Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-07-10
1.-THE Fourth" How it was
Observed at Grand Rapids. -Des-

Observed at Grand Rapids. -Des-
pite the fears that the great national
holiday would prove stormy and un-
propitious, the morning ushered in as
glorious day as ever was celebrated.
The air was cool, and hardly a cloud
was visible till long after the morning
hours. The little folks with the strik-
ing Of u o'clock, midnight. were on
hand, having laid auake in hay
mows, and four or FIVE in bed at
neighbors dwelling, $50 as TO be on
hand early" with more tia pans, old
horns and toot bugles than we remem
Der to have heard In our ''brief but
brilliant career" At early day the
brass six-pounder under the supervis-
ion of gunner Claus, sohispered to our
inhabitants, and in less than a half
hour the air was as full of fire cracker
reports as syrup mug Of ants. An
early hour the people from the neigh
boring towns began to pour in till it
looked very like circus day On our
streets. At9 the [. @. @. L. Brass
Band appeared in full uniform and
marched to the halls Of the Temple of
Honor, Odd Fellows and St. John
Society where the societies formed a
procession and marched over to the
new Episcopal Church, now building
where full organization of the pro-
ccssion was perfected by the accession
of the Doudville Ku Klux band, after
which the line of march was taken up,
bringing the procession at an early
hour at the Fair Grounds the ex-
ercises were diversified with music and
speaking. Mr. Lindsey Of Green Bay
gave & most excellent address. 1t was
generally understood that, as our Epis-
copal friends were strenuously endeav.
ing to raise funds for the completion o.
their new house of worhip, the day
should be given up to them without
competitor, hence all Joined in the
festivities with will that told The
willingness of our people to aid. will
no partizan or sectional feeling what
ever manifested. At early noon {
mighty multitude repaired to Musi'
Hall where the tables were LITERAL!
loaded with good things, awarding th'
onslaught of APPETITE. And if we ar
a Judge of good victuals, no GROVE
ever were more beautifully fed.
La the afternoon large crowd re
paired to the fair grounds where TIL
modern amusemtnts were enjoyed t
an extent hitherto unaproached
Foot races, CREASED pigs, wheelborroN
races, base ball and a score of anuse
ments were entered into with a yes
that told how naturally the averag
Hamerican drifts towards fun. The da
was spent with nc accident befallin
any, and with no dissipation othc
than perhaps eating too many &c
creams and drinking to numerou
Iaemsnades ainus the usual ''stick.
We saw but one tired man ali day
In the evening the Tall was filled by
cro,cd who CAME probably to duplicat
the days eating end drinking, and al
ter to trip the eight fantastic" "
understand that one hundred an
thirty seven numbers were sold for til
dance. The proceeds of the day t
the society, we learn Will approximat
, $50 dollars, whereof we are glaC
: Notwithstanding there was no regular
| ly arranged programme for the ealt
bration of the day as a national ann
uersary, yet all, we Believe join i
voting the day a success.