St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-07-09
Celebration at st. Johnsbury.
a gloomy Opening, but a Brilliant
Close.

regrets (9) for the boys who had planned
a circus, but whose plans the conious
rain seriously interfered with. A drepcb-
ing rain fell until seven o'clock or SO.
after which there was but slight driz-
zle until about noon. The afternoon |
and evening were all that could be de- |
sired so far as weather was concerned.
ANTIQUES AND HoRRIBLEs.
On account of the rainy morning the
program for the day was not begun I'M
til one o'clock, when the procession of
"antiques" paraded the principal streets.
Most of the men were masked, and the
attempt was to burlesque some local
and other institutions, such as the Ii
quor agency, the Murray Blackboard,
"Go west, young man." the cornet band
and its drum major, etc. A large crowd
witnessed the procession and evidently
enjoyed it. This part of the days en-
tertainment was under the chief mar
shalship of James Thompson, assisted
by Frank and Fred Benchley.
THE CREASED PIG.
After the procession was over, the
people f1Ocked to Union Park to wit
ness the novel and never before-seen
spectacle in this place, of catching a
creased pig. After waiting long time,
a half-grown pOrker was admitted to
the entertainment. He was closely
shaved and clean and we'll behaved
and could thus be easily distinguished
fIOm the rest. After taking survey of
the crowd, he went quietly to roofing
up the common. After another long
delay, five men entered the arena, and
after wheeling" the hog up into a cor
ner, three of them fell upon and en-
braced him all at once, and Rugged him
until the hog cried enough, when the
poor brute was driven off to his pen.
The general verdict was that the pig
had not fair chance. Henry Rogers of
Paddock village took the SIS prize
HOSE RACE.
The next entertainment was a hose
race between the Island Company of
this place and the Swanton company.
They ran twice each, 400 yards, and
laid hose. The time given was 60 sec
onds for the Swanton boys and GA for
the st. JOhnsbury company. This was
quite an exciting race, and was sharply
contested. There was quite general
satisfaction in the crowd that the com
pany coming so far took the first mon
ey, although both companies ran Won
derfully well.
CONCERT AT HALL.
In the evening there was a grand
concert in town hall, every seat being
filed and many standees sold at Is
cents each. The program included mu
sic by the band and orchestra; the
:'Star Spangled Banner" sung by young
misses violin and cello solos by HI. G.
Blaisdeil and A. B. Stock bridge male
quartet by Messers. Conant, Herrick,
May and Clark song by Mr.. George
R. Clark, etc. The concert gave great
satisfaction, and the accompaniments
by Miss Ella Bemis were well done.
THE ILLUMINATION.
Promptly at nine o'clock the illumin-
alton began. The Soldiers Monument
was illuminated briefly with red fire,
but the chief attraction was at the
north end of Main street. The COM
mittee had arranged to have this wide,
beautiful street, from the bakery north,
festOoned and illuminated with Chi
neese lanterns so completely as to look
like fairy scene. The effect in so wide
street, filled with several rows of
large trees in their fullest foliage, was
one of the most beautiful sights we ever
saw. The fire works were sent up from
the foot of Arnold Park, and added
brilliancy to the scene.
| PRIVATE DECORATIONS.
Many private residences were deco
rated and their yards illuminated.
Those in the immediate vicinity of the
principal illumination were w. H. Pres
toms, George Mays, DR.. Brownies,
Judge Bowman's, and nearly all on that
side of Main street, as far down as DR..
Brooks's. Col. T. C. Fletcher's and
Mrs. Boynton's grounds were especially
beautiful. On other streets many yards
were made fairy-like by colored Ian
terms, among others that of G. c. Bing-
ham, E. M. Porter, w. P. Smith, S. H.
Bracket, A. C. Harvey, Gov. Fair
banks, and many more.
| THE BAND.
The st. JOhnsbury band appeared in
their new uniform, which is pretty
gray, neat and appropriate. Under the
inspiration of good clothes, or for some
other reason, they played unusually
well, and added immensely to the days
enjoyment.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS.
The only accident during the cele-
bration that we have heard of, was a
painful wound in the foot of young
man from the north part of this town.
He was sitting on the fence some TWEEN
ty feet from where bombs were being
sent up from a copper mortar made for
that purpose, when the mortar
burst, and a piece of the metal
struck his foot. Although the wound
is painful, it is hoped there will be no
permanent injury. There was 10 ap-