New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
City's History Reviewed
in Weequahic Park
Amphitheatre.
5000 DESCENDANTS
OF TREAT ARE THERE
threatening Weather Fails to
Dim Brilliance of 250th Ami.
versary Celebration.

Newark outdid itself last night. Sew
enty thousand people jammed their
way into Weequahic Park, at the south
ern end of the city. TO attend the open
ing Ct the four nights pageant, cele-
brating in spectacle and song the 250th
anniversary of the founding of Newark
A huge amphitheatre had been built
for this central feature of Newark's
anniversary festival There were seat
ing provisions there for $4,000 people.
Fully as many more spectators gath
cred around the outskirts Of the park
For time the light drizzle which be-
gan at o'clock in the evening threat
ened % spoil the performance, bat de-
spite the departure of few fo' shell
tered SPOTS the pageant itself was un-
interrupted and unmarried. About g.
900 cf the men, women and children in
the audience and pageant were direct
or collateral descendants Of Robert
Treat. the city's founder.
Composition of the Pageant.
A prologue ard four acts composed
the pageant proper. The prologue rep
resented the passing of the explorers,
Cabot, Varranzane and Hudson, to-
gether with the peace legend of the
Leni Lenape, the original Jersey Ind
ian tribe, made famous by j. Fenimore
Cooper.
At the close of the prologue boat
drifted lazily out over the artificial
lagoon before the stage. IL bore Rob-
ert Treat and his pilgrims, who landed
on the centre of the stage. In this first
act were shown the meeting of Treat
with the Indians, the drafting of the
Fundamental Agreement and the pur-
chase of the land. The dangers and
hardships Of the early settlers were
driven home upon the audience.
The second act showed the land riots
of 1746 and the activities of Revolu-
tionary days, including the retreat Of
Washington through Newark and the
capture of Justice Hedden by the Brit
ish.
Lafayette Enters In Third Act.
Lafayette as the guest Of Newark in
1925 entered in the third act. This
was followed by a scene representing
the celebration in Newark of the nj
tieth Fourth OF July. bringing the city )
history up TO date of its incorporation
in 1886
The close Of the third act was par
ticularlv appreciated by some Of the
older persons in the audience. For
/ thew had been in the crowds that fol-
lowed Abraham Lincoln's open barouche
along Broad Street. and were more
or less familiar with Civil War hap
penings. ,.,..
The fourth act dealt symbolically
with the forces that had shaped and
were shaping the life of the city. II
consisted of a great series of dances
songs and spectacular tableaux
Heroes of every nationality were rep
resented in a gigantic climax that
brought all pagenat participants 10
gether upon the stage.
The Citizens Committee IN charge
consisted of A. G. Vogt. chairman; Miss
Frances Hays, DR.. William Diamond
Mrs. +. c. Jacobson, President Patrick
! G. O'Brien. of the Common Council;
DR.. Angelo V. Biauchi. j. Vixtor D.
| Aleis. Alderman Frank W. Cam, Henry
A. Guenther and Stanislaus BulsIewlcz.
Principals in the cast were: Robert
Treat. Thomas B. c. Smell; Governor
| Carteret, Andrew Leitheuser; justice
Hedden. Abraham Lower; GeIerai
Washington, Charles r. Williams, ana
I Abraham Lincoln, Arthur I. Seymour