New-York tribune., 1909-10-03

SPECTACLE ON RIVER
PACKS RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
Fleet Illumination IN MidStreGm and
FrerOrkS on Shore.

IRON Of ilIuminations and fireworks that
vas apparently going 10 entertain a scattering
twenty-five thousand sightseers on Riverside
Drive last night upward Of a hundred thousand
persons bent seeing both the carnival parade
and the riverfront display suddenly changed the
latter from reighborhood affair 10 a spectacle
for the whole city.
Police arrangements that had at first seemed
s-perfuous became only barely sufficient TO hold
the vast throng- This great change in the river
'front.' celebration and illumination of the interna-
rional feet came suddenly. when the crowds from
central Park West. having viewed the carnival
parade north OF 59th street rushed pell-meu to
Tie Drive 10 take in the oueter but grander dis
play there.
Eight O'Clock was tie scheduled hour for the
illumination OF the line Of warships and for the
1'guning OF the fireworks and promptly at that
hour he Illumination started The Drive at that
time vas sparsely covered with a strolIing. easy
going crowd Of pedestrians and thin string Of
automobiles. but in the fifteen minutes after two
bells had sounded the warships the crowd was
increased more than tenfold Every street lead
ing from Central Park toward the river was
5srmed with hurrying pedestrians, who
cred the vantage points of Riverside Park and
Drive
Wsrships Of the international feet, from 5Gth
street TO Spuyten Duyvil. strung with ncandescent
lights and shining under shore battery of forty
sesrchlights. comprised the most popular feature
- the illuminations hut the crowG had eyes also
for The millions of tiny incandescents outlining
display on the Jersey shore, the separate battery
searchlights directed Grants .omb, and the
smaller decorations OF innumerable yachts and
cursion boats.
Brass bands on the various warshps furnished
the throng shore and in the glare OF
The electric lights with which they were practi-
csly covered the shore crowd could see the jackes
- al nations staring with just much interest
~ the spectators on the drive.
II there any choice popularity with
the crowd IN the long line Of warships it was
probably in favor Of his majesty's ship InfeXible
Along the slopes at Manhattan street and around
Grants tomb, from which points the Infexible was
most prominent in the view, vas gathered the
densest crowd on the drive. and the Infexible was
prepared 10 arnuse them. or and on red white
s1d blue. she switched her lights IL rapid success
sion, and blazing on her main fighting top all
through the evening was crown Of fire. sur
mounted BY the Union Jack, made up in regulation
co'ored lights.
Tic Iuhexble received such hearty welcome
that she s2rang searchligft Of her own and after
pI-yug il first over the crowd shore turned It
steadily her official flag Tapping her main
masthead.
italian. French. Mexican and German boats
south of the British vessels. came in for their
share of the crowds good will also and the Dutch
Utrecht. with 4 double row OF incandescents out
lining her entire hull, and lighted up in addition
r me lights from the official pier at 10th street.
drew thousands 70 that section Of the river front
IN addition what seemed TO be the conten-
tonsi design Of incandescent strings from stern to
b9p. and from hull % masthead, the American
boats were III by the powerful shore battery of
stsrcalig1ts located l5Sd street Here also the
Jersey shore fireworks were most active. and the
black background OF the Palisades shot with
inruulerable rockets and colored lights.
A. the moon came suddenly over the clih-ke
apartment houses lining the drive. turning the
r'rsr silver. the crowd hushed by the beauty
@ ths scene
Inc four hundred policemen who we're duty
L. I.d in z,gfn ~ 20
tEe ~ the gathering No one accident msrred the
evening and Z matter OF three four arrests for
minor 1ufractions the traffic rules all that
Ess recorded against the tlrong at the upper West
slos police stations.
Inc German ships notices bic because they are
lie only white painted Warships the river.
ADDED note Of business the picture of the
evening by utilizing the earlier hours for coalng,
preparatory 10 their departure early next week.
elt on al the other ships the jackes could be
seen enjoying an evening ar home On several
% The American vessels a souch OF color was
s'aNn ny tie discharge Of huge clouds of steam
= intervals, Which when caught by the play Of
e sssrchilghts showed al tho colors OF the rain
eNeafers and furs the popular articles Of
,tss along the drive throughout the evening,
~''fe was cold breeze coming UP of the water.