The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-05-31
DECORATION DAY.
The Day Appropriately Observed in
Mankato.
The Parade and Literary Exercise


Decoration Day was observed in this
city in much the usual manner. 1t wss
for thefrst time legal holiday and many
took day off. The streets we're rather
deserted in the forenoon, except for the
crowds on the sidewalks The banks
were closed the entire day and the post
Office from 1000 a. m. to 500 p. m. The
stores were generally closed from / 100 to
400 O'Clock this afternoon. Quite a
number of persons from the surround
ing towns, especially members of the q.
A. X. posts, arrived in the city this af-
ternoon TO witness or take part in the
parade. No post came as an organiza-
ton, but Good Thunder, Garden City,
Lake Crystal, Eagle Lake and several
other towns were represented.
The decorating committees decorated
the graves of the dead soldiers in each
of the cemeteries this forenoon.
The parade this afternoon was unusu-
ally good and was witnessed by hum
dreds of people in carriages and on the
sidewalks. ALI the uniformed bodies in
the city participated and their uniforms,
many of them snowy and brilliant, made
a pretty sight. The order of formation
was as follows:
Marshal and Aids.
Germania Band.
Excelsior Hose Co. No. I.
Superior Hose Co. No. I.
Superior Hose Co No.
Hook and Ladder co.
West Mankato Hose Co.
Co. +, I'd Infantry.
Colfax Canton, No. o.
U.R., Knights of Pythias, No. 6.
Drum Corps.
Visiting members of G. A. X.
Wilkin Post.
Other Old Soldiers.
Citizens in Carriages.
The column was under command OF
Marshal Geo. w. Mead, with Col. Nc
Cornell, Geo. w. Phillips and Capt. L.
Ii. Andrews as chiefs of divisions. Jas.
Ashworth served as aide.
The line of march began on Broad St,
at the corner of Hickory and followed
the line of march already published.
The column got under Roadway at about
two O'Clock and 1t was shortly after
three O'Clock when the opera house was
reached.
Many stores and residences along the
line of march displayed the National col
ors, and the stars and stripes Heated
from many fiagstaffs about the city.
The stage and boxes of the opera
house were appropriately and beautiful
ly decorated with flowers and bunting
and flags and presented tasty appear
ance. The doors of the building were
not opened until the conclusion of the
parade, when the various organizations
marched in and took reserved seats IN
front. The remainder of the building
was quickly filled to overfiowing.
A very interesting program OF literary
exercises was carried out. Its excel
lence entities it to more extended space
than we are able to devote to it. All
did their parts excellently. The first
part of the program consisted of the
touching ritual service of the Grand
Army. The remainder of the program
was as follows:
Song-"In Silent Mead, "Messrs. Brett,
Thomas, Haynes and Schroeder.
Recitations-"TheF Festival of Memory,
or Converse with the Slain," from VIII
Carlton. Miss Carrie Robbins as Column
bia, Lorin Cray as the Union Soldier,
Miss Lizzie Keysor as the hospital
nurse, Fred Sheppard as the confederate
soldier, Carey Harrison as the freed
man, and Fred Burgess the drummer
boy.
Song-"AGrateful Nation" quartet.
RenedictiOn.