The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-05-16

THE FIREMENs' CELEBRATION
Never has Albany been the scene of
SO brilliant and animated pageant rs
was last Tuesday presented by the
May-Day Celebration of our gallant
Firemen and the many hundreds of
citizens of Linn and Benton counties
who Joined in the festivities of the day.
From early dawn until the procession
started for the Picnic grounds, the va
rious roads leading into the city
were crowded with people, on
horse back and insvehicles, all coming
to participate in the joyous sports of
the day. During the early morning a
large number of people from Corvallis
arrived in carriages, and about 8 9o'clock
a boat arrived with the Corvallis Fire
men, tastefully dressed in gay uniform.
The "Onesters" received them with
vociferous cheers and escorted them to
the plaza in front of the court house,
where the procession was formed in the
following order:
1st-National colors and Company
Guides.
2nd-Albany Brass Band.
3rd-Orator of the Day and President
of Fire Company.
4th-County and City officials.
5th-Coilege Faculty and Students.
Chiefly Schools.
7th-Corvallis Fire Department.
Sth-Albany Fire Department.
9th-Base Ball Club.
10th-Citizens on foot.
11th-Citizens in vehicles.
The procession stretched away for
several blocks, and was the largest and
most brilliant pageant that we have
eyer seen in the Valley. After march
ing through several of the principal
streets of the city the procession filed
off to Hsckleman's Grove, where it ar
rived about 10 A. NJ, and the crowd
then were entertained by all of the arts
known to modern picnickers. Music
by the band, croquet, base ball, etc.,
occupied the time until half past one
O'Clock, when the Grafton was deliver
ed by Nart. V. Brown, followed by ap-
propriate remarks by Rev. 1fr. Nesbitt
of Corvallis and Hon. T. ]. Sites of
Albany, interspersed with music by
the band and singing by the Glee Club.
Everything was appropriate and fitting
to the occasion, and We have never
seen crowd of people who seemed so
universally pleased as were the patrons
of this Picnic. The crowd on the
grounds is variously estimated at fif-
teen hundred to two thousand people
being probably the largest number OF
people ever assembled in the State up
on like occasion. The festivities of
the day closed with grand bail at
Pacific Opera House, and never did a
more brilliant affair greet our eyes
than was displayed during the p<og-
ress of tbs Terpsichorean entertain
ment. The large hall was crowded
almost to sufocation-there being a
perfect jam of people until the supper
hour. at least three hundred people
were present, and, Notwithstanding the
-IIHIDeBSity OI tue cFONu tIle UeSl Oh Or
der was preserved and general satisfac-
tion given TO all the guests. The mu-
sic, consisting of the East Portland
String Band, was superb, and the call
ing by Prof Parrish, of Portland, was
unexceptionable. The toilets of the
ladies and gentlemen were tasteful and
elegant, and the dancing was of that
eminently recherche character for
which our city is so justly celebrated.
Our citizens may we'll fell proud o!
our firemen, and<our fireInen are truly
gratified at the countenance and en-
eouragenent shown by the people on
this occasion. 1t was an affair long to
be reInem bered by all who participated
in its joyous sports.
A GRAND SPEcTACLE.-Sever OF
our citizens, among whom was ''these
presents last Monday just after mid