OUR NATAL DAY.
Philadelphia's Grand Display.
Torchlight Procession and Grand Illumination.
The Celebration at New York, San Francisco, Memphis and Other Cities.
A General Observance of the Day Everywhere.
THE BIRTHPLACE OF LIBERTY ALIVE WITH ENTHUSIASM.
PHILADELPHIA, July 3. - The weather to-day is very warm, but with a good breezed going so that the various processions which mark the preliminary celbration of the Centennial Fourth are not attended by such discomfort and danger as otherwise.
The princpal parade to-day was that of the Grand Army of the Republic. It was probably the finest parade of that body ever seen. It was estimated that 50,000 men were in line, and their appearance was very fine.
The city is brilliant with flags and patriotic decorations. The streets everywhere are densely crowded, and there are constant arrivals of strangers from all parts of the country.
Governors Tilden and Hayes are both in the city, together with crowds of other newly arrived celebrities.
The celbration proper will be usered in this evening by a grand torch light procession of the working men, political clubes and civic societies, and it is expected that from 10,000 to 15,000 men will particpate, and the line of march will be marked by illuminations and fireworks.
The procession will be formed in four divisions. The line will escort the Governor of Pennsylvania and the Mayor of Philadelphia, and the Foreign Commisioners to the Exposition, and the Emporer of Bazil, Prince Oscar, of Sweden, the Marquis Rochambeau, Governors Hays, Tilden, Rice, Pek, Lippit, Carroll, Cochran and Bagley, and other distinguished guests. The line will be marshalled by Gen. Charles H. I. Cally... As the procession reaches the venerable State House; the formal ceremony of ushering in the Centennial Fourth will be observed, including the ringing, for the first time, of the new liberty bell, and a grand chorus of six hundred voices, under the direction of Wm. Walsieffer, assisted by the First Regiment band.
To-morrow will be ushered in by the ringing of all the bells in the city and the firing of National salutes in Fairmount Park. One of the conspicuous events of the day will be the military parade which comes off tom-morrow morning, and it promises to be, in appearance, in the National representation of troops, and the force under arms, one of the most imposing displace that has for years taken place in this city. At ten o'clock in the morning an elebaorateprogramme of services will be observed in Independence Square; extensive union church services will be held morning and evening. The day will conclude with what will undoubtedly be the finest pyrotechnic display ever witnessed in this city, if not in the country.
The celebration of the anniversary of American Independence was inaugurated to-night with a grand torch light procession by the civil and industrial societies. Long before dark great crowds of people had gathered on Broad street, from Christian street to Columbia avenue, a distance of several miles, to view th eprocession. It is probable that half a million persons were on Broad street, wintessing the magnificent spectacle. The entire route was brilliantly illuminated, and the display of flags and banners were very general and magnificent, and what added greatly to the effect were the illuminated festooned triumphal arches, which have not been used in public demonstrations in this city since the reception of the Marquis De Lafayette in 1823. Especially splendid were the illuminations at the Union League house, Masonic Temple, Lapierre House, St. George Hotel, Offenbach Garden, Academy of Fine Arts, Broadway Hall and many residences on North Broad street. At many of these special displays of fireworks were made, and added greatly to the effect. Along Chestnut street there were a number of triumphal arches, and all the hotels, theaters and most of the large stores were lighted up, and contained many handsome patriotic designs. The procession was arranged in four grand divisions, each with a Marsla and aids. The line was headed by General Callis and his aids, mounted, with a profusion of torches around and about them.
Then followed the northeast division under the command of Isaac A. Shepard. In this were the Americus club, escorting Govenor Tilden, of New York, and the David H. Lane club, of the Twentieth Ward, escorting Governor Hayes, of Ohio. Competent judges estimate the number of persons on the parade at over 10,000. This includes the Improved Order of Red Men, in full regalia - about thrity tribes of this State - escorting Governor Hartranft and Mayor Stokely. The Caledonia club, about 500 men in full Highland costume, escoring the British Centennial Commision, Dom Pedro, Prince Oscar, of Sweden and Count Rochambean had industrial escorts, and the Prince was accompanied by a number of his fellow cadets and the officers and men of the Swedish man-of-war, now in port. It was 9 o'clock before the vast parade could be get to move in the order set forth. Then, amid a grand series of pyrotechnical display, the procession moved out Broad street. Some of the special features of the parade and all of the distinguised guests were vociferously applauded. The scene from the Masonic Temple at Broad and Filbert streets at 10 o'clock, when the men were counter-marching, was grand beyond description. As far as the eye could reach Grand avenue was crowded with counter-marching men, bearing myriads of torches.
