The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-07-24
Our New Court UOuSe.

was evident at an early hour that the
town would be filled with strangers, as
they came from every direction, some
on foot, some on horseback, and others
in conveyances of all styles and pat
terms A mammoth flag was suspen-
ded over Main street between Hyde's
Opera House and the Hyde House, one
from the top of the liberty pole in the
court yard, while upon the streets all
was hustle and activity.
AT II a. m. the special train from
Remove, consisting of four cars well
filed, arrived at the depot, and was
followed at II 30 by the four-car special
from Kane, three of which were filled.
Company H, National Guard of Penn
sylvania, having marched to the depot
before the arrival of these trains, es-
corted the eXcursionists over to town,
the procession moving in the following
order:
Chief Marshal-D. c. Oyster.
Aids-F. c. Ely, H. H. Wensel, w. A
Derby.
st. Mary's Cornet Band.
Company H, National Guard of Penn
sylvania.
Excursionists and citizens.
The procession marched out Depot
street to Main, down Main to Elk,
when it countermarched up Main to
the Hyde House, where it disbanded.
AT O'Clock the people began to con-
gregate upon the stand erected at the
northeast corner of the new building,
and at 1:30, the dignitaries having ar
rived, the exercises of the day were
opened by ID. c. Oyster, who read the
list of officers of the day, as follows:
Of r., 1,,l 4
Aids-W. A. Derby, H. H. Wensel,
F. c. Ely.
President-John G. Hall.
Vice President Benezette, Miles
Dent, d. B. Winslow; Benzinger,
John Kaul, ST., Charles Ritter; Fox,
John Meyer, and John Green High
land, Levi Ellithorp, w. J. Stubs;
Horton, J. S. Hyde, Hezekiah Horton;
Jay, Joseph Robinson, a. e. Goff;
Jones, M. NJ. Schultz, r. w. Brown
Milestone, John G. Moore, r. M.
Painter; Ridgway, Edward Derby,
Chas. Mead; Spring Creek, Martin
Perrin, Hiram Carman; st. Mary's,
Joseph Luhr, Joseph Wilhelm, Igna-
titus Garner.
Hon. John G. Hall briefly returned
thanks for the honor conferred upon
him, and introduced Rev. j. NJ. Gillette,
who delivered an appropriate prayer,
Lieut.. Gov. Stone and Judge Wet
more, of Warren, were introduced,
each of whom made an address of
about twenty minutes duration, which
were received by the audience with
outbursts of applause.
Geo. A. Rathbun, of Ridgway, was
the next speaker. At the conclusion
of his remarks he read the list of ar
ticles to be deposited in the corner
stone, as follows:
[We omit the list of articles, as it is
given in full in to-day's ADVOCATE
The ceremony of laying the corner
stone was then performed by George
Dickinson, Erasmus Morey and Jesse
Kyler, three of the cOunty's pioneers
Edward Derby, represented J. p.
Marston, the architect, who was con-
fined to his room by illness, and An
thony Auman, foreman of masonry.
After the cement had been properly
spread, the stone cover was swung
into position by a small crane, and as
it settled into place Judge Dickinson
said: "Upon this substantial base,
prepared for this stone, we place it.n
After the reading by the president
of a letter addressed by Erasmus
Morey, to the board of county COM
missiOners, congratulating them upon
the building of a new court house and
thanking them for the invitation to be
present at the cornerstone laying,
Geo. Il. Dixon delivered an original
poem appropriate to the occasion,
which evoked hearty applause.
Hon. w. p. jerks, of Brookville,
was then introduced, who spoke ably
and we'll for nearly half an hour, and
was followed by Hon. John Brooks, of
Sinnemahoning, who read from man
uscript the longest speech of the day,
which was curious melange of his
tory, "Reminiscences politics, theology
and philosophy.
The exercises of the afternoon were
concluded by Judge Luhr, of ST
Mary's, in ringing German speech,
which seemed to be highly appreciated
by our German citizens
The day was intensly hot, yet so in
terested were the people in the cere-
monies that many of them remained
standing in the broiling sun during
the two and half hours taken up by
the exercises.
A heavy Storm threatened about
three o'clock to mar the pleasure of
the occasion, but fortunately it passed
around, and rain did not fall until
seven O'Clock, when brisk shower
of few minutes duration acted like
charm in allaying the dust and cool
ing the atmosphere,
THE FIREWORKS.
AT 8 p. M. Supt, Westfall, Of Remove,
assisted by ]. H. Hagerty, j. p. Cur
tbs, II. III. Wensel and w. A. Derby,
commenced setting off the fireworks
from the stand erected in the north
east end of the court yard for that pur-
pose, simultaneously with which Co
H, preceded by the st. Mary's band,
made street parade.
The display of fireworks, which
lasted until 9:20, was grand success,
and IA fitting finale to the exercises of
the day. There was a variety of most
beautiful pieces, which were set off to
good advantage by Supt. Westfall and
his efficient corps of assistants. In
deed, we feel safe in saying that no
such exhibition of pyrotechnics was
ever before witnessed in the county.
And it was as cheap as it was beauti-
full, the entire cost, including express
charges, falling below one hundred
| dollars.
-Four balloons were sent up at inter
walls during the evening. All arose
majestically in northwesterly direc.
1 f-s