The Celebration Yesterday

As nothing else was seen yesterday, so nothing beside is talked of to day, but the cable celebration. It does not devolve upon us to follow the morning papers through all the elaborate details they have given of the affair; suffice it to say that it was agreed on all hands that since the rejoicing on the introduction of Croton water, New York has witnessed nothing to compare with the celebration of yesterday.

The event proves that our Common Council were right in their first resolve, not to get up a counter-celebration here; for literally every one went from both districts of this city to the other side of the river. Could Brooklyn have captured Cyrus W. Field,¹ or one of the naval officers, or electricians, or some one or other in some way connected with the telegraph, had it been only a stray sailor from on board the Niagara, we might have made much of him, and had a focus on which our enthusiasm might have centred itself; but while the sister city had secured all the celebrities of the occasion as her guests, the only thing which remained for our city fathers was to become her guests also. There was no celebration here, for the best of reasons—because all the attractions which should have graced such an occasion had been already bespoken and secured by New York.

There was also another valid reason why Brooklyn could not have a celebration on her own account—because our city fathers forgot this year to provide us with a contingent fund, and hence there were no means at hand out of which to liquidate any liabilities that might have been incurred. One of the New York papers, which has on several occasions displayed a grudge against Mayor Powell,² lays the blame on his Honor of having prevented a demonstration here; but there is no ground for this imputation. The Mayor did his part, by calling the Common Council together to consider the propriety of making a display; and their original resolution not to do so, we believe met the general approval of the citizens. We do not believe that any large proportion of those who went to New York yesterday, would have stayed at home, had there been ever so lavish an expenditure undertaken here.

The hegira across the East River commenced at an early hour yesterday morning, and continued all the fore part of the day without intermission. It would be within bounds to assert, that more than one half of the entire population of both Districts crossed the various ferries. Every car going towards the ferries, every boat plying on the river, and every vehicle in New York plying from the river to Broadway, was crowded.

The cars, the ferry boats, the City Hall, all the public and many private buildings, were decorated by the National and other flags. The better class of the stores were mostly closed in both districts, and but for the unwonted thinness of population, the day might have been almost mistaken for Sunday.

Unfortunately for the credit of our city, the Mayor and Common Council did not get away in time for the opening of the service at Trinity Church. Seats had, however, been reserved for them, and at the cost of some little disturbance of the worshippers, they were accommodated with places. Subsequently, the division of the procession to which they belonged was crowded out of its proper place, and had to march up Nassau street to the Park instead of up Broadway; but as one street was as much crowded as the other, and as no one could for an instant secure more room than he at the moment happened to occupy, we do not presume that our civic dignitaries underwent more annoyance than they would have done had the programme of march been strictly adhered to. If such is fame, to sit in carriages along with divers distinguished individuals, and ride slowly for several hours during the hottest part of a sweltering day, to be stared at by a vast crowd, and perchance be mistaken by them for one of the distinguished individuals aforesaid—if such is fame, our worshipful Aldermen had their fill of it yesterday.

A detachment of sixty policemen from the Western district and thirty from the Eastern district were detailed in New York during the day.

Towards evening our city looked dull, especially to citizens returning from a view of the fireworks and torch-light procession in New York. A few stores and private buildings in both districts were illuminated—just about enough to disclose the nakedness of the land, and make the general darkness more visible. In this district the illuminations were mostly confined to the drug stores on Grand street. Dr. North’s office in Fourth street was very tastefully illumined and decorated.

We subjoin a list of the clergy of this city who attended the Trinity Church service in the morning.

WESTERN DISTRICT

Rev. James S. Barnes,	Rev. Francis Poor,
Rev. Lemuel Berge,	Rev. O. Perinchief,
Rev. Eli H. Canfield, D.D.,	Rev. Chas. S. Putnam,
Rev. J.F.D. Cornell,	Rev. E.F. Remington,
Rev. Isaac F. Cox,	Rev. W.W. Seymour,
Rev. B.C. Cutler, D.D.,	Rev. Henry A. Spaiard,
Rev. Edward DeZeng,	Rev. F. Tripp,
Rev. Jacob W. Diller,	Rev. Robt. J. Walker,
Rev. T.S. Browne,	Rev. E. Wheeler,
Rev. Edmund Embury,	Rev. J.A. Paddock,
Rev. Jared B. Flagg,	Rev. W.H. Lewis, D.D.,
Rev. Chas. H. Gardiner,	Rev. Isaac P. Lanagh,
Rev. Henry T. Gregory,	Rev. Evan M. Johnson,
Rev. Thomas T. Guion,	Rev. D.V.M. Johnson,

EASTERN DISTRICT

Rev. Alvah Gulon,	Rev. A.H. Partridge,
Rev. Samuel M. Haskins,	Rev. Merritt H. Wellman.

The Fire Work display by Mr. Lillienthal was very grand, and it will task the powers of our townsman, Mr. Hadfield, to rival it tonight. Mr. H’s programme consists of twenty pieces and a grand finale, which it is expected will eclipse anything ever seen in the City Hall Park, where some of the finest displays in the world have been given. With commendable public spirit Mr. Hadfield undertakes to give his display this evening gratuitously; and while we have every confidence that he will not burn down the remains of the City Hall, we yet expect that he will create a sensation little inferior, though different in kind, from that which such an event would produce. We extract from the programme the description of the final piece: "[quote removed]"

THE WESTERN DISTRICT

The holiday appearance of things at the Fulton and other Ferries in the Western District was very striking. The shipping in the river was almost universally in “full dress,” all their colors and signals flying; while on shore the stars and stripes, of all sorts and sizes, fluttered from every available point, from the Ferry Houses, Hotels, Cars, Stages, &c. &c.

One enterprising and enthusiastic conductor of the City Railroad Cars (No. 28) exhibited an immense mass of bunting at the Peak, bearing the Federal colors, and rigged fore and after was a line from which were suspended flags of all nations.

The unusual character and appearance of all classes of passengers crossing the Ferries from hour to hour was equally perceptible. During the earlier hours we missed the customary crowds of male creatures, hurrying with eager and anxious faces “to business.” As the morning advanced, crowds of another character were on the move. Numbers of well dressed ladies and gentlemen began to flock to the great scene of the celebration, apparently quite satisfied and at peace with themselves and the rest of mankind, and conveying to our minds a firm assurance that the complaints of “hard times” were entirely fictitious and unfounded. We actually trembled for the fate of the children, and crinoline, that were about to be plunged with seeming recklessness into the mass of people assembled in New York.

Sundry military costumes were visible among the gay throng, indicating the members of N.Y. companies who are residents of Brooklyn, and who were about to join their respective corps.

Several individual members of Brooklyn companies, whose uniform corresponded with New York companies, with their usual complacency, made their way to New York to swell the ranks of the sister city.

No military organization, as such, went over.

At a few minutes before 12 o’clock the Common Council and several invited guests, passed over the Fulton Ferry in ten carriages.

About 10 o’clock all the store keepers commenced closing their stores, and the citizens generally were evidently bent on a holiday.

From about nine o’clock in the morning a continuous throng of persons (male and female) passed over the ferries, and in the afternoon the city of Brooklyn looked like a “deserted village.”

The invitation to illuminate coming so late, and the determination of the officers of the corporation not to light up the City Hall, caused a great difference of feeling on the matter, and the illuminations were only partial.