The procession was considerably delayed, and it was not until after mid-night that the head of the line reached Independence Hall. Here an artificial light made the entire vicinity as bright as day, and amid a burst of pyrotechnics New Liberty Belle pealed forth in joyous tones, but soon all was drowned in the noise of thousands of lusty cheers. The salutes of artillery and huzzas that arose from every point of the compass were perfectly deafening.
The ceremony at this point, consisted of the performance of national airs by a grand chorus of 300 voices. The perfomances of the band and the grand chorus were scarcely audible at times until the chorus America was started in the last verse, in which the audience joined, and the effect was most grand. The excitement in town to-night is intense and has never before been equalled. Every prominent throughfare is crowded with people, and the street along which the procession passed were dense masses of humanity.
NEW YORK'S GRAND PREPARATION.
NEW YORK; July 3. - To-day has opened as a general holiday, business being left to the fire works and flag establishments. Banners, bannerets and buntings are everywhere displayed. There is scarcely a building in toun but bears some evidence of the Centennial Fourth.
The procession to-night promises to be an exceptionally grand affair. Twenty-five thousand men at least are expected to be in line, and their route will be illuminated by fifteen thousand torches and many calcium lights. An electric light on top of the Western Union Telegraph Company's building will make the down town portion of the city as bright as day.
NEW YORK TRANSFORMED INTO BEDLAM.
As the clocks struck 12 the city was given up to the most uprorious hilarity imaginable. Salutes were fired at the forts and by the men-of-war in the harbor, and the church bells rang, while the steam whistles on thousands of factories, tub boats and steamers added to the din. Never before has the city presented such a magnificent spectacle. Hundreds of thousands of good-natured people are surging through the streets, witnessing the illuminations, decorations and fireworks.
The most vivid description would convey a poor idea of the picturesque and improving appearance presented by Union square from 9 o'clock until far into the first morning of the second century of American Independence. The whole scen was one of unparalleled beauty, and will long be remember by those who were fortunate enough to see it. Nothing could be grander, more imposing or soul stirring, particularly so when the advance guards of the monster procession marched into the square of the plazza. The dwellings surrounding the square resounded with cheers which rang out from 500,000 throats. Every building about the square was appropriately illuminated. At 9 o'clock the Square was cleared, Broadway an Fourth avenume were packed, and Fourteenth street was altogether impassable. Many variegated lanterns, splendid devices in gas jets, rocket, lights and other illumiations, formed a scene of great magnificence. From tree to tree strings of lanterns were suspended, and the gas lamps in the Square were also painted in various colors. As the hour advanced the crowd increased, and women and children fainted and with difficulty carried out of the throng. It was almost an hour after the start of the procession before its head entered the Square and took up the position as signed to different portions. Members of the Sangerven were on the platform to the number of one thousand, while many bands that took part in the procession assembled in the plazza. The Mayor, members of the Common Council and the heads of various departments of the city government occupied the grand stand and received the monster procession as it filed into and filled every portion of the square. The signing societies sang the Star Spangled Banner, Bayard Taylor's song of 1876, My Country 'Tis of Thee, and many other national and patriotic airs. The band, numbering over three hundred, played several select airs while fireworks were sent off from the roofs of all the houses. The prosession then marched to Madison Square, where the scenes of Union Square were repeated, and at a late hour the procession disbanded.
Disptaches from every quarter state that the Centennial Fourth was ushed in with the most enthusiastic demonstrations, cities and towns illuminated, salutes fired, torch light processions, ringing of church bells and firing salutes.
