The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-25
MERRY CROWDS HA|
Dawn Of XMAS .
Thousands Flock to Broad
Street and Spend Night
in Revelry.
ROAR OF NOISE,
BUT NO DISORDER
Celebration of Festival To-Day
Will Be General Throughout
City-Baskets Of Food Dis
tributed Among Poor.
Special Services in
Churches.

With celebration that made the
ears ache and tinge, Broad Street
hailed the coming of Christmas last
night From the moment the lights
even bofore-until tho
crcss-street streamers flicked out one
by one, the shopping thoroughfare was
n surglng, roaring, noisy mass Of hui
beneath the feet of which
million small explosions made thou
sands dance and scream and jump, and
around which there was the smell of
powder. In fine good huinor.
however, the holiday bands accepted
what was offered and gave back the
best 1T had in stock.
Out for Sport.
In point of numbers the crowd was
hardly as large as others which have
helped to make Christmas Eve night
famous in the festive history Of the
city. AT first, the southside monopo-
li2ed attentlon. Later on. however. the
beckoned and they came, and
up to midnight and after 1t was nearly
to move.
To stroll where the footing was not
so thick the tirnii ones swayed into
the middle of the street, but could not
1inger long, for the sight of a skirt
was the signal for a cannon cracker to
so flying by. And so they stuck to the
sidewalk proper and had their fun.
Within the stores clerks moved about
and worked but kept their eyes las-
tened on the doors for the spectacle
outside was not one to WOO the best
in men who shaved. Above the rattle
of goods, the ira naping back and forth.
there came the din from afar. as horns
shrieked and cowbells clanked. witli-
out mercy or regard for those who held
their ears. The jostling multitude
was merely out for sport.
Noise Was DcafcntnE.
Every device with which noise could
be made was used With tie popping
of giant crackers, the torpedo-loade
cane struck :he pavement with the reg
uarity of the pendulums swing. and
added to this came the Embarrassing and
bewilderlng medley from horns and
bells There Were no moments of
quiet or peace, and at other times
when Bedlam broke the saluting vol
leys from the battle fleet was not un-
IKE the signing OF summer wind.
Old women and old men joined in witt
the enthusiasm of youth: children
laughed and screamed. but that masc,l-
line population which was feeling its
oats was in It's element, and acted ac-s
cordingly. S
There We're horns five or six feet long
the business end of Which rested upon
the shoulders OF a chap in front. there
were shorter and more vigorous ones
and bugles, thousands OF them. for
every man and woman almost was
armed And there were bells Of high
and low degree, from the tiny rattle OF
IN f11.. kt.t,
the hands from the fields at noon, and
one held ones ears and seemed to
dream that the 500 stray cows that
drink from the sewers had broken out
and herded into one small biock-the
State Auditors report to the contrary
notwithstanding. The burning of pow
der made the air thick. and sent ha2y
mist to the myriads of lights above.
The scene was like that of the climax
Of some grand carnival week. Occa-
sionally false face-there We're hun
dred of the real ones-save some weird
and picturesque touch to GnZzling
picture. but not even the holly and the
mistlctoe that glistened In the windows
OF a hundred shops could thrill one
With the Thought that this was Christ.
mas, The air was warm enough with
out the human heat and fire, and had
sorle flakes OF snow drifted down from
dark and overhanging skies. they would
have been as welcome as the flowers
of May.
Crowd n Mile Long. So
From Eighth Street west to E!pa
station the throngs We're rambling
back and forth, halting from sixth to
est. No rules We're observed. me
greeting of little bands merely served
to block the crowds, and though II
numbered many who We're groggy from
drink, there was no disorder and no
calls TO the policemen who strolied
along quietly. their hands folded be-
hind their backs, Indeed, the ff1ehalNS
mood OF those who celebrates MAS ING
most striking fact Of tho night, tofs
Tie fraction OF moment, howevei,s
women and even mon We're terrified,
when a youngster, filled up on ginger.
l;ghted and dropped a fake s1ant
cracker as big as sewer pipe, As
the fu2e huzzcd and sparkled there was
a scramble thar sent parts OF the
crowd full against plate glass iFoh.s
Win force enough almost to crash
them. Just at the instant when every
ans, waited ia see great chunks OF
nayine block thrown high into the air.,
the ginger-tlend picked II up as ten
derly as a mother would sltfts her \ eudS
hear, u ,,a,,t thc
ror an hour or more he kept sns
multitude on tenter-hooks, ana taels
switched to the other side to fFtshten
those who thought themselves secure
At the points where the crosstown
cars moved slowly over Broad police
men kept careful watch to prevent dls,s
aster for with solid line, stretched
over six or eight blocks, II was DIM
cult to hold 1t back. In this pushing.
swaylng line there Were many younxri
sters loaded up on Christmas chesr.
whose pranks on any ordinary night
would have led to disorder. But tho
fuct that there was none spoke yol-
umes for the good temper OF the merry
makers packed into the street. Men
driving delivery wagons had TO deal
freauently with horses that were wellr
nigh terror-strIcken with blast aftsr