Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-09
GREAT THRONGS SEE
FIREWORKS DISPLAY
Fiery Exhibit Viewed by
Tens of Thousands
on. EIIipse.
SANTA MARIA is SHOWN
WITH GOLDEN FLAMES
Portrait of Columbus Also Important
Part of Spectacle.
THE AVENUE Is ILLUMINATED
Famous Thoroughfare Is Scene of
Merriment Until Late in the
Portrait of Columbus Also Important
Part of Spectacle.
THE AVENUE IS ILLUMINATED
Famous Thoroughfare Is Scene of
Merriment Until Late in the
Night.

The man who wrote the program
for the fireworks display last night
had dipped his pen in ink of a most
vivid sort, but at that he did not ap-
proach realism, for nothing can paint
fire except fire itself. The tens of
thousands who crowded the ellipse Of
the White Lot and the walks and lawn
in the broad spaces south of the White
House grounds will testify to the
statement that no genuine shooting
star ever approached the pyrotechnics
which marked the knights of Column
bus celebration.
People began to crowd the ellipse and
overrun the base ball diamonds there as
early as half-past Z. BY that time the
place had the aspect Of country picnic
In a quarter Of an hour more the crowd
had doubled. Folks who had brought
newspapers spread the sheets out upon
the dampening grass and whole families
sat upon a single issue. Children in arms
began to grow fretful. and ever-patient
mothers were telling them ITO wait for
the pretty fireworks like a good little
man." Dozens of youngsters Of twelve
or thereabout stuffed handkerchiefs full
Of grass and were playing ball with this
improvised makeshift, and others were
playing violent games of tag in the ever
increasing crowds.
Display Starts at Dark.
It was dark before the first "lyddite''
shell hurtled into the air, and big even
ing star had made its appearance known.
When the shell went upward with
sharp bang" one Of the imaginative
boys cried out:
Look, mamma, they are trying TO
shoot that star
We'll. they didn't hit that star. even
though thirty noisy shells were shot into
the air. but they did succeed In making
that star look like piece of tawdry tin
sell Following the shells. remarkable for
their noise, came red fire by the acre
and rockets and bombs galore. until the
heavens seemed to rain with bits of
burning things. which all but floated on
to the heads of those watching from the
broad lawn.
Stars Are Outdone.
The stars which the shells were trying
to hit smiled through the smoke for a
second or two now and then, while the
experts were getting ready to spring some
new fiery surprise. but the real stars
were outdone and had little chance. Halt
a dozen times great orchards of fire
sprang into being without a moment $
warning. Trees of moving, pouring sparks
ranged all the way across the ellipse. and
so bright were they that the sun was ri
vailed Gold trees and silver trees and
trees of white-hot molten stuff which
made the girls say 'A-h-h-h-h"' were
strung out all over the lot, and as il that
were not enough the crowd was taken on
its feet by Niagara Falls in fire.
Great Crowd Applauds.
The crowd was waiting for the big show
pieces, though. and We're well satisfied
when they were set off. When the Santa |
Maria, drawn In lines of golden fire. |
sailed out upon the sea of dull black |
smoke, there wasn't a man or woman or
child who didn't applaud. Christopher /
Columbus real ship, which limped back |
to Spain with the news of his wondrous |
discovery was not accorded SO much hon.
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