The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-09-28
RECORD CROWDS
GATHER FOR BIG.
LAND PAGEANT
Fifty-fOur Floats in Greatest
Feature of the Hudson-
Fulton Celebration.
WIND AGAIN HALTS
AER0PLANE FLIGHTS
Rain, Which Threatened to De-
lay Parade, Stopped Early.
Throngs Witness Start.

NEW YORK, Sept. 2S.-The centre
of the Hudson Fulton festivities today
was the route chosen for the historical
pageant of commemorative floats 1t
comprises Central Park West and Fifth
avenue, extending almost in straight
line, with slight elbow at Fifty
ninth street, from 10th street to
Fourth street at the foot of Washing
ton square. The celebration committee
has attempted to illustrate the periods
of American history made famous by
the achievements of Henry Hudson and
Robert Fulton.
The day opened with drizzling
rain, but this stopped before o'clock.
Although there was a chance that Will
bur Wright and Glenn H. Curtiss might
make brief trial flights over Governors
Island, the Sightseers were too occu-
pied with the street display to flock
to the Battery as they did yesterday
when these flights were the only out
door feature of the celebration ex.
pected
Today's pageant really represented
the supreme effort of the commission.
For several months 800 artists, carpen-
ters and papier-mache manipulators
have been at work preparing the wood
and plaster figures which today deco
rated the fifty-four floats in the pro-
cession. Nearly 10000 men, women and
children most ofsthem In costume, rep
resenting every national and patriotic
society in He city, po.ed as historic
persoHeeeson these floats or marched
jJefwsen and beside them. The cost
Nof the whole spectacle was 100000.
On every available spot along the five
fl..x 4..x- n. IL =
erected for spectators and the sums
paid for seats on these varied from 81
to s.. Windows fronting on the two
streets brought still larger prices.
Gncsts of the Commission.
The guests of the commission and the
city, @humbered several thousand. The
former occupied an immense stand in
front of the new public library at
Fifth avenue between Fortieth and
Forty-second streets. This was the re-
viewing stand, and at this point, on
both sides of the street, lowered white
pillars. This stand held the officers or
the visiting warships and the repre-
sentatives of foreign nations at the
celebration, besides the commissioners
and their families and friends. 1t is
estimated that when the parade started
from One Hundred and Tenth street,
early In the afternoon, it was in the
presence of nearly million spectators.
The story unfolded by the floats and
their costumed characters dealt with
the history of New York and the coun-
try Immediately surrounding, In four
periods: The Indian, Dutch, Colonial
and modern. The last-named, however,
aisETied the tale-no further than the
at Ty!{.s aIlal-boat and the introduce
tian of water from Croton reservoir.
SYsadIne the pageant were the officers
~ the city and the commission. The
irish societies led the first division,
having in line about 400 Friendly Sons
of st. Patrick and 1000 members of the
Ancient Order of Hibernians, while
after them marched 1.bO0 from the Ital-
ian organizations. L500 Bohemians, 250
POLES and $50 Hungarians, all in cos
tume The title car, New York
which led the floats was followed by
go Norwegians A number of Iroquois
Indians took part In the tableaux on the
Indian floats that followed.
About 1000 more members of the
Italian societies and 1000 more from
ireland followed Then came the floats
representing scenes in the early Dutch
colonies. including representations of
the Half Moon and "The Fate of Henry
Hudson" One that attracted much
attention was the car "St. Nicholas"
which was attended by $50 children.
In order that the youngsters might not
be wearied by the long march, they
served in relays along the route.
Swedish and Irish societies, including
1.500 members of the Clan-na Gael, pre-
.ceded the floats of the colonial period,
and lf1e members of various patriotic
societies escorted the cars of the mod
ern or United States period. which COM.
rosed the last division. THE Recep-
tion to Lafayette" however, was ac-
companied by 200 members of the
French societies and the car Garibaldl
was escorted by members of the Ital-
ian societies. including ten veterans
who had served under the italian llber
ator. The other events of the day IN
cIude a musical festival in the Metro
.politan Opera House and literary exer-
cises in the Brooklyn Academy of
Music, both in the evening.
northwest wind blowing twenty
miles an hour, caused an official post
ponement today of the dirigible balloon
race from New York to Albany for the
New YorkSNorld prize. ItSwas planned
N attempt a flight tomorrow If con-
ditions favor.
Both Wilbur Wright and Glenn H.
c.urtiss went early to Governors Island.
where their new aeroplanes are housed,
hut. after Viewing the weather con-
ditions, both aviators said that there
wa. little likelihood Of flight by them
tsday and that they would not attempt
~ 20 up while the wind continued
strong. Both machines are ready It
fcSntInusd ON second Pare,