Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-07-06
The Fourth in Independence.

Inc fOuTtn iii lnuepenOence.
The celebration of the Fourth in this
city, though not attended by quite SO
large crowd or so much noise and con-
fusion as on former years, was emphat-
ically success and creditable to the
Cataract Fire Company, which was
mainly instrumental in getting it up and
which had charge of the details The
day was ushered in at an early hour by
the usual national salute At 8 o'clock
the fireman proceeded to the Central de-
pot, where they received and welcomed
the Water Witch engine company, of
Waterloo, which was also accompanied
by portion of Red Jacket Company of
the same place, with their ladies and
citizens. At 10 o'clock A. NJ. the pro-
cession was formed on Main Street,
consisting of the Waterloo Fire
men with the Water Witch engine,
the Cataract Engine Company of this
city,, car beautifully decorated and
filled with thirty eight young ladies rep
resenting the States, the Mayor and
city government in carriages and citizens
in carriages and on horse back. The
procession, after marching through the
streets, proceeded to the grounds at the
foot OF Walnut street, where platform
was erected for the exercises of the day.
These were an invocation by Rev. j. G.
Schaible, the reading of the Declaration
by +. Z. Hasner, Esq, followed by
short but eloquent and appropriate ora
ton by Jed Lake, Esq. At 2 o'clock
P. NJ the exciting and laughable pig and
wheelbarrow races, creased pole perfor-
nance, &C., came off, much to the de-
light of the small boys and other inter-
ested spectators.
The prizes for the different races were
awarded as follows:
For climbing creased pole, $50 award
ed to Willie Siewert.
For wheelbarrow race, prizes awarded
to - Otto and Henry Suhr.
The foot races were won by boys who
live in the country, and whose names we
did not know.
At 3 o'clock p NJ the Engine contest
for flag worth $40 came off at the riv-
er above the dam. The contestants
were the Water Witch, of Waterloo,
and the Cataract The palm of victory
rested with the Waterloo company,
their engine on one of the trials, throw
ing water about 10 feet further than the
Cataract The members of the latter
company, though they do not grudge
their visitors the victory, feeling rather
like congratulating them upon it, never
theless say that the advantage of an i'm
proved pipe and nozzle used by the
Water Witch company was what gave
them the victory. The Cataract boys
are still confident that on fair and |
equal trial their engine is the superior |
one
At o'clock the match game of Base
Ball between the Hawkeye and Star
clubs was played on the grounds east of |
the cemetery The Hawkeyes were the
victorious club, the score standing 81
to 5.
The festivities of the day were closed
by grand ball in the evening. which |
was attended by visitors and entertain
ers, and which passed off with perfect
harmony and enjoyment Not an acct
dent married the pleasures of the day,
the weather, though warm, was propi-
tious, and all concerned entered fully
into the spirit of the occasion
The Cataract boys feel complacent
over the success of their efforts to pro-
vide good time for our citizens and
their visitors. They have expressed to
us their high appreciation Of the Water
loo fireman, who during their stay in
our city, showed themselves to be self
gentlemen. The Cataract
Company was more than pleased by
their visit, and hope to have the pleas
ure of entertaining them at some future
time, and to again try conclusions with
them regarding the relative power of
their respective apparatus.