The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-07-12
How They Flocked to wilkesbarre.
Special Dispatch from Tines Sqf Cor.
respondent.
w., ~ RAN Ip,r I,,I,,

The weather and the crowds haye to-day
been more 'endurable than on yesterday at
" yoming. The enterprising folks of Wilkes.
barre have had the wit to utilize the immense
throngs who crowded to the centennial to
make the biggest Fourth of July show that
the little city has ever known The city has
done its part too, right nobly, to give enter
tainmcnt and amusement to the people. Ev-
erything is of the holiday order, and as elab
crate as the decorations were on Tuesday and
yesterday they were largely added to in every
way during the hours of last night. There is
scarcely building of either public or private
character in the place that has not some show
Of evergreen or bunting, and the cooling shade
trees along Franklin street are hung with BAN
ners and Chinese lanterns as far as the eye
can see. The multitude has had possession Of
the thoroughiares ever since its return from
the valley early last evening. At no time du-
ring the night was there anything like quiet,
and after the women and children had found
some place to get little rest men and boys
took possession Of the pavement and with
horns and bells and hideous shouts opened the
way for to-day's big time.
THE STREETS FULL.
Sunrise found the streets full of all kinds
of people-the quaint country folk, babies,
the young man with his girl and the girl with
her young man, wandering hither and lyon.
drinking red lemonade and eating gingerbread.
To them it was better than circus, and it is
too much to hope that any of them will live
long enough to see another such time in
Wikesbarre. 1t was well on to noon when
the procession got started, but when it did
move it seemed as though there never would
this procession not alone with enthusiasm,
but with artistic intent, and has succeeded
in distinguishing itself with a show surprising
anything of the kind ever undertaken in the
interior Of the State. The procession consist
ed of seven divisions, leading off with the
military, at the head of which was the Vet
eran Corps. under General Latta, and incu-
ding the Grand Army, civil and benevolent
oocieticS, hlStoTlcdi taoleauA, anu uauoS oou
mechanical displays. The Sixth division,
composed of historical tableaux, was Of pecu.
liar interest and attraction. Indians of the
olden time, were represented in paint and tea-
theirs, by some members of the Onondaga
tribe fifty Continentals, on foot, represented
so much of the Revolution as could be ex-
pected at this remote period. The war of
1912 was represented by three masted ship,
carrying Is guns and fully manned. The
peace period from 177S to 1878, required ten
cars in the illustration, and bringing out the
various industrial developments Of this valley
of beauty and wealth. All the well and elab.
orately arranged programme for this part Of
the days show was carried out with remarka-
bic fidelity The Presidential party and
many other distinguished folks reviewed the
procession from the balcony of the Valley
House. The people reviewed it from the
curbs and windows and boxes and doorways
all over town, and rather seemed to like it. 1t
was late this afternoon before this immense
procession had concluded its march and dis
banded and the people had again begun their
restless rambe around the squares.
FOLLOWING AFTER GREATNESS.
The event of the later afternoon was re-
ception at the residence of W. L. Conyng.
ham, beautifully located on the river at the
foot of South street. There was champagne
down stairs and up stairs and everywh ere.
Major Norris and Stanley Woodward presided
at one spiggot with great eclat and ushered
the folks through the conservatory into the
house. The crowd, as at all other places, was
immense. The President and Mrs. Hayes
with Governor Hartranft, Secretary Sherman,
General Devens, Col. Hoyt Senator Cameron,
and many other distinguished people, had
gone there at o'clock, and the street crowds
not slow to learn the drift of greatness fol-
lowed closely. The mall which stretches
eastward from the house for quarter OF
mile was soon covered with men and women
while Immediately in front of the house hui
manity was almost as densely packed as in
front OF the Wyoming Monument yesterday.
There was some speaking here. Colonel
Hoyt was master of ceremonies and made
brief speech welcoming everybody to Wilkes
barre and all that the city affords. He was
followed by the President, who for the third
time since he has been here repeated his
great speech about the Indians and the army
and apologizei for speaking so long, when
some irreverent fellow in the crowd told him
. hat ~ tnllral -, L.;
Mr.. Hayes then wound up with a brief
eulogy of his predecessor. Governor Hart
ranft spoke after this, devotng himself to
the supposed hardships of the
present with the real hardships endured by
the settlers in the valley century ago. He
was followed by ex-senator Buckalew in
Some remarks about the valley and the his
tory Of its nomenclature. AT this point Mr..
Henry w. Palmer, of this city, in a full
and clear voice read the Declaration of In-
dependence, which noble document afford
ed Secretary Sherman a text for little
American eagle talk and some of the first
Fourth of July sentiment that the occasion
bad inspired. He finally dropped the eagle
and began to talk on the weather and vast
territorial extent of this glorious country,
and was giving the people some statesman
like advice about moving on the waste lands
of the West and South when a rough son of
Luzerne, sitting on the stone steps, asked
"Why don't you give US Colonel Wright's
bill, and We'll CO." "Ifyou mean the bill to
give every man five hundred dollars" said
the Secretary, "let me tell you that the best
way to get five hundred dollars is to earn it,"
The gentleman for Luzerne closed this joint
debate by yelling Mrs, Jenks," and Mr.
Sherman closed his speech without further
disaster. Attorney General Devens follow
ed up. He began, as he always does, with
story and then wove the history of Mas