Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-07-12

TINE FovaIn At wscnITA-MorEs.
A week having gone by it is too late 10
write up full account Of all that happened
In Wichita on the Fourth, and We will be
content with few notes for the use OF the
future. Besides, everybody was here and
saw for themselves.
From fifteen to twenty thousand people
participated in the various exercises and
entertainments OF the day. 1t was the larg-
est number of people ever assembled in the
State south Of Topeka. Eighteen car loads
of excursionists came in on the different
roads, all jammed past endurance.
From twenty to thirty miles in every di-
rection the people. in wagons and carriages.
commenced TO arrive the evening before.
The parade was between one and two
miles long and was the most unique and
In teresting affair Of the Kind ever witness
ed in the State, the line of which was en-
livened by four brass bands, one drum
corps and cornet quartette.
In addition to the military display made
BY the Garfield Post of the q. A. r., and
the Wichita Guards in full uniform. the
merchants and tradesmen, OF the city, rep
resented their different interests on NOV
ing platforms drawn by horses.
The calethumpean brigade lent fun and
zest to the show by '.taking orr the pop
ular and unpopular institutions and per.
sonages OF the city. Among other things
their Congress of Nations, the Wichita
creamery, the Wichita water works, the
| Wichita gas works, the TT. Scott JO,OOt
passenger depot, Brother Jonathan, thu
Wichita prize band, etc. ,etc., solicited grin'
and applause inpumerablc.
The prettiest thing was an immense dsi'
filled with an hundred buds of womanhood
all dressed alike, in white, and covered 10y
a canopy, and all on wheels and drawn by
a steam traction engine, under the guild
ance of =. V. II eaiey.
The city mills had a small engine and /
run of stone actually at work. The iloul
was weighed and packed in small sacks and
distributed to the multitude.
Buffers stove pipe hat was immense ant
the way his timers made tin cups for th'
dry crowd was lively, while Arthur Aliens
old woman who lived in a shoe will no
soon be forgotten.
One of the lakes at the Park was proyid
ed with fountain, the pipes of the wate
works having been extended to all parts o
the grounds.
The old band was uniformed in snow
white flannel and headed the procession
with II. l.. Walker marshall Of the day.
Prof Wards class OF an hundred littl'
girls, dressed in white with flags in thei
hands, captivated everybody with their de
lightful patriotic songs.
Thirty-eight ladies dressed in bright uni
form suits OF red, white and blue. an
mounted on horseback, in double file, u
represent the States, under the guidance o
Capt. J. NJ. BalderstOn attracted many lie
holders. Many of the fairest women AM
best riders of the city were in this column
The street railway company handled o
transferred three thousand two hundre'
and eighty one passengers during the day
The business houses of the city and man,
private residences were decorated will
flags and bunting which futtered in iii
lively breeze that blew from morning I'll
night.
There were two great dancing platform
on the grounds, besides revolving and 9th
err swings, and shows, and games and boat
ing.
BY some il was estimated that not les
than twelve thousand people were on til
grounds at one time, and nearly as man
more on the streets in the city.
The tender of the bridge, Mr.. +. Concl
lin, says there was continual stream {
teams all night of the 3rd crossing tn
bridge from the west side.
People were here from Newton, Eldoradt
Sedgwick City, Eureka, Towanda, Leon
Augusta, Fredonia, Winfield, Arkansa
City, Caldwell, Wellington, Hunnewel
Oxford, Geuda, Mulvane, ElPaso and a
the intermediate points, among whose thot
sands were a large number OF as tastil
dressed ladies as could be seen in day {
Long Branch or Cape May.
The Grafton Of the day by Colonel Sumne
was, in spite OF the wind, confusion an
|, general hubbub, a fine effort and W;
thoroughly enjoyed by all within hearing
The response OF Hon. w. f. Stanley
the toast sour educators was the most c
fective. Although open to criticism 1t W;
full OF grand truths and beautiful thought
Uncle Jonathan's-J. G. McCoy-retr'
spect of the history and prominent cha
acters of Wichita in 1888 looking back frol
the year AID. 5000, was an exaggeration s
full of egregious strains and stretches an
. fabulous extravaganza as TO hold spe
bound every disciple Of veracity and cal
dor who heard him.
There was not single mishap or accidei
of any character recorded for the day. W
did not, in all the vast multitude that SUR
ed back and forth through our streets ii
after midnight, see single individual III
der the influence of intoxicants.
The display of fire works, commencing
$50 p. m. and continuing nearly two hour
: was made by experts from an elevated pla
form at the intersection Of Douglas ayenu
> and Main street, and was witnessed !
several thousand people. The display W:
fair.
The celebration was under the mana;
ment of the Garfield Post of the Gran
Army of the Republic, the funds to me-
the expenses being contributed by the bl
siness men OF the city.
Flags, music, detonations, songs an
y laughter VIII we ever see the like again