Cincinnati Daily Press

Celebration of the Fourth of July - The Military Parade - Festivals of the Turners and the Printers - Decorations, Displays, Illuminations, Incidents, Weather, &c.

About two o'clock on the morning of the Fourth, the sky, which had been previously beautifully blue, became suddenly overcast with heavy clouds. Rising in the west and growing almost instantly into an immense black mass, the clouds looked as if the Earth was dead, and they, the only mourners, had come to weep over the demise of their quondam friend. Ever and anon, the lightning, shooting up from the horizon, made the heavens livid, and flash after flash gave a generous warning of the storm that was to follow.

Soon the rain began to fall, and for several hours it seemed as if a second flood would submerge the Western, as long ago, at least in fable, one submerged the Eastern hemisphere. About ten o'clock the clouds began to clear away; the blue again appeared above, and the sun, which until noon had been wholly hid behind the clouds, wherein the rain was born, looked joyously out upon the gladdened planet.

The principal thoroughfares were rapidly filled with pedestrians, and thousands of persons of all ages, sexes and colors, were soon rapidly passing to and fro as if the Fourth was a thing which would slip silently into the Past and leave no memory or trace. Then the noise began - and grew louder and louder. Squibs, pistols and cannon were fired, and at noon one would have imagined that in their efforts in this way the citizens had been leagued with the Cyclops who forged thunder-bolts expressly for the occasion, and cheated Jove to give them unto mortals.

DECORATIONS.

The principal streets all over the city were decorated with flags; banners were suspended over many of the streets, and the city bore the appearance of Venice during a carnival. Streamers and mottoes and flags of all sizes flaunted in the breeze, and seemed within their graceful folds to feel the independence they suggested. Ross's drug store, corner of Central-avenue and Eighth-street; the different hotels and printing offices; the Opera-house, Carlisle Building, together with the Public Buildings of the city, were handsomely decorated, and presented a fine appearance. In this respect the celebration of the day seemed to be unusually general.

THE TYPOGRAPHICAL EXCURSION.

The rain in the morning prevented a large number from attending the Typographical Excursion, but not less than five hundred or six hundred couples went to Miami Grove under the auspices of the "Union." About half-past two o'clock the steamer Madison reached the Grove, and in consequence of the lateness of the hour, the oration and reading of the Declaration of Independence were dispensed with, and the company immediately began the dance. All went "merry as a marriage bell," and the festivities were continued without accident or aught to mar the pleasure of the day, until about eight o'clock, when the excursionists returned to the city, all highly delighted with the manner in which they had passed the time.

THE TURNERS' FESTIVAL

The Turners marched to Jackson Hill where they listened to the Declaration of Independence and several short and patriotic orations. Music and dancing followed, the entertainment being varied with racing, leaping and gymnastic exercises until eve, when they returned to the city and closed the day at their hall, on Walnut-street, with a promenade concert and ball.

THE MILITARY PARADE.

The military of the city had made arrangements for an early parade, but the unpropitious heavens thwarted their design, and an order was issued for an assembling of the troops at twelve o'clock.

At one o'clock the military commenced moving in the following order:

Company A, Capt. Jackson, twenty uniforms.
Company B, Wayne Continentals, Lieut. Hefferman, twenty-four uniforms.
Regimental Colors and Color Guard.
Company C, Fulton Continentals, Capt. Whitcom, twenty-two uniforms.
Field Band.
Independent Continentals, Capt. Remley, forty-eight uniforms.
Independent Guthrie Gray Battalion, Major Bosley
Menter's Cornet Band.
Covington Grays, Captain Hayes, twenty-four uniforms.
Company A, Capt. Christopher, twenty-three uniforms.
Battalion Colors and Staff
Company B, Capt. White, twenty-four uniforms.
U. S. Barracks Band.
Highland Guards, Capt. Patrick, thirty uniforms.

The different companies looked extremely well, but the heat, which had now become intense, had such an effect upon them that Major Bates dismissed the procession at Eighth and Vine, after a parade of about an hour. The costume of the Highland Guards enabled them better to endure the weather, and although their faces were rosy, their limbs looked cool.

EXHIBITION OF FIRE-WORKS ON THE CITY LOT.

The exhibition of fire-works on the city lot, by H. P. Diehl, was quite an imposing affair, and was largely attended. Although every separate piece deserves special notice, we will particularize only a few. The American Star, the Revolving Globe, the Tree of Liberty and the Love's Knot, were among the finest pyrotechnic exhibitions we have ever seen. The ingenuity and industry Mr. D. displayed in preparing for this exhibition, in order that there might be no possibility of failure, deserved the patronage bestowed upon it. The display was, in every respect, a success, and reflected the highest credit upon the pyrotechnic ability of Mr. Diehl.

ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS.

Dr. Samuel Alexander was arrested for using his scalpel in self-defense, and was held to bail in the sum of $1,000 to answer the charge of assault with intent to kill, next Saturday, before Judge Lowe. The prosecuting witness is a man named Alfred Dale, but he is not dangerously wounded.

A lad named Kelley was accidentally shot on Sixth-street Hill, by another named Miller, and injured so severely that his recovery is considered doubtful.

A boy named John McCabe, residing on the corner of John and Chestnut, was severely wounded in the right hand by the premature discharge of a pistol.

A lad named Brockman was shot in the leg with a small cannon, on Freeman-street, and so badly injured that amputation will be necessary to save his life.

A workman in Butler's Ink Manufactory lost his right hand by the explosion of a pistol.

ILLUMINATIONS IN THE EVENING.

In the evening a number of houses in the city were brilliantly illuminated, the most conspicuous of which was the drug store of Albert Ross, corner of Eighth-street and Central-avenue.

IN CONCLUSION.

We received invitations to dine from the Burnet and Spencer Houses, and a number of the other hotels of the city, for all of which they will please accept our thanks.

Altogether, the celebration was a success, and, although we did not enjoy it, we doubt not the citizens generally are happier because of the manner in which they spent the day.

Pocket Picked. - A man named Parsons had his pocket picked yesterday, at the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railway Depot, of a port-monnaie containing a few dollars in money, and a draft on a St. Louis Bank for $100.

ROBBERY on FOURTH-STREET. - Some fellow opened the drawer of McDonald's grocery, No. 54 Fourth-street, yesterday, and abstracted therefrom $15.