Thursday, May 24, 1883 A most glorious day for the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge. A fine breeze from the N. W. and a delightful temperature. Went up and saw Dr. Joslin who is going to give up his profession and retire to the country. He looks like an old man but is really younger than I am. I paid him the balance of his bill for attendance on dear Gertrude which he has not wanted before and I paid him full interest on it, of my own free will and which he did not exact. I did it as my duty to her dear memory. Then I went and saw Dr Hunt about my eyes which have troubled me a little by a sort of chalky formation in one of them. At 11 oclock by appointment I joined Calvert at his office in the Bible house when we took the Elevated road to the N. Y. Entrance of the bridge. No one was admitted so we went down and took the Wall St Ferry and walked up to the Brooklyn City Hall. The city looked gay with flags and decorations and throngs of people. We were told there to go to the bridge entrance to secure our passes which we did. The gates were not open when we reached there but we waited in the crowd and soon were let in with the flood. We secured seats in the building on the bridge where the speeches were to be delivered but were soon ordered below by a policeman. We did not regret this though we afterwards learned we were in our proper place .We walked half way over on the East road way and crossed to the west carriage drive where we saw the President with the N. Y. procession arrive and the salute of the War vessels lying below. The piers, boats and roofs were crowded with spectators and a gala air enveloped the two cities. Then we walked over to N. Y. and got lunch and afterwards returned and walked over to Brooklyn where we got up on the foot way and returned to N. Y. having had a most interesting day and one long to be remembered. The bridge is really a magnificent affair, something to fill one with admiration. We had dinner at Marys and in the evening went up on the roof and saw the fire works on the bridge which were not as fine as might have been.
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