Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-09-25
Most Imposing Display
of Kind Ever Seen in
American Waters.
is UNIQUE IN HISTORY
RepIicas of Old Boats Lead
Line IS Miles Long-Speak-
ing Program Ashore.

New York, Sept. 25.-The boom
of sunrise guns aboard the warships
in North river awoke New York TINS
morning to the first day OF the cele-
bration which honors the deeds OF
Henry Hudson and Robert Fulton.
The river that Hudson found ana
where Fulton set his steamboat was
the scene of the most impressive pa
gcant that ever fioated in New YORK
harbor. Five million spectators
viewed the naval parade on both mar
Dor and river.
From CntbOat to Battleship'
There were 900 vessels, varying
in type from q one man catboat 10
the mighty British cruiser-batlleshlp'
Infiexible.i In all 81 warships. rep
resenting the navies of the United
States, Great Britain, Germany.
France, Italy, Holland. Mexico, ana
Argentina. 100000 tons OF stceibear-
ing $4,000 officers and men. and arm
ed with .S97 guns. These and hun
dreds of other craft formed an es-
cort Of copies of the Half Neon and
Clermont, so faithful to the original
models in every detail that hudson
and Fulton themselves would have
been puzzled TO tell the difference.
Assemble in Upper Bay.
The days first spectacle was the
assembling of the naval pageant in
the upper bay. The Half Noon and
Clermont made the round OF the up
per bay and sailed into the mouth
of the Hudson. other vessels Of the
great parade falling into line. 1t
was not until after o'clock when
the mass Strengthened out into some
thing like procession formation and
the boats moved up the Hudson at Il
speed of about miles per hour. but
such was the number of participants
and the distances necessarily main
tanned between each that the column
was nearly ID miles long.
Given Royal Salute.
When the Half Moon and Cler-
mont reached the United States ship
Newport. which marked the southern
end of the line of waTships at Forty
fourth street. they passed up en- the
New York side of the river while the
other vessels kept on between the
men of war and the New Jersey
shore. AS the two little craft passed
the warships fired the royal salute.
The Half Moon and Clermont went
only as far as One Hundred and
Tenth street where the land cere-
monies of the day occurred with
speeches by Governor Hughes and
others While these were in prog
ress the other vessels returned along
the Manhattan shore.
illuminate ut Night.
The Half Moon and ClermOnt will
remain at the foot of One Hundred
and Tenth street until Wednesday,.
Tonight the participants in the days
parade will go over the same route
while the river will be gorgeousIy
Illuminated.
start mt 1890.
1t was 1890 when the Half Moon and
Clermont left st. George, Staten island
and the actual events of the day began.
The quaint craft were greeted by
deafening Outburst of whistles on the
steamers that crowded the upper bay.
The Clermont, after reaching open wa
ter, cast off it's tow, and black smoke
belched from it's antiquated funnel,
and its uncovered paddle wheels beat
the choppy waves of the harbOr into
froth as it chugged along, putting and
Wheeling at the rate of five miles an
hour. The copy of Hudson's sailing
vessel was towed behind in the bay.
Are the Whole Show.
The Half Moon and Clermont were
the entire show Lieutenant Lam of
the Dutch navy, costumed as the dis
coverer, was a conspicuous figure in