The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-07-06
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH
How the Anniversary Ct the Nations indie
pendence WAS Celebrated in Benton.
Procession, Mus c, Reading, Grafton, Races.
Etc, ION this Glorious OCCASION

AS we awoke from our peaceful and dream
less slumbers, about half-past six O'Clock on
Monday morning last, we were reminded. by
the sound Of guns, fre-crackera, ETC., that
the day on which the American citizen feels
a deeper pride in and realization Of his great
Inheritance of liberty bequeathed him by his
forefathers, the day when the patriots heart
beats higher and the average small boy
makes the most noise, the 4th of July, was
with us in full force.
The early hours Of the morning were COM
paratiVely quiet, enlivened by the music of
the fine band of the 18Th Infantry, which ar
rived the night before from Fort Asthma
boine. A little after 8 o'clock the procession
began to form in front Of the Court House
and shortly after 10 it began to move, the
marshall of the day, T. J. Todd, at the head,
next the band, then a wagon drawn by four
spirited horses and in which were a group of
beautiful little girls representing the different
States Of the Union, with Miss Lilly Healy
as the Goddess Of Liberty, after which came
a long line Of carriages and vehicles of every
description, filled with ladies and gentlemen,
and quite a cavalcade OF horsemen brought
up the rear. The procession moved through
the principal streets, the band playing, and
flags waving over the principal buildings and
tossing on the heads of the horses, and then
returned to the Court House, where the exer-
clses commemorative Of the anniversary of
our independence was held.
j. d. Conrad, Esq, President of the day,
made q few brief remarks on the occasion of
the celebration, and prayer was offered by
Rev. Father Camp. The band followed. end
then the President introduced Judge Iattan.
VINO was greeted with applause, and who
proceeded to read the Declaration of indie
pendence in a clear voice which could be
heard by every one present. After some
national airs by the band, the orator OF the
day VIM. Il. Hunt, Jr., was introduced.
The remarks Of this gentleman are too
extended tor publication, in full, owing to q
pressuse OF matter relating to the Presi-
dent; He spoke Of the memories of the day,
ana deprecated the apathy with which
it was being viewed by the public. He
recapitulated the condition of the country.
showed the greatness of its prosperity.
and the glorious future that was before it.
He spoke Of the administrator and the yari-
GUS departments, and showed the s~atisfac-
ton their action IN matters pertaining to their
special lines Was giving to the country at
large. He referred feelingly to the attempt
to assaslnate the President, and closed with |
an eloquent peroTation which was an earnest
hope tor his recovery.
In the afternoon every vehicle in town. |
from a stage coach to a Red River cart, was
pressed into service to convey the crowds to
race track, on the bench below town. A |
number OF tents had been raised here, in
which people could protect themselves from
tho Univ c17r and "a q thu ro,,o S:~,, of~,. |
themselves with ice cream, lager or whatever
they most fancled, and the scene, from a dis
lance, reminded one of the circus of his
boyhood. Soon the siIvery tones of the per-
suasiYe bookseller were heard, calling upon
the owners OF fast horses to walk up and en-
ter their flyers for the mile dash.
For this race Thos. Morgan entered s'Me-
doc ID. NJ. Farley .>Oregon Broncho,' and
Jas. McDevitt Bogus" In the pools there
was very little choice between the three, al
though Oregon Broncho seemed a slight fay-
orlte. The race was run on q straight track,
and so 1t was impossible to tel! much about
the first half, but as soon as the horses be-
came ~distinguishable from the tents the gray
Broncho was seen to be leading, under q
strong pull, with Medoc second and Bogus
already rapidly falling behind. 1t was APP
parent already that it was Broncho's race,
~A@ ~ tAS AhtAohSaSA taS d4ASd tAC shp |
was only prevented from being made wider
by the efforts of Broncho's rider, who was
lying back pulling his horse with all his
strength, until about twenty yards from
home, when he lOOsened his pull and Oregon
Broncho gave a sample of his running quail
ties and shot by the post about seven lengths
ahead OF Medoc, with Bogus away back and
pulling up.
Owing to some hitch the quarter mile ana
the half mile races were not run, but in their
place a purse of $50, So entrance, purse and
entrance money, all to the first horse, dash Of
800 yards, was substituted. There were four
entries for this race: stBlue Beans Willie
Samples "Medoc, Thos. Morgan; "Bos-
A. Wareham, and Honest Bill" A.
MCGOWAN. Blue Beans was a strong favor
lite, with Medoc and Boston alternating as
second choice, and in the last few pools Blue
Beans sold as ~favorite against the field.
When the horses were started Blue Beans
Jumped OFT with the lead, was never headed, ]
AND won the race by two open lengths, with :
Medoc second, Boston third, and Honest !
Bill last.
In the evening there was a di,play of fire.
works, and later on most of the citizens and
visitors wound up the days enjoyment at the
festival given by the ladies Of the Catholic
.harch at the Court House. ;
Taken as q whole, the celebration was q
and with such a promising first cele-
oration succeeding years will find Benton
1ot one whit behind her sister towns in com
nemorating the birth Of American liberty.
--@.@ <AHehh Am~- :
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Particulars of his FAend1sh Crime.