Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-07-07
THE NATIONS BIR rHDAY.
How the Fourth was Celebrated Yes
terday.

FROM Daily Chronicle July
AT six o'clock yesterday morning
the people Of Knoxville were aroused
from their slumbers by the heavy
sound of artillery from Fort Sauudtl-,
announcing the Nations 99th birth day.
Soon thereafter the patriotic small boy
followed suit with all the appliance
usually resor,ed to 10y Young America
for giving expression to his overbur-
deued emotions. Soon the whole city
was ablaze with enthusiasm. A large
number Of private residences were
ta-tefully decorated with flags and
vergreens. The United States flag
tlOated lazlly from the Court House
flagstaff on top of the building, while
a very large one was suspended over
that part of the building fronting on
Prince street, A large one also hung
from the wholesale house of Cuwan
McClung & Co., while numerous 9TH
ers hung from various business houses
on Gay street, Staub's Opera house,
aud the Lamar House were tastefully
decorated. In front of the latter was
erected a handsome stand, from which
a flag was presented to the Dickinson
Light Guards. Later in the evening.
THE CROHD,
at an early hour began to arrive from
the country 10y various means of con-
veyance-On foot, on horseback, by
carriages, and buggies, and wagons.
BY 10 O'Clock the streets were filled,
aud still they came. First, the train
from Maryville arrived in a crowded
condition. In the evening the train
from the same point, brought in anoth-
er large iustallment. AT 10 o'clock
another large crowd arrived by the
Knoxville and Ohio Road. Still later
the numbers were augmented by hum
dreds, who arrived from the East aud
the West over the East Tennessee, Vir-
ginia and Georgia Railroad. Soon af-
ter dinner, the people living in town
turned out so that by 4:30 o'clock in
the evening, the hour set for the pre-.
sentation of the flag to the Dickinson
Light Guards, Gay.street was a NOV
ing mass ofhumanlty for many squares,
so if one moved at all, he must take
the middle of the street and then take
the chance of being well squeezed al
that. We have been attending Fourth
of July celebrations in Knoxville for q
great many years, and the crowd yes
terday was larger by far, than any we
have ever seen here on such an occa-
sion.
THE SPIRIT WHICH PREVAILED.
The spirit which prevailed every
where was admirable. Not q word
was uttered to wound the feelings oil
blue, and they who wore the grey
mixed and commingled together, with.
out single occurrence to mar the har-
mOny and pleasure of the occasion
All seemed glad that the time has come
once more, when every man claims
an interest in the Fourth of July, and
when all can cooperate together in its
celebration.
THE FLAG PRESENTATION.
Long before four-and-a-half o clock,
the hour appointed for the presenta-
ton, Gay street, in front of the Light
Guards armOry and the Lamar House
was closely packed with surging and
impatient crowd, outskirted by nu-
merous vehicles of various descrip-
tions. The corridor and galleries OF
the hotel were jammed and many
found positions in the balcony and
windows of the Opera House Oppo-
site and in the windows of adjoining
buildings.
AS the hour arrived the Guards left
their armony under arms in full
uniform and headed by the German
Cornet Band proceeded down Gay and
Main streets TO the residence of Hon.
Perez Dickinson, who was escorted to
the stand, prepared in front of the
hotel, in company with Hon. John NJ.
Fleming, the presentation orator. The
new troops with their blue coats,
black caps red plumes, grey pants and
tlashy epauletts presented quite gala
day appearance. They formed In front
of the stand for dress parade, while
Mr.. Dickinson and Mr.. Fleming were
escorted to the stand. Among the
leading persOnages on the platform, we
noticed DR.. ThOs. w. Humes, Capt.
Jas. Boyd, Capt. Jas. Bell, George M
White, Esq, Andrew Hill, James p.
Ford, Alexander McCampbell,. j. r.
Doyle, ex-Gov. Senter, Col. John
Will ms, and others.
At-r the usual evolutions by the
com, ,uy, Mr.. Fleming stepped for.
" N'..' SHOhO ShbSLtlhbldll1 lOl'
lows:
Capt. Gaines, and Gentlemen of the
Dickinson Light Guards:
In behalf of this vast multitude-oi
these venerable heads that appear
among us to-day, as the revered repre-,
sentatives of a departing generation
of this youthful thrOng whose admira.
ton and envy your imposing presence
seems TO have so keenly excited-oI
that other more numerous throng that
stands between the incoming and out.
going generations; in behalf OF your
special patron on this occasion; and /
trust 1 may, without presumption
venture to say, in behalf of these de,
corations of living beauty that adorn
the streets and bloom along these walls
in bewildering clusters and fill every
available outlook with their LONELINESS
in behalf of all these, l return your
salute!
congratulate you that upon the oc-
casion of this patriotic festival you
have been enabled to make your formal
debut in such manner as to command
universal admiration for your beauty
Of outfit, your proficiency of drill, and
your soldierly bearing. And / am
II, Tho enaanOt;I;I;t;,,