Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-09-26
Five Million People See the First
Spectacle of Double Centen-
nial Celebration.
HUDSON AND FULTON MEET
Commanders of Quaint Crafts Clasp
Hands on Reviewing Stand.
NIGHT PARADE ABANDONED
Last of Fifteen Miles of Ships Still
Coming Down River at Sunset.
ILLUMINATION IS MAGNIFICENT
Two Billion CandIepower Used in
Great Display which Made the
River and City As white
As Day.
ILLUMINATION IS MAGNIFICENT

NEW YORK. Sept. 5-Henry Hudson.
who melted from view 800 years ago into
those Arctic mists from which two Ameri-
can discoveries have but lately returned
walked his quarterback again today and, in
sea boots and plumed hat, surveyed the
changes aloft and ashore that make his
second visit TO these shores scarcely less
memorable than his first
His reincarnaton-or to be strictly ac-
cur7te, his iinpersonation today, the re-
production of his ship, the Half Moon. and
their twentieth century tour of seeing New
York are expressions of those recurrent
themes Of historical contrast and instruc-
tion by pageant in which the central idea
of the Hudson-Fulton celebration germi-
mated.
With New York harbor and Manhattan
island for a stage, the play opened today
for a weeks run and will for another week
show at lesser cities and towns along the
route that Hudson Travelled.
Hudson and Fulton.
Hudson was an English adventurer out
fitted from Dutch funds and master Of
mixed crew. England and Holland are
today-after America-the nations sharing
most prominently in the celebration, al
though twenty-one in all have sent their
ENJOYS and five others their ships of war
Fulton's voyage of adventure over the
same course to test the power of steam
came just 200 years later. His name today
follows that OF Hudson on the program
as the reproduction Of the Clermont fol-
lowed the reproduction of the Half Moon
on the waters of the harbor
The two little ships, once so weighty with
achievement before a marvellng world,
are now mere toys, for an older and more
sophisticated civilization made their rounds
today of the warships assembled to do
them honor, with thousand merchant
ships and pleasure craft trailing behind
them in parade fifteen miles long; sa-
luted the national and the international
flags Of peace; were officially received by
the city and the Hudson Fulton commls-
sion with the other visiting notables and
tonighEwere 70 have repeated the course.
but In view Of delays there was no formal
night parade although the river was as
white as day from the glare OF hundreds
OF senrchlights from on shore and afloat
Their sisterly progress was marred by but
one accldent-a slight collision early in tho
morning by which the Clermont lost a lit
tie paint and the Half Moon an anchor
chain. There was no excitement worthy
the mention because Of the accident and
very little delay.
Weather Man Makes Good.
The weather man made good his promise.
AT a. m. rain had ceased to fall and
brilliant day of intensely blue sky and
scintillating sunlight appeared. The winds
had cleared the skies as the rains had
cleansed the streets, the city was washed,
dressed and flushed with expectancy.
Every morning train and ferry brought
its hundreds and it's thousands. BY 10
o'clock the streets were crowded by Ii
Jammed and by noon the city held one of
the greatest crowds that has been assem-
bled anywhere for any purpose. Conserva-
tive estimate tonight place the numbers
Of those who witnessed the naval parades
from the shores Of Staten island, Brooklyn,
the Palisades and New Jersey at 100000
Crowd is Greatest show.
Impressive as were the ships of war,
squirting fire and smoke from their sides
in one series of salutes after another suf-
ficient as was the parade that swept about
them in a great crescent, the crowd was
more majestic yet. II drew the greater
share of comment from the 75O 600 who are
estimated to have watched II from excur-
sion steamers tug boats sailing craft and
even canoes. Looking up one could see
that the cliff of skyscrapers on Manhattan
island wore unaccustomed fringe Of
black-human heads. Every window was
filled, every roof was lined. Whsrves, pier
ends, lighters, ferTyboats, the sterns OF
ocean liners. the water front the docks,
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