Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-07-08
THE CELEBRATION AT PLATTE
WILLIE.


day which Platteville celebrated, the
booming of cannon announced that our
citizens had caught up the gale of enthu-
siastic patriotism which annually sweeps
over our glorious land of liberty, and
that they, true to their past record of
patriotic manifestations, would celebrate
in fitting style the grand old Fourth of
July.
In the early morning the decorations
were all made complete and the city
looked like one that was about to well
come the return of conquering hero
As far as the eye could reach up Main
Street, were seen flags, banners, bunt-
ing, remnants, decorations of every
appropriate sort and description. Every
building bore testimony to the patriot
ism which thrilled within the bosom of
its owner or occupant. Most of the res
licences Haunted the star-spangled ban
ner and every person caught up the en-
thusiasm that is SO necessary to make
such an occasion a grand success.
Long before the time appointed for
the starting of the grand street pageant.
crowds of people from neighboring
towns came pouring in to witness the
festivities. 1t was indeed, hot and dusty,
but such difficulties count as mere trifles
when the Yankee Doodle in the true
American is aroused.
The arrangements were placed in
competent hands and promptly at the
proper time the Grand Street Pageant
received the order forward.
The Procession observed the following
order:
FIRST DIVISION.
Marshal of the Day,
Grand Army Post.
Car of Liberty.
Roman Chariot
Orator of the Day and Officers in
Carriages.
Chief of Fire Department, in Carriage.
Platteville Hookand Ladder Compa nv.
Hook and Ladder Truck.
Mound City Engine Company.
NJ. c. Engine.
Tender and Hose Cart
SECOND DIVISION.
Harmonicon Band
Alphonso De Moore's Menagerie and
Museum.
Sacred Ok.
THIRD DIVISION.
Potosi Band
Governors Guard, Company X.
Industrial Parade
Citizens in Carriages and on foot.
The line of march was down Main and
across to Mineral Street, up Mineral and
down Benson to Main, up Main to Elm,
from Elm down Market to Benson. down
Benson to Main and from Main to the
Park.
AT the Park the exercises opened with
music by the Citizens Band, followed
by prayer by the Chaplain, Rev, Baker,
Vocal Music, and then the Introductory
address by the President of the Day,
Hon. j. V. Holman. Then music by
the Potosi Band and reading of the Dec
laration of independence by Prof. A. J.
Hutton. Vocal music. The President
then introduced as orator of the day DR..
M. H. Cleary, of Galena. The orator
described in general way the day, the
Revolution and the causes that led to it.
II referred to the practice of granting
special privileges to individuals by the
crown, and said that it never failed to
work manifest injustice to the rest of
the people, He discussed at some length |
the labor question and touched upon the |
tariff. Traced the progress and devel- |
opment of the country and INDUCED in |
some wholesome counsel to the rising |
The orator spoke plainly |
and deliberately. The Grafton showed |
deep thought and the thoughts were
clothed in choice language. We regret |
that we are unable to give synopsis Of |
the speech, as it was one of the most in
teresting and eloquent Fourth of July
Dratons ever delivered in Platteville. and
one that gave universal satisfaction.
The gentlemen of the committee on
speakers are to be congratulated upon
he good judgment displayed in select
ng the orator. After the Grafton came
music by the Citizens Band and then an
until p NJ
At the hour appointed the people re-
assembled in the Park to listen to the
afternoon exercises, which consisted of
casts and responses and music. Capt
J. b. Mccoy, served up the toast in a
Tery felicitous manner and responses
we're made by the following named
gentlemen: Rev. B. E. Wheeler, T. /.
Jleary, D. J. Gardner, Prof. MeGregor.
Prof. Hutton, Prof Nye, w. H. Peck
md Lellen Cheney. The toasts and re-
'ponses were all listened to with rapt