Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-07-08
The GLORIOUS Fourth" at Harris
vile.
5000 te 5000 People Celebrate.

5000 te 5000 People Celebrate.
F.om Specis, Repo, e. OF the Chronicle.
OF late years we have naturally set
the 4th of July apart for storm. But
feeling ourselves this year compelled
TO take our 4th on the Sd, we looked
over the heavens, little suspiciously,
early on that moraing, and concluded
to risk all storms, and by special invite,
attend the Harrisville Celebration.
Afte~ two hours drive over rough
country road, Ii o'cipck a. II. found US
looking in upon a Vast Inultltude-all
celebrating in a thick set grove, be-
longing to Nj. Milton Yost,- a mile
west of the town above mentioned.
We were too late to see the Harrisvi lie
Mock Legislature in procession. We
found them at wo X. The prayer had
been said, by Rev. H. Heberling, and
the address of welcome, by 6. When
derson, Esq, had gone out. We miss
ed ours-all our own fault. We could
scarce find room in all that extensive
woods to anehor-hardiy room for one
even disposed TO stand still. How can
one stand still on the 4th of July? But
we anchored; we gazed on the multi
tude, and thought of Harrisville. We
couldn't see the city. but we felt sure it
was not far off, for this was the Harris
vile celebration. She awoke from her
long sleep, and hatched out such eel
|ebration as never was known herea-
bouts.
Cadiz, Georgetown, Athens, Mt.
Pleasant, st. Clairsville, and all sur
rounding countries were fearfuily rep
resented in that motley crowd. All
had congregated to have general good
time, and they meant to have it.
The grand stand was the next thing
to attract our attention. 1t was OF
course of rustic turn of mind; cheap
ly, yet handsomely decorated with ev-
erg -eens and flowers for the occasion.
Above, and in trout, facing the audi
ence, was large steel engraving OF
George Washington. enci. cied by a
tasty wreath Of evergreens and flowers.
Just over this, and at either side of it,
huttered three American flags, artisti-
cally displaying the red, white and
blue. Suspended at the back of the
stage was another large steel engra-
wing of Washington, encircled in legi-
BILE characters, First in war, first in
peace, and first in the hearts of his
couut:ymen."
"The Uniontown Independent Cor
net Band" occupied a stand short dis
tance from the speakers, and discoursed
sweet music during the day, which
added materially to the pleasantness
of the occasion.
1t was the aim of the committee to
carry out the programme, previously
printed in the CHRONICLE,t to the letter.
The speakers were announced b. Dr..
n. III. Coleman. We are sorry to say
we missed two or three OF the earlier
performances, but were informed that
they were rich, and in keeping with all
others throughout. The Declaration of
Independence was read by Hon. J. t.
Uptegraffas only he can read it. That
declaration is always new, and it ap-
pears pity that such men as DR.. Up
degraff ever should grow old.
The Hon. l.. Danford, Of st. Glars
vile, was then introduced, and held
that audience, so far as his stentorian
voice could reach, spell-boEnd for about
three-quarters of an hour. This was
the Grafton OF the occasion. He was
invited for that purpose, and satisfied
all who heard him that he could de-
part from his usual course, and deliver
an address free from politics and party
ism. He is too we'll known for US to
euiogize.
DIR. Updegrsff # was again introduced,
and in a neat little speech of few mo-
ments, f. led part allotted to him
equally as crediditably as his successor.
The Speaker Of the House then dis.
missed the audience for dinner. Then
there was hurrying to and fro. A sha-
king of hands, spreading Of table
cloths, rafting of dishes. We wish
ed for a hundred more hands to shake
with those we met, a thousand tongues
to talk, and thirty or forty stomachs to
digest all the good dinners offered us
that day. They wanted no hungry
visitors there. Every person appear
ed clever and in a good. humor.
We were almost led to believe that
some of the NJ. DIS were over anxious
to stuff us, in order that they might
add one more to the list of their snffer-
ing patients-and eventually make a
bill. They forget, or never knew, that
we never pay doctors bills. 1t is pun
ishment enough to- suffer the pain, and
take their nasty medicineS-and have
ourselves blistered from head to foot,
without paying for it. 1t was arranged
to give the members of the Band din
ner to themselves. They have a kind
of a musical way of eating, that we
common folks know nothing about.
In fowl, like music, they select their
parts, although toward the close we
noticed some of them away out of time
we meaa in eating.
After dinner, two neat and timely
little speeches were made by Mr.. John
Manly and Mr.. James Thompson. The
American Flag as toast, was respond
ed to by letter from Rev. d. A. Duff,
read by DIR. n. r. Coleman.
Let us erect in our hearts a monu-
ment sacred to the memory of the
Marquis Lafayette Responded to by
Rev. Fl. Heberling.
'Washington-First in war, first in
peace and first in the hearts of his
countrymen.' Responded to by Rev.
ii. w. Parks.
We don't like to particularize, but we
cannot refrain from saying, right here,
that this response was one of the finest
things in its way we ever listened to.
Agriculture our paramount inter-
est Responded to by Smith R.
Watson.
The Press Responded to by Hon.
s. Knox.
The last two named, we believe,
make but very delicate pretensions to-
wards oratory-but even in them, all
were very pleasantly disappointed.
They are no mean orators.