Earlier this week, we discovered that no preparations had been made to celebrate the Fourth of July in Hudson in 1870, much to the chagrin of the editor of the Daily Register. Today, Gossips discovered this account of the observance of Independence Day in 1867, which appeared in the Daily Register for July 5, 1867. The big celebration that year took place not in Hudson but in Poughkeepsie, to which city the pleasure seekers of Hudson journeyed by boat and by train.
The Fourth in Hudson.
Our goodly citizens were awakened yesterday morning by thunder of the Register Cannon and the clarion notes of the Register Bell. At an early hour the excursionists began making their arrangements with every prospect of having a good time. Hyland Hose Company and its friends marched to the special train on the Hudson River Railroad about 8 o'clock, accompanied the Citizen's Brass Band. The Hyland's presented a fine appearance, and turned out a good lot of men.
About 8:30, the Sons of Temperance marched to their excursion barge, which was already well filled with the friends, and as soon as possible, started on their journey.
The excitement now appeared to be all over, and everything and everybody subsided. Save an occasional burst of a fire cracker or a small pistol, a Sabbath-like stillness prevailed over the city until noon, when the cannon and the bell sent forth the announcement that it was really Independence Day. After this, till nightfall, everything was quiet and our citizens seemed to be devoting themselves to doing nothing.
As the shadow of night gathered, some stray roman candle or sky rocket would illumine the sky and then fade away. There seemed to be nothing enthusiastic. The day was allowed to go by default, and by default it most assuredly went. So much for Hudson but what of the time spent by the many pleasure seeking citizens.
The excursion that left our docks at 9 o'clock did not reach Poughkeepsie until 3 o'clock in the afternoon, at which time the grand celebration was all over and the rain just ready to descend in torrents. Very few of the party went ashore on account of the rain, and all were glad were the time came for them to return home, where they arrived this morning at 1 o'clock. The trip, however, was enjoyable, the company being large and all the arrangements being carried out to the fullest extent.
Those who took the special train arrived in Poughkeepsie about 11 o'clock and saw what was to be seen of the grand procession which amounted to infinitely more on paper than it did in reality.
About 3 o'clock a fearful thunder storm set in and several places were struck by lightning, among others a row of ice houses on the dock which were set on fire and destroyed despite the efforts of the firemen to save them.
It was no use, however, as the buildings were totally destroyed. The rain also destroyed the fire works which were to have been displayed in the evening, and the wind and rain together made sad havoc with the dinner tables and booths which had been erected in the Park. After the rain every one seemed to be disgusted and sought the first trains to carry them away from the city that had been so little favored by Providence, and had so poorly fulfilled its promises. Even Davids, the irrepressible, who appropriates other people's brains, and wins boat races by tacking "old boots" on the bottom of his opponent's boat, could not be found by the only one who was present, of the one hundred editors he had promised to meet.
Gossips Note: The Fourth of July celebration in Poughkeepsie that year was to benefit the construction of a soldiers' monument, and thousands of people had gathered for the occasion. Hyland Hose Company, which boarded the special train to Poughkeepsie that morning, was more recently known as Phoenix Hose Company. Davids, who is mentioned in this article, is no doubt the editor of the Poughkeepsie Eagle, mentioned three years later in "Pen Pictures."
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