Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-07-05
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH.
A Large Crowd and Immense En-
thusiosm.

! American Independence in this city pass
ed off without serious accident, and to
the unbounded satisfaction of all con-
cerned. The day was delightfully."- cool
and pleasant, the arrangements were per-
feet, and everything conspired to render
the day and its incidents one long to be
remembered for genuine pleasure and
good feeling.
The Glorious Day was ushercd in while
yet the stars were lingering in the sky,
by the booming Of the cannon under the
skillful charge Of Capt. Glass and his
sQad of gunners, and the ringing of the
church bells. An hour later the delega-
! tions from the country began to arrive,
in wagons. Load after load ofyoung men
and maidens, sturdy farmers and mat
ronly spouses with happy broods of chill
dren, and the aged fathers and mothers
in Israel, all dressed in their best, and
full of patriotism and bright anticipations
Of day of solid enjoyment. Immense
arches of green boughs were erected on
Main aud Chatham streets, and at 10 O.
clock A. NJ. the procession was formed
on Main St., under the supervision Of
Capt E. G. Little, Marshal Of the day,
and aids 1t was led by the Independence
Cornet Band, and consisted Of the Hook
& Ladder Co. in uniform, with apparatus,
City Officers and members of the Coun-
Gil in carriages, the German Mannerchor,
a large carriage containing SO young
girls, representing the States, t.stefully
dressed in white, with sashes and blue
caps bearing the names Of the States, a
very beautiful, and the most attractive
feature Of the day; the whole followed
by citizens in carriages. After march
ing through the principal streets the pro-
ccssion halted at the stand erected in the
rear of the Baptist Church, where the
usual exercises of prayer, music, vocal
! and instrumental, reading Of the Declara-
lion by Col Lake an Grafton by Rev c..
s. Percival, toasts and responses, sc.
were proceeded with. The oraticn by
Mr.. Percival, barring what we conceive
to have been an unnecessary and inap-
prop-iate allusion to political parties and
their present mutations and affiliations,
was an able and patriotic effort, abound.
ing in good, wholesome suggestions and
patriotic pr0mptings. In the afternoon
the crowd, until o'clock, was all on tip
toe of expectation for the grotesque part
Of the programme, the parade of the
fantasies" the "Dumfuzzies," or "Rag-
-mmfllns," as they were differently styl-
| ed. Our powers of description tail us
in attempting to describe this feature OF
the day. From old Hines and his don
key-the former almost eXtinguishcd I'M
| der an immense sombrero and the latter
completely covered with magnificent
garniturc Of shrcds and strings-to tho
ingeniOusly constructed parody on the
steam fire engine, and Brigham Youngs
harcm, the spectacle was overwhelmingly
unique and laughter-provoking. The IN
gcnuity displayed in some of the cos
tunes undoubtedly cost the wearers
sleepless nights and were only evolved
| by adventurous aids to the Imagination.
The exhibition Of fireworks in the
evening was beautiful and grand, and
passed off without accident or Interrupt
ton. 1t was witnessed by large crowd,
including many from the country who
remained for that purpose.
| The celebration, as whole, was one
of the most successful ever gotten up in
our city, and was credit to the efficient
committee Of arrangements who had it
in charge. The numbers in attendance
were variously estimated at from 1000
to 5000, besides our own citizens The
only thing which occurred to mar the
pleasure of the day was an accident, the
particulars of which we give elsewhere
and which we are glad to learn is not
likely to result seriously