The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-06-07
c.. B.. L.
Our Pet Military Organization on
Dress Parade
Tuesday Evening Before an Audience Of
Hundreds OF Enthusiastic Citizens
The Fine Showing Made
by the Organization.

The evening was a pleasant n ana
not a cloud dimmed the sky during the
dress parade Of the city's pet organiza-
ton. the Canton Battalion Of Infantry,
Tuesday evening. The hourset for the
parade was Z o'clock, and before that
hour citizens gathered in the public
square to witness this drill, but it was
not until 1880 that the Battalion, head
ed by that superb organization, the
Grand Army Band, marched to the
ground selected, The sound OF music
as the two organizations marched down
North Market street from the Armory
attracted all those within hearing, and
by the time the square was reached
those attracted by the sound OF music
and those who visited the square by
reason of previous announcements
formed such a gathering as crowded
both sides of the street and extended
far into the roadway.
The band stationed itself at the
southwest corner of the square and the
different companies stationed them
selves at divers places between Tusca-
rawas and Seventh streets. By this
time the sidewalks on the east and west
and the crossing on the north and
south were
CROWDED WITH YOUNG AND OLD
eager to witness the evenings perform
,ance. Business houses aud business
offices held their portion OF eager
humanity and the windows lining
South Market at this point were crowd
ed and remained so until the drill had
been finished and the Battalion, headed
by the band, had started on its return
to the armOry. The dress parade was
conducted in the usual fine manner and
the muse from the band and the drill OF
the Battalion was warmly applauded
by the hundreds of spectators. Toward
the close of the dress parade dense,
black clouds gathered in the west and
caused fear that the exercises would be
interrupted, as they were once before
by a storm, but they scattered as quick
1y as they came and had soon entirely
disappeared. The vast assemblage
17aa tv WAS WELL PLEASED ,aa
with the dress parade and were 10th tx
leave at its conclusion. Upon thu
return of the Battalion the election o.
major was held. Major Barnes wa
reelected by acclammation after which
fine cigars were passed about.
The Canton independent Battalion
is steadily increasing in size, and tn
result of this, dress parade will be tina
at the next meeting a number Of appli
cations for membership will be passe'
upon. Should this not occur, it will b
something unusual in the history Of tn
organization. The organization nov
numbers about one hundred and thil
teen, and its growth has been as rapi
and strong as it has been marvellous
Sometime along in the latter part O
70 or the early part of 80 a number o
associates banded together withou
much ado and began to practice the al
of drilling. The old "Wallace Greys
was in the zenith of its glory at tia
time, and was composed Of
THE BONE AND s1NEw
of Cantnn's young men, and the perfeC
manner in which this organization Wa
handled caused admiration in the hear
OF all patriotic youths, and no doul
was the cause of this banding togetht
of the organization now known through
out the country as the Canton Ind
pendent Battalion. 1t was but a sho
time until a permanent organizatiC
was formed, and the proficiency of IL
bows in the manual of arms caused SUI
satisfaction that broomsticks were ca
aside as beneath the dignity OF such a
lists in that line, and cheap muske
purchased, Soon the organization a
g tracted such attention that a larl
t number of applicants for membersh
: were taken in. The drilling progress
in the old frame armory in North Ma
5 ket street, on the rear end
e the property at present 9
1 cupied by Mrs. Aultman's palati
residence and the organization thirty
financially and in growth. Quartz
were taken up in the block at the CO
: ner of South Market and Seven
streets and after a while were remov
to the Empire hall. After several
movals the organization had so
creased that IS
T. A BATTALION WAS FORMED
y and the fine Malline block in MOI
: Market street leased, The further p
!. gress of this military body is W
4 known to all and is a qualification
the members and the citizens general
q The ar1nory is one Of the finest In
y state and the company rooms
IL deliberately fitted rnp,ye The memb
are mostly representative business 9
professional men of this city, but ms
n who have been identified with
r growth of the organization for seve
y. years are Of a younger set.