Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-02-23
Probably Large Majority Of Entire
Population Witnessed The
Homecoming.
FROM GOAT DECKS AND SHORE
Numerous Excursions and Private
Parties Jourreyed Down to Bay on
Craft Of Al pescriEtion-Thous-
andx Went to Old Point and Other
Places OF Vantage.

Nrwpnrt News contributed her luli
share OF spectators lor The tl"tl h me.
coming. Probably lars" majority
Of the entire population OF tn" city
and Vicinity witnessed the n"verto
be .forg often sight from points OF van
iage along The shore - hampton
Roads, or from the deck or rrat'
M some kind As early as oclI
in the morning crowds were 10 D"
seen hurrying TO the piers along IN"
waterfront, or waiting on street
corners for cars. by 1890 oc"fk
al, of the boats had departed, bui the
trolley cars were taxing their capacity
en- the outward runs until no2n. II
is estimated that fully 10000 people
were gathered a; Old Point and about
half that number must have travelled
there BY by trolley or Chesapeake
Ohio train from this city and neigh
bSrhood.
Many Out on Boats.
Among the boats carrying cxcnr'
sions out from here were tn" Old DO
tninian steamers Princess Anne, Poca-
nhentas and Hampton: the Merchants
q Miners steamer Chatham and the
n, p. h ~ steamer Pennsylvania.
Un boarJ the tag Richmond were Mr..
Hopkins, of Richmond Southern
agent for the Chesapeake 4 Ohio
/ Coal Agency Company. and a party:
on the tug Covington. Captain W. G.
Melvin, local agent OF the SeahHari
Transportation Company. and
PARTY: on the tug Dauntless. Nj.
Walter A. Post, general manager OF
the shipyard. and a party, and on the
Chesapeake 4 Ohio Railway tugs
Alice and james ~ Smith. parties OF
C. & O. officials with their families,
In addition to ,hese vessels there
were parties on innumerable launches
and other small power craft, M1st
Of these vessels went out to the Tan
Of the Horse Shoe to meet the incom-
Ing feet, then returned to Old Point
I, await the arrival of the Mlyfl1wer
ANA witness the interesting scenes
there enacted.
The thousands WAC jOurheyed 70
Old Point by trolley met with more
trouble returning than going. as 1t
was late evening before some of them
succeeded in travelling home again
on packed cars.
Didn't Mind the Weather.
The cold. rainy and altogether
disagreeable weather seemed to have
no effect whatever upon the people.
They turned cut in throngs just as
though the skies wee clear and sun
shine warm.
Last night the illumination Of the
feet, a magnificent spectacle. attract
ed many people to the boulevard. Old
Point and other points from which
the fleet could be seen. Though
the atmosphere was thick and heavy,
the electrically outlined hulls Ct the
ships could be plainly seen from the
housetops in the city
49, a General Holiday.
The prediction that Washington
Rirth6ay would be more generally
celebrated here yesterday thaA ever
before was more than fulfilled. The
holiday was generally celebrated. and
the city was almost deserted during
the morning and early afternoon
hours. Many Of the merchants and
business men closed their places all
day. and practically all C. them sus'
pended business from 9 O'Clock in the
.morning until 3 O'Clock in the after
noon.
The shipyard closed down at neon.
but only a small number CT men ap-
peared for work BE mcrniRg. most
OF the employees taking a full DAY
holiday. The schools. banks. custom
house. post flee and city Offices were
closed all day.
!. Many Visitors in City.
The city was filed up with visitors
again last night although Thousands
OF persons from a distance who came
to see the feet returned % their
homes in the evening The Chfsa
peake & Ohio -an half d-7en or
more specia! trains down from Rib
mond bringing in all more than
eighty ocaches during the dly Nearly
an OF these excursionists boarded