Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-08-21

ton of Chief Marshal a. ID. valentine
and Chief Engineer J. Y. Carney. The
former was assisted by Capt. Ed. Z.
Houghton, Col. J. E. Pratt, Major J. Ii.
Woodman and II. w. Pratt, while G.
w. Benton acted as an efficient aid to
Chief Engineer Carney.
The following was the order in which
the procession moved:
MarshaIs, mounted.
Bennington Cornet Band.
North Adams Light Guard, or "Boys in
Blue" 70), with drum corps.
Bennington Steamer Company, with ma
chine, as escort. ..s ..-..-
Rough and Ready Fire Co., No. 2, of Green
II wich, n. Y, with drum corps.
Edmonds Fire Company No. l, of Hud-
-.---..... ...-. son, n. Y. ....t ...-s.. '.-...
4 Hy1and Hose, of Hudson, n. y. ,.ea
j. J. Gray Fire Company No. l, of Cam
bridge, N. Y. .es ..s.
Gray Hose, of Cambridge, N. y.
.. Lees Brass Band, Hudson, n. Y. III.
F. Ocean Fire Co, No. l. of Chatham, n. Y.
Western Fire Company No, /, West Brat
tIeboro, with drum corps. r..
sherman Cornet Band, WiHooski.
N1CkN bChcbJH EIIG CJsS NJ" - lhotiEhAANA.
President and officers of the day, and dis
tinguished visitors in carriages.
Members ofthe press and invited guests in
carriages.
.-.-r.- Citizens in carriages.
The line of march was that laid down
in the programme, and as follows
From depot to North street, upNorth to
Pleasant, up Pleasant to Willow, through
Willow to Union, up Union to Main, and
up to Bradford's, down Main to the court
house Forming about the stand, which
was occupied by the officers of the day,
large number of distinguished person
ages, invited guests and representatives
of the press, a brief and pertinent adj
dress of welcome was delivered by Hon.
T. w. Park, President of the day, whose
remarks were, substantially, as follows :
Ninety-six years ago to-day our fore
fathers met in battle and conquered an
enemy. Often since we have celebrated
that proud victory and its glorious con-
sequences. And there is no more ap-
propriate way in which to commemorate
that old successful fight than by a
gathering of the noble men who fight
fire when it threatens TO become our
master instead of our servant. There
fore, in behalf of the citizens and fire.
men of Bennington, bid you welcome,
and hope that in the friendly contest
this afternoon you may all win.
This speech was received with cheers
by the boys, tired as they were by the
long march just completed, and many a
hearty "tAank you" was said in Mr.
Parks behalf, for not infiicting long
speech on the crowd, lust because he
had a chance We even heard one en-
thusiastic individual declare it as his
honest belief that Park is the right man
for Governor. However, this is hardly
in place in this report and we pass on,
as did all about then to the dinner.
Ample provision had been made for
feeding the fremen and they were at
once taken in charge by the Bennington
boys and conducted to the tables, where
full justice was done the creature COM
forts provided. Others went to the diff
ferent hotels to supply the inner man,
and these as well as the restaurants and
feeding booths, which were plentifully
scattered about town, were patronized to
an extent that proved their utmost Ca
pacity. We, our party, consisting of
members of the press and few other
gentlemen, went to the Gates House,
where dinner was provided for us. The
dinner was an excellent one. and the
way that things went out of sight at
that festive board must have been a
warning to hotel keepers to beware of
gentlemen of the quill. That we did
substantial justice to the viands was
fully proven by the scarcity of chickens
and things after our adjournment to the
grounds to witness the throwing for
prizes.
1t was at first intended to have the
contest near the new Court House, jail,
hotel, etc, and a reservoir from which
to draw water for the engines was
placed at the corner near the above men
toned useful monumental (commemora-
tive of what p pile, and opposite the
Stark House This ceS8el, however,
proved too small and other arrangements
had to be made, which resulted in send
ing the contestants nearly mile further
uptown to a point on the river, near
Gates hotel. Here at last collected all
creation and a few other folks. 1t was
hot, but nobody minded that, for now
the fun was to come in. The people
were so thick that one with difficulty
made any progress in travelling from
point to point. Women's destructable
fineries, gents plug hats, etc, were
used and misused with a disregard for
their future utility and present appear
ance, that must have made any dealers
in these articles of use and ornamental
ton, who may have been present, happy
at the thought of the trade in prospect
for them, and cerns were at such a dis
count that more than one unearthly
howl and but half-smothered oath went
up as the hand went down to explore
about the injured part. Finally all was
ready for the contest. The machines
were placed upon bridge, and up the
road three hundred feet away was the
stand for the pipemen. Some two hun
dred feet further off were the judges,
with paper spread upon boards for
some feet to determine the distance
thrown by each. All along the line
from the position of the engine while
playing, were rows of uniformed fire
men doing police duty and keeping the
hose from being interfered with, as well
as restraining the crowd. There were
other policemen and citizens engaged in
this duty, prominent among whom were
Supt. F, G, White, and some Rutland
men.
The following is descriptions of the
machines, with list or their officers: