Litchfield enquirer., 1878-06-13
LYONS, Iowa, June 4th, 1878

ED. ENQ.-Decoration day was more gener- ally observed in the West, this year, than ever before. The largest gathering was at Rock Island, where the government works are estab- tablished. 1t is estimated that over ten thou sand visited the island There were two steam boat excursions from Lyons and Clinton, and intermediate towns on the river-both boats crewded-besdes rail road excursion from other points
 Lyons also celebrated on her own hook, and "did herself proud" Two companies of mili- tary cadets came in by invitation from Mt. Vernon in the interior of the State. The Lodg- es and temperance societies were out in rega- lia. Over 200 teams headed by a triumphal car with 30 young ladies, and with four bands of music, citizens by the hundred, marched through the principal streets and out a mile or more to the cemetery, where appropriate cere- monies were held consisting of an oration dirges, singing and firing over the soldiers graves, with floral decorations by the young ladies. Over 60 graves of soldiers were mark ed by flags and decorated. In the evening memorial services were held in the public hall and brief accounts were given of the lives and deaths of many of the fallen heroes. Houses and business places were profusely decorated, and the stores closed. There was present at the cemetery gentleman who helped to bury the first person placed there, twenty-five years ago. Now it is getting to be crowded with graves; an impressive commentary on the short ness of human life. There are many fine mon uments and the grounds are kept up with much care.
 The tornado season has opened up unusually brisk and early. Indeed it is getting to be very serious-three tornadoes and scores of lives sacrificed already this season. These cy- clones used to be confined principally to the | West Indies, but the center seems to have moved northward, and gathers force in our section of the world. The first great destruct- i've tornado within the memory of the oldest inhabitant occurred 20 years ago, when Ca manche and Albany-S miles below us on the river-were destroyed. I was on the ground about an hour afterward, and the scenes and incidents are very vivid in my memory. Since then, these hurricanes have grown to be un- pleasantly frequent. They seem to be attract ed toward towns and cities as in the case of Camanche and Albany These towns are two miles apart, and not in direct line with the track of the tornado, but it veered to the north some distance from it's regular course to reach Albany. So far as have learned they move from West to East and seldom embrace more than a few rods in width, but the track is fre- quently long, as Tn the case of the 'Camanche tornado as it is called it crossed tive states, Indiana and Illinois, doing great damage most of the way and spent itself in Lake Michigan. It sometimes lifts itself up from the ground and passes over considerable space, then. swoops down again with redoubled fury. It is common for debris to be found many miles away. Not infrequently articles have been carried from twelve to fifteen miles by the storm, and have been scattered in numbers in a radius of five or six miles.
 The weather is still cold and very wet. It rained two days previous to Decoration Day and two days succeeding, but Decoration Day
 itself was about as fine as could be made. This is usually the hottest month of the year with us, but only the rugged and ventursome have as yet dared to take off their winter clothing
 We have daily line of packets plying be- tween St. Louis and St. Paul, 800 miles (Sun- days excepted, or at least none start out on Sunday though they do not stop travel en route). The president, Com. Davidson, has abolished the sale of liquors on the boats at sacrifice of over ten thousand dollars revenue year. Who can show better record? Hibernian lawyer in Omaha thus conclud- es his oration on the accidental death of fel- low countryman; ''Deeply do deplore the calamity which so suddenly deprived us of our friend. and but for which he might be alive to-day and participating in the solemnities of this very occasion.
 Ihad very pleasant call the other day from