Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-07-12
The Centennial 4th at Thompson.
town.

4Uo OeutoGUlol 3tu dt xuVuPsUu-
town.
Mr.. EDITOR The citizens and
suburbans of our quiet little village,
with their characteristic push, and
their patriotism at the food-tide, on
the evening of July 3rd, raised in the
town square, one of the most beauti=
full Liberty poles that ever unfurled
flag to the breeze. Its height above
terra frn'a is just 100 feet, with five
feet in the grourd-total length los
feet, with butt diameter of eleven
inches, and having but one splice
Talk about your straight things-its
straightness is the best example of
perfection in nature-and perpendic-
ular-why taut line from Zenith to
Nadir would not vary hairs breadth
from the heart of that pole-a fact
But, candidly speaking, it is the most
magnificent specimen of pole you
ever saw. 1t was donated by Mr..
Samuel o. Evans, of Delaware town
ship, spliced to perfection by Messrs.
Jacob Spicher and John r. Darigh-
erty, and raised by "all hands" A
streamer eleven and half feet long
graces the top, and an American flag
twelve feet in length floats gracefully
from point eighty feet high. Cheer
after cheer rent the air as the Stars
and Stripes were run up, and long
after did admiring crowds gather to
feast their eyes on the gallant mast
with the bright colors of her rigging,
softened in the " fairy moonlight"
and not until after the merry peals of
the old church bell had signalled the
birth of a new Century and sank into
silence, did our citizens seek repose
But it was short-it was like the
calm that precedes the storm-for
with the first rays of morning light
came men, women and children to
pay their homage to the flag that
ruled nation for the past old Cen
tury, and to bid it God speed in glad
dening the hearts of the people in
the new. The day had commenced
in earnest. Sqribs, fun and frolic,
and a Sabbath School picnic in
Thompson's grove, where addresses
were delivered by Revs Runyan, Co
penhaver and Piper, occupied the
day.
At half-past six o'clock in the even
ing the parties who had been attend
ing the celebration in the woods, and
the citizens of the place, generally,
collected about the square, where a
suitable platform had been erected
(under the liberty pole), and an or
ganization was effected by calling j.
S. Lrkens, Esq, to the chair Messrs
f. A. Tennis and James Nelson were
chosen Secretaries, and Messrs. ]. g.
Haldeman, Elihu Benner, Isaac Sci
lers, S. NJ. Kepler, ]. NJ. Parker, Ma
than Kelley, Daniel Bastress, J. p.
Wickersham and Thomas Patton Sc
lected as Vice Presidents of the meet
ing.
Mr. j. Warren Plett was then called
upon, and responded to by reading
from the platform the Declaration of
Independence During the reading
there was perfect quiet and attention
manifested on the part of all present,
and at the close there were rounds of
cheers for Mr.. Plett and the Declar-
alton
DR.. / n. Grubb was then called.
He took the stage and delivered one
of the best Fourth of July orations
that we have ever been permitted to
listen to. At its close there was an
other round of cheers, from young
and old, for DIR. Grubb.
The following gentlemen were then
called upon in regular order: MIR. E.
Benner, J. S. Lukens, Esq, Revs
Piper and Runyan, and Mr.. John W.
Woods. Mr.. e. Benner, and Revs
Piper and Ruhyan responded to the
call made upon them with some patri-
otto and soul-stirring remarks which
brought forth the cheers of all pres
ent The following resolutions were
then adopted:
Resolped, That the thanks of the citizens
of Thompsontown and vicinity are due and
they are hereby rendered to Mr.. Samuel o.
Evans for the liberty pole he so kindly pre-
sented for the use of this town
Resoired, That the efforts of the ladies'
and gentlemen who lent willing hand in
the preparation and arrangement for the
observance of this day, are duly appreciated.
After the adoption of the resolu-
tons the meeting adjourned. The
balance of the evening was rendered
lively by the ascension of four bal
looms, one of which measured % feet
in circumference. After dark the sky
was lit up by the rapid explosion of
sky rockets, the flying of fire balls,
firing of anvils, and illumination by
Roman candles.
In conclusion, l have only to re-
mark that l believe express the SEN
timent of all who We're present when
l say it was the best Fourth of July
ever witnessed by the citizens of
Thompsontown.