Daily Republican., 1886-08-30
A GREAT DAY.

Big quarterly ana Hts CDserfance
In this City Yesterday--1 Il Exsraordi-
nary Large Number OF strangers In
Town, and the Attendance -ceater
Than Tor several yoars-Scenes and
Incidents.
The seventy fourth anuiversary of
"Big Quarterly was held In this city
y yesterday, and the influx Of colored
people from all places within reach
com menced ON Saturday afternoon and
reached Its height yesterday morning,
when ste eamboats and trains, both regu-
lar and special, unloaded their passen-
gers at the wharves or stations, until at
least 5000 strangers were in the city.
The scenes at the P W. & B. Rail.
road station especially were amusing
and interesting, as those leaving
the trains discovered O relative or
familiar face among the crowd In walt
ing. AS they met many questions
would be exchanged about those who
had remained at home, snd In some In.
stances faces would be overshadowed
with gloom, when 1t was learned that
some one who had been here last year,
had passed away to join the silent ma.
ljority.
Many of these people are illiterate.
and d not hear from friends residing
at a distance but once a yeAr, and that
on "Blg Quarterly" consequently apart
from the religious services, IL is looked
forw ward TO with the koepesr ant ~ rsstsos
as a season Of re- union, and OF learning
what has tIanspired since they last
met.
The crowds which arrived were COM
posed about equally of both sexes, and
their color was OF al shades, from thai
of the octoro0n, to the deep black Of
the native African, and as soon as the
congratulations on meeting with friend,
was over they started for the A. U. M
p. church, on French street, above
Eighth, which on this occasion il
always the principal objective point o
, interest.
At Z O'Clock In the morning ther'
was an OLD fashioned Methodist love
feast, which was largely attended. Th'
bread and water was partaksn of b,
all present, after which experience
were given, hymns sung AMI shouting
!. continued until the commencement o
! the regular service at 10 o clock, whel
. a very excellent sermon was pTeache'
by the Rev. Daniel Russell.
Services were also held In the larg
!, frauie tent, which had bsen erected OIL
u the graveyard back of tie church
where the Rev. G. Il. Walker preache'
: a DO Rerful sermon. There was preach
ing again in the tent at 9 O'clock in th
afternoon by the Rev. George Brown
and in the church by the Rev. Bel jami
J. Scott. The crowds at both the nornin
C and afternoon services were imtnens'
It and the tent and church oom moined fai
ed to accommodate many over half {
% those who attended.
d French street from the railroad static
II to Ninth street was o moving mass {
: humanity from early morn until nigh
3, but the crowd was the greatest betwee
J. the hours OF 10 in the morning and
= the afternoon. There were the usu;
.. number Of impromptu reireshmeI
d stands and restaurants, which dispense
lie eatAbles, lemonade, hot coffee, waite
Ie melons and other articles 10 the hungI
D. and thirsty visitors. About s o'cloC
III the exodus commenced, and from tn
r. hour until dark the crowd poured dow
lie French and other streets to take Il
n. cars or boats for their homes.
lei There was some drunkenness, but n
N any more, possibly not as much, a. Z
H. other occasions of like nature. A re
I'd breaches of the peace occurred al
DO some of the offenders fell into the han
rs of the police, but the generality OF &
ID visitors were orderly and well behave
- They came to enjoy themselves and G
30 to their hearts content. Taken all
I'D gether Big = larterly Of 1886, althou
i'd 80 largely attended, was conducted
tn an orderly manner, and passed witho
in any serious disturbance.