fling
for once. 1t was better than knowing
the man higher up
After picking up the children at the vari-
Gus institutions, the Manhattan section
of the procession formed at Columbus
Circle, ran down Broadway to Broome
street, thence to Elm and then to the City
Hall, where It was reviewed by Mayor
Mcclellan. great crowd had gathered
on the plaza, and between the crowd and
the steps Of the City Hall. where stood
the Mayor. the cars passed in review.
Once across the bridge the cars settled
into a pace they will never again hit In
New York streets unless they carry some
more orphans. The widest dreams of
many short lives were being realized, but
the children couldn't open their mouths
to say q word for the rush Of wind that
swept by them. When they finally got
their breath they found they had just
finished the ice cream provided by Sir
Thomas Dewar and they had to talk about
that.
But they had to slur even that sweet
topic. for 1t was time to 60 to Bostock's,
whittier they were escorted by band
sleeves, the little things marched along
the Pike, for some reason looking solemn
as owls. Senator Reynolds had thrown
Dreamland open to them; they were a
privileged class-motor cars sans speed
limit, what greater felicity is possible'-
yet they looked very serious, filed with
the dignity Of the occasion. Eery tots
some OF them were, all eyes and legs, with
unimportant bits Of corduroy or calico
intervening. The sharp featured, pathetic
| little faces looked austerely on the glories
Of Dreamland.
Mr.. Rey, the clown In the animal arena
He and the two bears were 80 beurdly
funny eating sandwiches and drinking
ginger beer to get her that the little fellows
and girls clapped their hands in glee:
From Bostocks they went to Midget
City on the other side Of The Pike Charles
Of that diminutive city. met them with 9
platoon consist ing Of one patrolman (hei ght
) feet inchesj. The children saw the
vaudeville show and sleight Of hand by
Prof Zaino, and Mrs. General Tom Thumb
in her thin little recitatiye told them how
the Prince OF Wales might be, the little
auditors took him on trust and applaudeo
Mrs General T. Thumb heartily.
The spectacle Of spectacles for them was
Fighting the Flames" As they took
their seats before the tarpaulin. curt air
tently ceased. and soon the curtains swept
aside and the denizens Of the artificial
Five Points Of Dream!and began to pour
out OF their quarters. Only few, Of the
older CHILDREN seemed to te aware hat this
was show. Most Of the little ones were
completely taken in by he realism. The
Bowery tough with his chest, the Chinese
laundry, the h,ardings with advertise.
ments upon them, the nondescrHt crowd
what show was there in that The chill.
dren seemed puzzled.
Soon some one in an upper story OF a
familiar tenement house upset a lamp anC
a lady without stays stuck her head out OF
the window and shrieked a fearful shrek
Flames shot out from every window, bells
changed. whistles blew and all the various
kinds Of fire engines dashed round the
coping fell with crash,
fit OF trembling seized many OF the
children. Weeping and screaming, they
huddled close together and their nurses
Jumped up to Paei iy t th Sitt1a rr,
Il want to go home!' hoy OF ten, with a
tear begrimed face Dried passionately. Il
want to 70 home!" He had been orphaned
by just such fire.
The tarpaulin curtain closed upon the
scene, ana dS ROCIl rs Luo udildSS was It-
paired the curtain was again swung aside
| to reassure the children.
Then the rain began to pour down merci-
lessly The children, some without hats.
huddled their blue little faces together like
sheep in a storm. The hoodless motor
cars were drenched. but when the signal
to start for home came the children took
their places without murmur, and the
| little expedition that started out so gal
lantly reached home under pelting shower
But not one uttered word Of complain
on the way.
The trip was arranged by Col. c. X.
Pardee, Senator W. J. Morgan and Samuel
Miles. The institutions represented we're
Hebrew sheltering Guardian Society, Mis-
sion Of the Friend Of Children, New York
Home for Destitute Crippled Children
Hour House, Howard Mission, New York
city children's hospitals and schools.
committee of Dependent Children an d
Chldren's Aid Society, Fifty third street
school. Some institutions declined the in
vitation on account Of the weather. Col
John Jacob Astor's and A. q. Vanderbilt
cars were in the procession.