Telegram-herald., 1888-07-06
'lnDEHIDENCf DAY



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Fa~dsy evening aatd sunri~ yesterday
uouias.
Never did Grssd Rspids - noes glof-
ioss dsy for her eisizsns' amassnsnt sad
her own sassnosmsnk
Every avenue of travel. sssry rsiirosd
train. every foos Of spscs oa svery wagon
road sas crowded fall of visIsors and IL b
ssfs 70 ear fhs1 ., Go stfsnxsrs came 10 the
CITY, making our Undergraduates Day popa-
lstioa at tns Isasl calculation ID. .puo psoP1s-
They we're al on The streets st sn early
hour IA the dsy Thsy lined the k1s alks.
erosdsd the windows and even mountsd -
tue housslops 70 view the Landscape and
see TIE procession. Ihssr labor wss nos ia
vain tnsix reward vas veil worthy OF their
pslaA
The integral parts of the parade assembled
ia sdmiEz5ls order, aud promptly on time.
ABOUT ths oGiy thing that was On time dur
ing the day. They started across bFidze-st
bridge PRONG ptiy zl 1870 o'eiock. took the
exact route laid down IN the pabllshed pro-
xramms, the ssFersi compsaiss IA the lne
we're IN their places and the divisions were
observed Just ss published IN the fElzskAa-
HszALD. and too Tnuch praise cannot %
given 20 Col. Herknsr. the Chief Marshal.
and bis aids ioF the prompt and ludicioas
management OF such . parade.
xraeh n A c1fy In the
country u izht be proud OF. It MAS exactly
one hour and seven minutes passing given
polnt-ths corner Of Fulton aud Sheldon
ats, and there Was not break or halt IN
the column
It Is useless 10 Attsmpt 10 give its att-ac-
tons in detail as 10000 people witnessed
IL. out some OF the main features were: the
wheelmsn with their bicycles; the battalion
OF state troops. seven companies under the
command Of Col McGurfin: the Knights Of
PythiAs, Of Hastings. aad our own city. the
Uniformed Rank OF the Patriarchsl Circle;
A q. u W.. Y n. &. A. Cadets the Ger
man and Swedish Socisties. and the veter-
ans OF the G.. A. K. The city officials vice
presidents. etc. riding At ease IN their car
risgss attracted bat little attention. bat when
ths Butcher Boys came along, marching
and leading tine Michigan cattle. and
crowded into wagons containing appro-
shouts Of applause The brewers and the
bakers and the nillers also made fins dis-
plays
The Fire Department. although not
allowed to come in It's entirely had detail
Of men and apparatus that the citizens were
justly proud OF.
Then the Trade Display-well II was the
xrandsss ever turned out by Grand Rapids
merchants or those of any city in the
hxrt z.sxtA "a
fall page Of the paper. Everybody saw it.
Promintnt verS the Phoenix Furniture
Company with all their employees from
oldest hxnds in the shop down TO little kids
about kpss high To . woodchuck; the floats
OF the Tower Co.. Spring & Company, Hey
man b Co. Grosskopf Bros. Compton
Brss.. Weston q hsiss. the Star Cloth
ing House. the Westeriings. >. p.
Bennett. looking for q coaled day,
agricultural implements, the Valley City
Ice Co. who were trying 70 give ii 10 them,
Crockett & Hopkins aud all the other fusni-
ture nrnas. A L. Livlngston's Oyster Bay
on wheels. III. Leonari Sons, DeGraaf,
yrssling q CO.. and others 80 numerous
that no fellow could keep track of them.
Before the rear of the procession had
turned the corner of Sheldon-st., the head
had turned Nspls-st., and Jefferson ave-.
the exercises OF the day were held.
Five bands played excellent selections.
Rev. Csmpbell Fair invoked God's blessing
OF the occasion. President Of the day
Edwin z. Uhl. who filled the place OF Hon.
Thos. ID. Gilbert. Who is ill), did the honors
in most acceptable manner. and
Hon. l.. p. Wells. OF Detroit, de-
livered = patriot and eloquent address,
aud still only about a thousand people re-
=, - fh, tn f.r IN
cesdings. The crovd seemed 20 think the
other attractions were of greater import
sncs. All passed OF with great eciat how
ever, and every body was satisfied.
The afternoon was spent as quietly as
circumstances would permit. the only i'm
portant attraction being the drill of the
Hastings Knights of Pythias in Campau
Place. This WAS executed with wonderful
skill. Those who saw il did not wonder
that the men took the prize at Cincin-
natl. Old soldiers looked on with
especial admiration Long before sun
down the crowds began to gather
for the pyrotecanic display. The bluffs
we're crowded with Thousands Of people, the
banks of the river on both sides were lined
with crowds. the lumber piles were crowned
with crowds. the big sawdust heap in Bsr-
key yard below The dam vas . complete
grand stand holding over sthousand people
which Of course were len on the ground
Half past ; o'clock csme-the advertised
time-but no fireworks except some ire
| crackers and small Roman candles that the
boys we're throwing into the water. Nine
o'clock came and still nothing but the
waning Of the beautiful sunset and lights
along The banks. which made most at
trsctivs view. Just st 930-one hour late,
the 5ixth-st. bridge Was lighted uD with
| colorsd lights and shortly after the dis.
| play commsnccd. The rockets and can
nonades wsFe Of the best aud very effective.
| TIE set pieces, however, were dissppoint-
/ ing. the portraits were capable Of beip g
taxsn for almost anyone but Cleveland aud
Hsrrisou. bss the Monitor and Merrimsc
vas . very pretty display.
More than an hour vas enjoy ed in the
c0ol Of the evening by 81. 900 people waiting
and watching. and when il was over all
trudged their way homewa "a, seif- f-safisfisd
that they had performed a patriotic and
Christian duty IN assisting to celebrate the
ti2th anniversary Of The Declsrstion Of In
dependence. snd a. the sane time advertise
the xTest city Of Grand Rapids A. show it
of - ia best advantage.
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