The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-01
NOISY GREETING TO
INCOMING YEAR |:
Rattle Of Fireworks and
Scream Of Whistles at
Midnight Hour.
SOLE MN SERVICES
HELD IN CHURCHES
Hundreds OF Watch-Night Par
ties Held in City-Year Has
Been Good One, and City
Looks Forward With
Confidence to
Future. ii

With a scream of whistles, the ring
ing of church bells. a rattle OF fire.
works and hurrahs from many throats,
Richmond joyfully turned at the stroke
of midnight to welcome the New Year
of 1908.
CheerfullS 1t came with cold. clear
skies. and thousands of sleepy people
waiting patiently to seize the moment
for a renewal of old resolutions, and 4
for that display of good will and I.
hearty well wishing which marks the
birth of another year. Hundreds OF /.
Watch-niglt parties We're held. and the
llnwonted CLEAN of light from windows
usually dark at midnight told of the
waiting people within. Entertainments
marked the earlier part OF the evening"
one OF the princpal attractions being
the annual ball of the Gesangverein-
Virginia, following an elaborate mu-
Steal program In which some of the s.
best talent In Richmond took part. a
members. night at the Central y. NJ,
CA. and a numberso celebrations by
We're in honor OF the occasion Appro-
pirate services were held in Centenary
Methodist Church and in st. Paul's
Episcopal Church, beginning at LIS
o'clock and lasting until midnight. the
music being feature at both services.
The anthems and addresses were ap-e
propriatc to the New Year. the congre-
20 God, Our Help in Ages Past, Our
Hope for Years to Come with great
heartiness. The Rev. Robert Forsyth
spoke at st. ePauls, his New Year ser-3
mon being from the text $50 teach us
to number our days that we may ap-
service a season of silent prayer pre-
|ceded the stroke Of u, when the orr
gans burst into the doxology. Praise
God from whom all blessings flow
Scene In Streets.
On Broad Street the crowd was not
as large as in former years, ma king up
In noise and enthusiasm what 1t lack
ed In numbers. AT several corners
there We're brilliant displays OF fire.
works. the Roman candles rivaling the
strings of electric globes across the
street. Railroad torpedoes. sky
rockets and paper balloons We're In
evidence. sg sFss
The hour of midnight was greeted
by a general ringing OF the bells Of
the city. the whistles of hundreds OF
locomotives and river boats, adding
the night, while from every section of
the city coming enthusiastic and loud
reports OF the brilliant reception given
to the infant year. On many corners
the boys repeated their Christmas bon
fires. watching out the old year. besideHi
stacks of burning barrels. F
To-d day the new year will be honored
with a general holiday, all the banks
and business houses being closed
Here and there the old-tfme custom Of
New Year Day calls Will be revived.
land a number OF handsome Sentertain-E
lsments tonight will close the holiday
Iseason. sss S5sss3
Tomorrow the children will go to-
|;school again, and the work Of the new
year will have begun In earnest.
(a& The Old.
Old 1907 was. a kindly year to Rich
mond. and Its passing was not without
regret IT gave Richmond more than
usual OF the good things of the earth.
and brought to her many associations
and memories that viii be long cher
ls1shed.s While other communities have
had disappointments. In that some of
|their undertakings have not met ex-
pectations the events Of Richmond
during the year have more than JUS
tilted the predictions and have exempl-s
| fled the public spirit ana ability ef
her citizens. sa
81 Beginning with two weeks cam.
|paign In which nearly $3.50, 900 t0as
raised fora new Y. NJ, G. "A, building.
and in which the energies lof many ot
1.-The younger men or the community
were for the first time cry tallzed on Al
public spirited undertaking. the year
also saw two notable church conyel.-s
ltions. the Bapt!sts OF the : South ard
| the Episcopalians OF NJ North America.
holding sessions Of Importance, and
bringing many prominent and cultured
paonle to Richmond, putting the city
| in the public eye of those entire de-s
nominations throughout the country. S3s
The greatest of Confederate Reun n
TONS was held here during 1907. with,
an enormous gathering of eopla aud
tthe nnveiling Of monuments tod y III 8sE.s5
stuart md Jefferson sDavi Ii9 x II y, sSgf
"A great number Of commercial u md
| fraternal organtzat Ions held their CON
! vaptions here. and to each Of them the
lefty extended an open handed hospfs
Itaiity, thousands az those on t.,sit
way tn tho Jamesto o@n q pasiti lion vis-s'
Iited the historic and Interest 4 MS fSceness
lsinan about Richmond, the record Sofs
/ tho hotels and publ places IL shoWintss
4 that practically an those from the
North and Nest who visited theSexpe1
1 lCh