[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 25th + I took cars at North Haven & arived in Boston at 12 oclok. Got onto An omnibus to go to Cambridgeport but got Blocked up by the great Procession marching through the City in celebration of the introduction of the water from the long pond into the City of Boston. The Procession was two hours and 30 minutes passing any given point. It was considerd the greatest display ever made on any occasion in an American City And supposed to be more people in Boston than ever known before.
The procession itself was supposed to be 7 miles long. Archways were formed across the streets decked with ever greens & flowers And A Pyramid of evergreen & flowers over top bearing A great variety m[otion?].
The procession started from the Common 15 minutes past 12 N. First came A powerful band of lancers, then followed thirty military companies with full uniform & several other bands of music, next the fire companies of the city with their Engines ornamented with wreathes flowers &c. Next fire companies from the Neighbouring towns. Next came the Cavalcade of 500 gentleman & A few ladies. A boys fire Engine drawn by two ponies was followed by two of the largest size water pipes mounted on a platform drawn by 7 Black horses bearing the following mottoes: 1st First pipe laid April 19th 1847. Water introduced into the city oct 25th 1848. Next followed A Bricklayers platform with implements of th[eir?] trade followed by A Host of workman.
Next followed the Boston boat Clubs with their Boats. Next came the Boston port society with A ship fully rigged And manned under the Command of Father Tailor. The Salem East India Marine And the old Marine societies followed bearing in their ranks the old palanquin which has not been seen in public for 40 years. This was borne by 6 stout Negroes. In A Carriage drawn by 4 Horses was A large full rigged moddle of the famous and fortunate privateer the Grand Turk. Others Carriages followed containing specimins of American clocks, goods, carpeting &c.
Next followed Oak Hall expresses, Ad[ams?] &c, Mrs Kidders, A printing office pased on wheels with workman all at work strewing papers cards &c Among the mass as they passed Along.
Faneuil Hall Market in miniature came next & the great display of Beef mutton pork fowles fish vegitables &c I presume was A temptation to the hungry crouded lookers on. The market men followed in great force with badges on their hats. A Stuffed Elephant passed mounted on A Carriage with 3 persons riding on his back. Also An Artificial flower manufactory drawn by 6 Horses containing 12 young girls dressed in white All busy making flowers. An Apple tree filled with fruit passed by with Adam & Eve picking fruit & the serpent on the tree. All the masonic And odd fellow Companies of Boston was in the possession And hundreds of flags of costly aray borne onward.
The first Division of the procession was under the direction of Hon John C Park & consisted of the Mayor of Boston, commitee of Arangments, watter committee water commissioners & Engineers Alderman President of the Common Concil members of the Common Council High Sheriffs of the state the Governor & suite &c &c escorted by the Boston Cadets And flanked by the city Greys. Following them was A long Aray of civel & military functionaries representatives of foreign nations, Among whom was borne the tri colored flag, the Clergy, medical faculty, Editors, members of the bar, governments of the neighbouring Cities, students of Harvard University, Mercantile Library Association in full aray, & scores of others companies not named.
All along the route public buildings, Hotels, And private residences, wer crowded with Human beings, And the common was almost littlerly Coverd.
At half past 4 oclok the Government of the city Headed by the Chief Marshall reached the Common & took their seat on A decorated platform in the centre of the pond, After which lengthy speaches were made by the Mayor And Mr Hale. At the Close of the speaches the Mayor Arose And said Fellow Citizens it is proposed to Admit the waters of Lake Cochituate into the city. All those in faver will say AYE. The response was in A voice of thunder. The signal was then given And upwards gushed A pure Column of water 8 inches in diameter 80 feet into the air & fell again into the pond. The cheering of the people at this moment was overwhelming.
The night was passed with fire works & illuminations. While beholding these things going on the words of the Lord came with wait upon my mind which says "Broad is the road that leads to death & thousands flock together there while wisdom shows A narrow path with here And there A traveller."
I went to Brother A Badlams & spent the night. I got 3 letters from Philo Dibble N. H. Felt &c And one Millennial Star. I found Br & Sister Wesley Siddle from Charlottetown N. B. 100 mils.
[source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
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