New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-20
BROOKLYN, WAY
STATION ON NEW
SUBWAY, CHEERS
Young and Old at Cut as
First Fourth Avenue
Train Goes By.
BAY RIDGE GREETS
OFFICIAL PARTY
Mayor Mitchell, Angered by
Tardy Arrival of Invitation,
Goes to Launching.

There was no other city on the map
Yesterday, according TO Brooklyn. From
early morning until sunset young
sters and adults celebrated the
opening of tn new Fourth Avenue
subway. which will ultimately carry
thousands Of swelterinG humanity
from the tenements Of Manhattan to
the cool breezes Of Coney Island in
mere thirty minutes and all for
nickel All turned out to greet the ofl-
Gals who made the first trip from
Chambers Street to Coney Island, and
then to Bay Ridge.
Two clouds married the celebration.
One was physical, but the threatening
rain was shooed Of by the protests of
thousands Of American flags IN the
hands of as many children. The other
was caused by the absence OF Mayor
Mitchell. Angcrcd because he had not
been invited earlier than Friday, the
Mayor refused to accompany the OIL
cial party. and went 20 the launching
of the Arizona instead.
When the official train left the Cham
bcrs Street station. shortly after 1870
in the afternoon. the information was
flashed TO persons in Bay Ridge. South
Brooklyn had early been decked with
flags and bunting, and even the clothes
lines in back yards had been trans
formed. As the train shot past on its
way TO Coney Island children massed
along the cement entertainments and
cheered for Brooklyn, Bay Ridge and
the new thread which sows the hearts
of Manhattan and Brooklyn still closer
together.
On the train were members Of the
Public Service Commission, officials OF
the B. r. T., members Of the citizens,
committee that arranged the details OF
the celebration, and other distinguished
guests. The train made its first stop
at Coney Island, having made the trip
in about forty minutes. 1t is expected
that the time will be cut TO thirty min
utes.
After five minutes at Coney Island
the train shot back to Twenty
Avenue, where the party got out and
marched to Twentieth Avenue.
Thousands of Children March.
Just as the travellers arrived at Bay
Ridge, Harold Huber, of Public School
%, and his sister, Lillian, six years
old, dressed as Uncle Sam and Miss
Bay Ridge, respectively, drew aside a
curtain stretched ocrass the Third Ave
nue. bridge over the park. Out from
this archway, decorated to represent
the subway that is being opened,
marched 10000 children, twenty abreast.
At the same time several thousand
more came from an opposite direction
20 A-Fo vnI fI1H n n
closed the ground where the adults
stood like an ampitheatre.
As the children took their seats the
Public Service Commissioners and Off
cials of the B. R. T. arrived in auto
mobiles. The children then stood and
sang america" keeping time by wav
ing the Stars and Stripes. Boy Scouts
raised the flag, to the accompaniment
of a gun salute.
At this juncture came the most i'm
pressive spectacle of the entire cele
bration, for the thousands of children,
without any prompting, recited their
allegiance to the flag, their country
and their fellow citizens.
jeremiah j. OLeary, president Of
the West End Board of Trade, intro
duced Borough President Lewis H.
Pounds, who said: THE new subway
line is distinctively a Brooklyn insti-
tuition. We are indebted to the Public
Service Commission for its patience,
for we have been very impatient at
times. This civic demonstration excels
anything | have ever seen for patriot
ism and effectiveness. 1t is Brooklyn
speaking now, and the songs of these
children are merely hymns of praise
for the men who have made this new
line what it is"
Chairman Edward Z. Mccall, of tho
Public Service Commission, praised the
work of Colonel Timothy S. Williams,
president Of the Brooklyn Rapid Tran
sit, and Bridge Commissioner Kracke
for their cooperation in planning and
executing the new line.
School Girl Reads Prize Essay.
After Columbia, the Gem Of the
Ocean" had been sung, Thora Royston,
member of the graduating clas- of Bay
Ridge High School, read to the vast as
sembly her prize essay, "Bay Ridge, It's
Subway and It's Future"
Colonel Williams willingly stopped
his address when the first runners,
who had competed in the marathon
starting from the Brooklyn side of the
Manhattan Bridge, began TO arrive.
Later the officials were driven to the
Bay Ridge Club, Second Avenue and
Seventy-second Street, where luncheon
was served.
AS climax to the days celebration,
Bird S. Coler was mentioned for the
Office of Mayor, Controller and Bor-
ough President; Colonel Williams, OF
the Brooklyn Rapid Transit, engaged
in a friendly tilt with Public Service
Commissioner Hayward as TO the
merits and dement's of the formers
trains and the latter's ability as a COM
missioner; Borough President Pounds
served the napkins; Commissioner
Williams passed sandwiches, and
Travis II. Whitney, secretary to the
Public Service Commission, attempted
TO show that he could throw nine out
Of ten salted almonds into Colonel Hay-