AT BROOKLYN
BROOKLYN, July 3. - The ushering in of the Nation's Centennial birthday in Brooklyn to-night, was in every way a success. The stars and stripes floated over the city to an unprecedented extent, and a spirit of enthusiasm and patriotism prevailed everywhere. The city was illuminated from one section to the other, more especially along the line of the march crossin gthe wester section, which comprised troops of cavalry, the Fourteenth regiment, Thirteenth regiment, Fifteenth battalion, Grand Army of the Republic, Butchers Guard, German Centennial Union, Order of the American Mechanics, Sons of Washington, St. Patrick's Mutual Alliance Societies, St. Augustin Temperane Society, Society of Red Men, and others. Carriages containing the Mayor, Common Council and a number of the Board of Supervisors, preceded by the military under the escort of troops of cavalry, with banners, flags and bands of music. The various streets through which the procession passed were lined with people who loudly cheered the pageant, and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs and flags in salutation. On Bereford avenue the western division met the eastern division and, uniting, marched to Fort Green were a crowd, perhaps 75,000 people, had assembled to witness the exercises. A stand was erected at the Mausoleum where the bones of the prison ship martyrs are resting, and the large parade ground in front wa crowded with citizens. Seats were arranged for the dignataries of the city about the stand. After Hail Columbia was given by the band and an original hymn sung by six hundred Germans of the Centennial Union, May Schroeder made a few introductory remarks, and Gen. Isaac S. Catlin delivered an oration. Alderman Francis Fisher read a memorial relating to prison-ship martyrs. A flag was then run up, and the people sang "The Star Spangled Banner," and afterwards there was a display of fireworks and the affair wound up by a salute of 100 guns. The City Hall, public buildings and private dwellings are gaily decorated an illuminated.
ST. LOUIS BEAUTIFUL WITH DISPLAY.
ST. LOUIS, July 3. - The Germans inaugurated the Centennial birthday of the Nation by an immense torch light procession, consisting of all the German singing and civic societies of the city. There were representations of the various trades and a long line of citizens on horseback and afoot. There were also triumphal cars and pices representative of Washington crossing the Delaware, etc. The spectacle was very fine, and as it marched through the brilliantly illuminated and profusely decorated streets in the central part of the city, the effect was not only beautiful but splendid. The streets are perfectly thronged with spectators for miles, and the spirit and enthusiasm was remarkable. The procession marched to Lafayette Park, where speeches were made by General Schurz in English, and Col. Fred Hecker in German. The former made no allusion to political affaris, but the Westlicho Post this morning contained an editorial under his signature indicating pretty clearly that he will support the Republican ticket the coming canvass.
SAN FRANCISCO CELEBRATES.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 3. - THe three days celebration opened auspiciously to-day. The military review and sham battle at Presidio and the bombardment from forts and fleets witnessed by an immense concourse of people, blackening every eminence surrounding the scene of the action of the bombardment, during which over 200 heavy shots and shells were fired, at the target on the opposite shore of the channel, and the fire ship anchored in the bay attracted especial attention, and was spiritedly conducted, though the strong wind interfered greatly with the accuracy of the practice. The bay was alive with spectators, Jamestown, Portsmouth and Pensacala participating in the cannonading, and were bedecked with bunting from the rail to the truck, and the thunder of canan from the forts and the fleet, bursting of shells in mid ari, the ricocheting of heavy shot in the bay throwing up clouds of spray made a grand and exciting spectacle. The review and sham figher were well conducted and passed off without accident, except that the charge of a squadron of United States cavalry swept of a team in its course, demolishing the vehicle and seriously, though not fatally, injuring the occupants. This evening will be devoted to a torchlight procession and electrical illuminations, with a salute of bells and cannon at midnight.
AT JERSEY CITY.
JERSEY CITY, July 3. - The Centennial anniversary was celebrated to-night by an imposing torch light procession. At midnight the American flag was raised on Liberty Hall, and the vast multitude assembled in Washington Square was addressed by Mayor Seider. A salute of thirty-eight guns was fired. The Star Spangled Banner and other patriotic songs were sung, the church and the public bells rung, and the steam whistles of the depot and factories blowed. There was a magnificent display of fireworks, and the dwellings throughout the city were generally illuminated.
MEMPHIS FALLS IN LINE.
MEMPHIS, July 3. - To-day was generally given up to the perparations for the celebration to-morrow. Main street and other prominent streets present a gay appearance with a liberal display of bunting, and the band parading the streets plahying national airs. A national salute was fired from the bluff this afternoon by the ex-Federal and ex-Confederate artillery men. Thirteen guns will be fired at midnight, and the bells rung. Indications are that the celebration to-morrow will surpass any ever witnessed here.\
MONTEGOMERY, July 3. - The Mayor of the city sends the following:
To Gen. Hawley, President of the Centennial Commision, Philadelphia:
The people of Montgomery, the birth place of the Confederate Government, through its City Council, extend a cordial and fraternal greeting to all the people of the United States, with an earnest prayer for the perpetuation of concord and brotherly feeling throughout our land.
M.L. MOSES, Mayor.
The Evansville Daily Courier
Evansville, Indiana
Tuesday, July 4, 1876
