The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-07-08

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Early In the afternoon Of the third It became
apparent that our celebration, 70 far - num-
bern were concerned. vas TO be . success.
The invitation extended by Butte was not
UNDECIDED throughout the surrounding valleys
and neighboring sowns, and from noon until
late In the night Of Thursday liberal contin-
gents Of guests, some IN horseback, others in
light wagons or carriages kept streaming into
town. fortunately some pre-provision had
been made for their reception. The dusty
streets had been carefully swept during the
two preceding days, and evergreens ranged
in lines along either sidewalk, 20 that our
guests We're welcomed to . town decked in
holiday attire in honor Of the occasion. At
the hotels largely increased accommodations
were provided, that lodging might be had by
all seeking shelter and that no such COM
plants as those made at our last celebration,
" years ago, should be heard. As the eve
ming wore away Main street assumed the
appearance Of a large city's crowded thorough
fare from the dense crowds with which the
sidewalks OF either side were thronged. |
The night was superb, Turing everybody out
Of doors to enjoy its beauty. Scarcely a
breath Of wind was stirring !; the usual chilly
temperature Of night in the mountains had
given place 10 a gentle heat resembling the
night Of early June in the East, while from
behind the black rampant Of the main range
the full moon sailed majestically through a
sky whose gauzy haze gave promise Of fair
weather for the morrow. Unlike the condi-
ton Of things prevailing in many Eastern
towns under similar circumstances the eve of
the approaching holiday was not devoted to
dissipation or disorder. Everything was
quiet, the stiffness of the night whose almost
tropical beauty was everywhere remarked
being only Interrupted from time to time by
the pop OF a premature fire-cracker. In
Butte, rs elsewhere, the irrepressible small
boy abUunds quite as numerously as occasion
demands, and when this energetic youth had
l oACC AuuuC uP LHo ulIllu W CClCUsdt ~ uIS pdbIl-
otism bubbled over in advance, without wait
ing for the morrow's sun to usher in the
Glorious Fourth.
But the day looked forward to so inpatient
ly by our juvenile compatriots came at last.
At sunrise the good people of Butte, or SO
many of them at least, as "sleep O. nights
and this by no means includes the entire
town census, were aroused from their slum-
bers by the boom of mountain artillery.
Eyes heavy with sleep languidly opened, at
tention half aroused was busted in listening
for a few moments until the strains of Hail
Columbia, most fitting Introduction of the
day to follow, came floating on the breeze Of
early morn to woo the listener to "just an
other little nap" }.
The formal 0bservances in honor of thu
day did not commence until nine o'clock
when the people assembled at school hall t.
form the procession announced for that hour
Owing to the delays incidental to such un
dertakings the order to fall in line was no
given until about half-past nine, when thu
procession, numbering about five hundred
persons, got of in the following order:
First came Hausewirth's band of ffteer
performers, seated in a band wagon decket
with streamers and flags. This is the pioneel
band Of Butte. Five new peices had been
prepared for the celebration in which theil
playing showed that the band was deservin,
Of fully as much support and patronage a
tbov hovo hithorfo roco;voj Of R,,ffo FOL
lowing the musicians were the city officials
!, Mayor, Aldermen and Police magistrate, to
gether with the orator and chaplain. Mex
T came the Butte fire brigade, in charge Q
Chief Engineer j. F. Beck. But q small
, number Of the firemen took part in the pa
t rade owing to various reasons. Some wer
: absent because they had no uniforms, other
because they preferred a seat by the side G
the party of the second part in one of tn
3 carriages bringing up the rear, and other
. again from a culpable lack of interest in th
fortunes of the brigade. However, twenty
five firemen mustered into service on th
Fourth presented a very good appearance j
their new uniform of red shirt and blac
pants, and emblazoned fire belt, very cred
r itably represented the organization of whic
they are members. Following the freme
was a company of mounted artillery SUI
r ported by a squadron Of Montana cavalry, a
7 in charge of Colonel Fred Loeber. The TO
. midable appearance of Colonel Loeber's OK
nance caused not a little trepidation duril
the march lest a premature discharge shout
NOW Town rows of unOtfending houses Q
one side or the other of tie line of marcl
n The ammunition wagon was also the ocr
h sion of alarm, for fear some ambitious torp'
S do or 6recracker should nenetrate to the dea!