70 A SAGA OF THE SEAS 
Horace Greeley, a friend of Field, graphically described the 
procession in the streets. It said: “The workmen upon the 
Central Park and the workmen on the new Croton reservoir 
made a novel parade, and after marching through the prin- 
cipal streets were reviewed by Mayor Tiemann in front of the 
City Hall. The procession was headed by a squad of the 
Central Park police in full uniform; then came a full brass 
band and a standard-bearer with a white muslin banner on 
which was inscribed, “The Central Park People.’ 
“The workmen, attired in their every-day clothes, with 
evergreens in their hats, next marched in squads of four, each 
gang carrying a banner with the name of their boss-workmen 
inscribed thereon. In the line of the procession were several 
four-horse teams drawing wagons in which were the work- 
men in the engineer’s department. On the sides of the ve- 
hicles were muslin banners with the words, ‘Engineer Corps.’ 
The reservoir workmen were a hardy-looking set of men, and 
were fair specimens of the laborers of New York. 
“The procession filled Broadway from Union Square to 
the Park, and, as it was altogether unexpected, it created no 
little excitement and inquiry. If all the men and teams in 
this turnout are kept at the city’s work we shall soon see great 
improvement in the new park.” 
Similar demonstrations were held in other cities through- 
out the country. These were informal outbursts, rather than 
officially-planned ceremonies. 
So great was the excitement in New York that it continued 
until next day, when the City Hall caught fire and was nar- 
rowly saved from destruction. On that morning, August 18, 
the Niagara steamed into the harbor, bringing Cyrus Field 
from Newfoundland. Although he had already resigned as 
general manager of the Atlantic Telegraph Company, he 
gave two receptions for the officers and sailors of the Niagara. 
Field was popular with the crew, and they cheered loudly 
when he addressed them after an evening procession in the 
