Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-01-06
C.
1876.
THE CENTENNIAL.
Gallipolis a Blaze of Fire.

AS per the nOtice puotieuou oy "'
last week our city celebrated the
birth of the Nations hundredth
birth day, and in such celebration
far surpassed the most sanguine ex-
pectation of the greatest enthusiast.
Labor, time and money were not
shared. and to the most active our
citizens are under many obligations.
Everything was carried out to the
letter.
At half-past ten the procession be-
gan to move from the corner of Sec
ond and Court streets. 1t was head
ed by neatly painted wagon, beau
tifully decorated with flags, and
bearing the motto, "Youth and old
age" In the wagon were Mr.. JOHN
GIBSON, of Clay township, aged ONE
HUNDRED AND THREE YEARS, and
about dozen small girls tastily
dressed in white. The Cadot Guards
in uniform followed. Then came the
fire engine, bright as a dollar, and
bespangled with flags. Then the
Hook and Ladder Company with
notices. Then followed the hose
carts with these notices, "fhis hose
is not striped" 'This hose stands
the mud" Then came the torch
lights and transparancies. Among
the dozens of notices we noticed
these. s'That Government of the peo-
pie, for the people, by the people can
not perish from the earth." "The
land of my life, my liberty, and my
love-" 'Our own dear Columbia--
the gem of the ocean," "Earth's
brightest spot" ain God we trust;
in John Bull we bust "The healthy
hundred year old babe" 1--WE must
hang together" "Enemies in war, in
peace friends" "Our lives, our for
tunes, and our sacred honor" "Let
facts he submitted to a candid world
"A decent respect for the opinions
of mankind" ''It is higher, purer.
nobler." "Washington the father; |
Lincoln the savior" 'sLet world be-
hold" etc, etc, etc. Smaller trans
parencies had the names of States,
Presidents and Revolutionary Gen
erals on them. There was one with
a clock on it; over the clock were the
words, "Run for 100 years" under
it, "Wound up for 1000" There was
an Independence Bell, and a repre-
of the tea being thrown
overheard in Boston Harbor. We
can not do this branch justice.
The procession marched up Second
and down Third streets. At mid
night cannon thundered out the
signal, and all the bells in the city
rang out. This was followed by
beautiful display of fireworks at the
Public Square. During this dis
)lay minute guns were fired, waking
he last sleeping citizen, if any were
lsleep. A large bonfire was lighted
in the center of the Square, and all
vas light as day. While the process
sion moved the whole city was IL
uminated beautifully. We saw
a house on the line of march
unilluminated. Ofthese we can only
notice a few. The Dufour House
and the Merchants Hotel were got
ten up in style, and shone out sheet
Of fire in the black midnight. Mr..
R. ALEsHIRE and Rev. MITCHELL's
houses were nicely fixed. The foun
drymen of ENos, HILL d Co., how
ever, carried off the plume. They,
without charge, drew wires across the
street, and arranged gas to burn
and make the words, "Wel-
come 1876" This was the admired
of all.
Every body was out. The side
walks seemed moving mass. After
a tired city sunk to rest,
with bright visions of the beautiful
display upon them. We can not rec
ollect of any circumstance that ever
half way come up to this in taste,
grandeur aud magnitude. Welcome,
welcome, thrice welcome 1876.