The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-12
PEACE DIN ATDAWN
THRILLS The CITY
Multiplied Noises Bring the
Assurance That This Time
News Is True.
HOLIDAY IS PROCLAIMED
Subway Rush Reversed as
Crowds Hurry Uptown to
Join Great Jubilee.

Peace came to New York out Of the
night. In the dark hours Of the crowd
ing dawn siren shrilled. there was
dull hurrah OF shadowy figures who
tossed their hats in the air. a bell pealed
and those who lay abed in the ftful
sleep Of anticipation awoke and said:
ITS here Thank God, there's no mis-
take this time"
Down the harbor where the giant lady
OF bronze has stood steadfast during the
trying days when the conservation OF
every energy Of the nation was vital to
the winning of the war, lights blazed out.
and Bartholdrs goddess, truly "enlight-
ening the world" was outlined glori-
ously. Two heralds of the new day
climbed to the top OF the Barge ONCE
and with their bugles trumpeted the
message TO the stirring town.
The sound of rejoicing rose and trem-
bled over the city. growing with the
hours There was triumph In the blaze
Of whistles and the deep throated roar
Of the sirens. triumph and a great hap
piness. A thrill that was electric ran
through the streets. Those inside felt II
and answered in their respective ways,
and many a silent prayer OF thanksgiv-
ing went UP that those who were left
would be spared and that those who had
died had not died in vain.
Knowledge Displaces Emotion.
There was no doubt this time. After
the outburst of hysteria last week, wher
the pent up emotions Of four years broke
down the dams Of self-restraint, there
was left the certain knowledge that
when the news came next time II would
be true. The city had rid itself of 1t,
tears, 1t was ready to smile with per
feet gladness. Realization was begin
ming to come to 1t, and men and womer
did not cry with pleasure. but beamet
upon their neighbors. The Joy lacked
the effervescence of the premature cele-
bration. but made up for It in depth o.
feeling. It was a bigger thing.
II ran first where men kept watch al
night, along the water front and out II
the big bay where the freighters tina
carried the munitions that blew the Ger
mans out of France lay in the darkness!
OF the morning. Every light on then
popped into brilliance as II by magic
futtering flags ran up to their mast
heads and dropped to the tsffrail, sailor
in abandon tossed over the patent life
ghostlike as they fioated down the tide
Whistles were tied down and the choru
of fog blasts fioated over the water an'
UP to the city. where the factories tool
up the song of victory.
A few hours later three airplanes Il
bird Night formation winged north owe
Fifth avenue. To the pilots the cit.
must have seemed like vast ant hill
which some omnipotent one had dis
turbed with stick. The streets flowe
black with people disgorged from store
and Offices, or too happy to even repor
for work, milling and swarm!ng aim
lessiy. Parades bobbed up from no
where and went nowhere, bands ap
peared and were not heard brock ava!
1t was a city turned inside out all busl
ness. all the ordinary duties OF life for
gotten in the great Joy of celebratIn
peace.
Half Holiday Declared.
The thing grew with amazing speed
From the time when men ran from the
doorways sleepy eyed. to get newspaper
10 amplify what the whistles had tol
them. until Fifth avenue damned frol
building to building. crowding autoniC
biles to a snairs pace, was only fe
hours. The Mayor declared a half hol
day, the public schools were closed, II
Stock Exchange and the other exchange
and business houses down town told the
, employees that work was post poned, an
uptown the big stores shut up shop.
For once the subway rush was r,
versed and those who had come dow
town at the usual time were jammir
the cars in their desire to return uptow
before noon. From the suburbs ar
every borough people flocked to Il
heart Of the city and to what has b
come tho war street Of the Allies, Fiji
avenue.
All the instruments with which Il
people rend the air on ordinary merr
making occasions were brought out al
then new ones were devised. Hardly {
automobile went by but had a tin CT
tied to its axle; chauffeurs who we
past masters In the art OF backhrl,
drove UP the avenue with a continYo
fuslllade. One big car in which ~
lovely girls stood, waving flags at I
multitude. exploded every few var
With a noise like three inch gun.
Mystery of the CowbeIIs.
There were horns and dishpans a.
clappers and cowbells. Where do all I
cowbells come from any way in Il
ultraurban community There we
enough dragged through the streets W
terday to bell all the cows in the cou
try. Impromptu bands OF two or thT
pieces locked by themselves and ma
happy grunts which sometimes reach
the ears of those beside them Bus
went past floating long streamers
paper, girls standing in them blowi
horns till their cheeks were redder tn
the painted metal.
Many employers gave their workm
end women not Uhfy day on put truc
20 take them where they wanted to
and these wandered up and down
highways and byways of the town. ca
n centre of a din that only who
hearted enthusiasm could bring for
Sometimes an army truck would da
past with a load OF soldiers. and tn
the crowd made all other noises SCI
mild. Up to the tops of big buildir
the bound foated, a vague roar of
the commingled rackets ever invent
by the ingenuity of a happy mob.
The paper showers, like those VIII
coated the city white last Thursd
were seen drifting down, but they WI
not quite so thick. Perhaps all the
Tce waste paper and files and telepht
books had been torn up last week.
perhaps the people did not stay ins
long enough to tear. But all day III
silvery showers OF paper showed brit
against the sky. and wise folks said Il
they had been thrown by the airplai
towering high above the buildings.
Fifth Avenue Tranic Closed.
Toward noon the police decided Il
Eifth ayanua halOn ged 10 the naoDle u