The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-01-01
New Year Ushersd in by Merry.
making, Horn Blowing and Cheers
SEEMED MORE LIKE PARIS
The Ticker and Csafette Were instruments
Of Torture Which Supplemented Tin
Horn Blowing Broadway Crowded

New York, Jan. t-All New York came
out to celebrate the birth OF the new year.
Nothing like IL was ever seen before for
numbers or for enthusiasm. IL looked as
IL nobody stayed at home but the babies
and the sick folks. From the hour after
dinner until long after midnight the cele-
bration lasted. II consisted OF noise, eat
ing and drinking. with noise by far the
predomlnating element
At least 5000 men and women packed
Broadway and the side streets near Trim
ity church from half past eleven o'clock
until long after midnight. To hear the
chimes? Oh, no. To blow horns and devil
whistles and spring rattles and yell and
thus drown out the very pretty chimes OF
old trinity that welcomed In the New
Year.
Men born in New York, who have lived
here all their lives, looked at the carni-
val In wide-eyod establishment The activ-
lty and jollty OF the enormous crowds,
the Wild hilarity that never went beyond
-,
horn-blowing and capering, all made the
native observer feel that he had been
suddenly transported to some foreign
city. IL was more like Paris than New
York.
NEW YEARS DINNERS
There was method in the merry mad
ness too. Those who mOurned the last
moments OF the old year and welcomed
the advent OF 1906 by eating large uuanti-
ties OF luxurious foods and drinking
champagne In floods engaged their tables
weeks In advance. some Of them as far
back as October Every table in every
big restaurant was taken weeks I'm ad-
vance.
II Croesus had suddenly come back to
life and visited New York after the din
ner hour last evening he couldn't have
got table In Delmonico's or Rector's or
Shanley's with all his gold. At most of the
restaurants he could not even have got
in.
The revolving glass doors were held fast
by stout guards only persons with tables
engaged in advance and cards TO show
for them were allowed to pass in. In most
restaurants there was a big card on each
table on which was printed in big letters:
This table has been engaged and will
be occupied nj 10 p. m.
kindly vacate II at . p. m.''
And no excuse availed. Diners had TO
go long before 10 o'clock
Delmonico's was completely given over
20 the New Years ccebra tion. The cafe
usually sacred 10 mere man. was filed
with tables for parties, which included
women.
At Rector's and Shaney's the dining
rooms were decorated with holly wreaths
and American flags.
The Orangery OF the Hotel Astor was
like tropical garden. full OF orchids and
rare plants. Tom Healv had fresh
cyclamen blooming on every table.
The crowds began to throng all these
restaurants at 10 o'clock BY IL not one
more person could possibly be squeezed
In. During the last hour Of the old year
the people feasted and at the first stroke
OF the New Year everybody in every res
taurant arose, wineglass IN hand, and
drank health 20 the New Year
A. the Astor a great 1905" that burned
In leiters of golden hight on the wall srd-
q MIS- flashed into 1906"
NJ horn-blowing. no rattling OF watch
mems rackets was allowed I'm any res
taurart The only kind OF horn allowed
Indoors was the liquid species. the sort
that IS taken, not blown.
But the people In the streets made
noise enough TO scare young 1906. Every
sort OF noise-making implement known
To man except cannon and dynamite
bombs was In active use along Broadway
during the night.
BLEW IN FACES
Get your horns and ticklersl" was
the prayer roared by thousands OF fax
ers all evening. At nearly every cross
street from Columbus Circle to Union
square trucks and wagons were halted
AT the curb. loaded with tin horns and
thin sticks with bunch OF hackle-feath-
ers at the tip.
The smaller tho buyer the bigger tho
horn he took. Confetti sold by thous-
ands OF bags. The mir was constantly fun
OF the tiny shreds OF gay ,colored paper
II you were a real devlish New Years
humorist you proceeded like this First
tickle some stranger under the chin with
the feathers: then, as he turned 10 pro-
test, YOU blew the horn In his face. The
greatest joke OF the night originated with
Captain Dooley or the Tenderlon police
force.
lie sent 80 policemen to Broadway 10
arrest every person they saw blowing
a horn in another persons face.
The jolo-not one policeman saw this
thing happen: though there were AZ least
9O,Oo humorists abroad who played the
trick and again.
BROADWAY A JAM.
As midnight approached all Broadway
from Fifty ninth street TO Union square
was iammed full Of people. They marched
aimessly to and fro like the crowd I'm a
great fair. There was no distinction be-
tween sidewalk and pavement.
The good natured. laughing. cheering
throng marched on and on without ceas-
ing 20 blow horns. swing rattles around
and Jingle with s2e4s COW bells Cars.
automobiles and cabs had 90 crowd
through the great press OF people.
~In the midst OF the gayety there passed
one sad-faced man lie wore summer
clothes and "a white straw hat and drove
faded horse 20 black runabout The man
was paying an election bet
on his breast and back and the sides
of ihe runabout were fastened pacards
displaying these weird words
"Jerome7 Certainly We win"
Captain Cotrrell. IN charge NJ police
headquarters. received 100 complaints over
the telephone from citizens. who said the
noise was Keeping them awake and de-
manded that policemen be sent to stop
the New Year celebration. The captain
did not laugh. lie Is n solemn man
a