At seven o’clock the Liquor Dealers’ Protective Union proceeded to the Catholic Temperance Fountain, and dedicated the same with appropriate ceremonies. The president of the T. A. B.’s turned on the cock, and for the first half hour the magnificent fountain spouted sparkling streams of golden whisky,A GOOD
TURN. generously supplied as a pleasant surprise by the Protective Union.
The statue of Christopher Columbus, the jolly salt previously mentioned in this history, was next to be unveiled. It was serenaded by an orchestra of eighty hand-organs, after which the Italian societies and citizens were addressed in their native tongue by the Italian Minister to the United States. He commenced, naturally, with a glowing eulogy upon his immortal countryman—
“Sono rare e fugaci le occasioni grandi, ed è pudenza e magnanimita, quando si offeriscono, l’accettarle,” said he, “and the noble man, whose statue reared by loving hands now stands beneath that veil, took his tide at its flood. Ill mondo è un bel libro, ma poco serve a chi non lo sa leggere, but ’twas a book which was plain to him, a book which he had read, an open page which he had studied.
“Ill sangue nobile è un accidente della fortuna; le azioni nobili carratterizzano il grande. No title greeted his coming to the world, but he left at his exit a name which still lives freshly on every tongue, while hundreds of potentates and their titles are forever buried in oblivion. Raise, raise the veil and let his features smile upon us.”
Amid cheers and vivas, the veil was raised; when lo—the committee had made a mistake, and instead of Columbus, the statue of Religious Liberty erected by the Jewish order of B’nai B’rith was exposed to view. The Italian minister was disgusted, and so were the Jewish lodges when they arrived and found their statue already unveiled. They arranged matters amicably, however, and started off with the sons of sunny Italy to discover the great discoverer and let off their speeches at the base of his monument. At ten o’clock there was a grand military review, of which we will spare our readers the account, and at twelve precisely the International Concert in the open air was inaugurated with a symphony by twenty thousand string instruments. Most of the people thought the musicians were just tuning up, so of course the symphony was a success. At its conclusion an awful and unexpected sound startled the assemblage. The earth trembled, and the towering trees bent their haughty heads to earth. The Messrs. Krupp of Prussia, had fired off their mammoth gun. As soon as the report reached police headquarters, a posse under command of Chief Jones started for the grounds and arrested the Messrs. Krupp, their engineers and firemen, for violating the Mayor’s proclamation. They passed the remainder of the day in the cells at Fifth and Chestnut Streets. After the excitement caused by this proceeding had subsided, the concert was continued.
The national hymn of each country was rendered by its native artists in appropriate costumes, all at the same time. The Mukdeesha Warblers from the Eastern shore of Africa, made the most noise; and the English singers in their affecting anthem “God shave the Queen,” made the most music.
It was four o’clock P. M. before the last howl died on the summer air, and then the crowds began moving towards the “Grand Plaza.” Here the display of FIREWORKS—
HEREDITARY TALENT.fireworks was to take place under the direction of Professor Jackson, son of the Professor Jackson who directed the famous fireworks at New Orleans some years previously. One large piece was erected in honor of each State in the Union, and one in honor of each Nation represented in the Exposition. We make a few extracts from the programme (printed on white satin) which was handed to each attendant at the “Plaza,” young and old, rich and poor.
21. The City of Philadelphia:—A large Quaker with broad-brimmed hat in blue and gold. His feet represent, respectively, Philadelphia and West Philadelphia, with the Schuylkill River, at white heat, flowing between. The tip of his hat typifies the State House steeple, and Seybert’s bell will ring inside while the piece is burning.
40. The Exhibition Buildings:—Gold, silver, and currency flames, with violet lights in relief. The commissioners in red, white, and blue, with stars darting from their eyes, distributed judiciously through the piece.
54. The Lion and the Eagle lying down together:—Symbolic of the peace ’twixt England and America. N.B. The Eagle is inside of the Lion.