North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-07-07
THE FOURTH.

A pleasant. hazy, balf-cloudy. coolish
day to begin with. The streets dressed in
oak and hickory boughs from our bluffs
splendid bower on the public square for
the exercises, not lees than Five Thousand
strangers FROM trains, steamers and wag-
ems. the gayest, incest Fourth held any
where in the United States. To Geo. L.
BAGS is due most of the credit. He may
get mad at us for so writing, but we are
not afraid to cay it.
Marshal Fraser, assisted ny Marshals
Bergman, c. Hunting, p. Fisher end
c. Cowles commenced putting things in
order q lite early. We had guns and bells
in the morning. Guns at noon and guns and
bonfires in the evening. TIE procession
was formed about 10, as per programme.
The Knight Templars, on horseback, made
a handsome show, the Turner's, on foot,
were in neat, plain uniform, the Name
chors looked musical, the Band preceded
all, and set us ablaze with patriotism.
The centre of attraction was the living
hoquet wagon got up by Ben. Frese and
Louis Rice. This was drawn by horses,
each horse being mounted by lads in fancy
dress, led by careful .groGms, and mar>
shaled by our hard>working citizen, Mr..
Austin. We cannot describe the wagon
properly. The bases, seats or platform
Of it, seated 81 beautiful little girls,
dressed in white, each with shield
represe nting the American Flag
In the centre was a dome,
fag.covered, and on that were
Miss Dora Goldschmidt and Mr.. Louis
Rice representing the Statues Of the God
dess Of Liberty aud Of Washington. This
was the most attractive wagon We ever
saw. Mr.. Rice is entitled to the highest
cncomium for taste in finishing itup. We
would name all the ladies and the states
they represented, but it is impossible to
get them correctly. That chariot and it's
precious contents was worth a walk Of
fifty miles to see:
Time passes The procession, after
promenading the streets some time. stop
ped at the public square. President Nc
Gregor called US to order, Mr.. Brown
made prayer, The choir (2Oo) sang
"America," the Band played, E. X. Bar
ron read the Declaration and the
Orator gave us one of the most
brilliant, sensible and eloquent ora
tons we ever listened to. We never heard
a man speak who SO pleased an entire
audience. Let us predict that our friend
Fred. O'Donnell of Dubuque, only
young lawyer now, will scare some Of
the legal persuasion out of their boots one
Of these days. We all are more than
pleased with his modesty, his good taste.
his common sense and his force--then the
Band-then the Star Spangled Banner
then the Mannerchor, under the direction
Of Prof. Holster--then the Band--then
the Doxology--then the benediction, and
then 60 where We please. We
never bad genuine Fourth Of
July in McGregor until this time. it
may be that Capt. Benton. Met, Tim, the
writer and few others did beat it about
the time McClelland took II rebel gener-
ais, t!) but of that it is not profitable to
sneak. 'Oh breathe not his name -
In the afternoon there was u wheel
barrow race and sac race, which caused
great amusement. Velocipedes were busy
on the street. At night the Cambrian was
full of dancers. The morning sun rose
on a very happy people, and we HAUNT
got over it yet. Let's do it next year