The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-09-28
Millions of Persons Join in
Ceremonies of the Great
Hudson-F ulton Celebration
Mi8htieSt Armada Ever Gathered in American Waters
Gives Signal For Greeting to the Half
Moon and the Clermon


der from the mightiest armada ever
gathered within these harbor gates
hailed the renewed Half Moon and
her adventurous crew and acclaimed
the returned Clermont, which first
defied the waves by the titanic power
of steam.
The two vessels, old fashioned and
clumsy, were followed by such mer-
chant fleet as never before had been
marshaled in parade in these waters,
andAthey passed by line of warships
that told the story of the fighting
strength of the navies of the world in
terms of most impressive significance.
Uncle Sam was here with sixteen bat
tleships and almost forty other vessels
of war, and picked ships from the
fleets of England and Germany,
France and Italy, Holland, Argentine
and Mexico, swung on the tide in
peaceful accord, to do honor to the
day.
The great water spectacle of the
morning and afternoon turned at
night into such a display as threat
ened to blind the stars with light.
The whole Hudson was a river of fire
from the illumination of the battle
ships and other craft
Four million people rejoiced at the
official opening of this, the Hudson
Fulton celebration, which in impor-
lance has outstripped any demonstra-
ton seen in this, the metropolis of
the Western world. Not even when
the gallant Dewey returned from the
victory of Manila Bay did New York
send out a greater host than that
which gathered upon the slopes of
green Riverside and the lofty Pail
sades.
The day was faultless. The sky
was like an inverted turquoise cup,
and the blue of 1t was mirrored in the
stream. which shimmered beneath
the sun of autumn, flecked here and
there with points of foam.
Weather as perfect as this beguiled
a myriad of the sons of men, who left
their toll to make holiday in the
names of the explorer and of the in
ventor whose achievements made pos-
sible the Empire City of New York.
The might of the navies of the
world was seen displayed from the
Kills to Spuyten Duyvil. where once
the Half Moon, wandering from the
Holland shores, was target of the ar
row sped from ambush by savage
foe. Steel fortresses resting on the
channel tide betokened how well the
ingenuity of man has wrought in the
centuries which have passed since
Hudson sailed and Fulton tanned the
vapor to do the will of man and drive
ships of battle across the seas in def
ance of wind and wave.
About the two tiny craft was drawn
the interest of the pageant, and al
though who beheld them pass could
not discern it, both were survivors of
an encounter.
1t was in the maneuvring at the
start that the Half Moon rammed
the Clermont and took part of one of
her paddle wheels by the board as
though she was jealous of this new
found power which was to surpass all
speed that might come from all the
press of canvas which the winds of
heaven ever caught.
AS far as the eye could reach swung
the battleships of the nations at
anchor, forming in their gay dress of
bunting, flung jauntily from mast and
yard, line of warriors of the deep.
Submarines and torpedo boats
skurried past them first as though to
clear the way, and then came the
images of the Half Moon and of the
Clermont, followed by flotilla which
had been long in gathering. 1t was an
impressive sight, especially for those
who could for miles view the stream,
although many who could only get
glimpses of part of the martial dis
play were disappointed.
Toward the New Jersey shore
80 rrt<
boats leaning, curious and awkward,
like gawky children on tiptoe, so that
none of the parade might be missed
by their eager eyes.
Those who were afioat felt the
shock of the echoing guns of the
salutes and saw all that TRANSFERRED
on the holystoned decks of the men
of-war. On land the throngs saw a
great procession of the vessels of
peace, and so numerous were they
that hours passed before the last had
completed its journey up the stream,
and many did not attempt to get in
line again for the display of the
evening.
The elaborate program of the night
parade could not be carried out in its
entirety, although many of the YES
sells followed out the maneuvres
which had been arranged in an indie
pendent and informal fashion.
An idea of the magnitude of the
parade may be had when it is known
that the column that circled the bat
tleships and cruisers of the interna-
tional fleet in the Hudson was at least
forty miles long. The distance from
the Statue of Liberty to the anchorage
of the derelict destroyer Seneca is
about sixteen miles, yet when the
flagship General Meigs, that headed
the column, arrived off the Battery on
ner return to the starting point the
yacht division in the parade was just
getting under way, and there was an
unbroken chain of vessels of every
description, except warships and
ocean liners, going up or coming
down the river behind her.