Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-08-28
A BRILLIANT PARADE.
Thirty-Fiye Thousand of the Boys In
Blue in Line.

Thirty-FiVe Thousand of the Boys I'm
Blue in Line.
The reviewing stand was built on Grand
avenue, and in due time Gen Sherman, Mrs.
Logan, and many other notables took their
places thereupon, their progress from the ho-
tai being made very slow by the crowds that
blocked the way and cheered the distin-
guished occupants of the carriages The head
of the column began to move at 10 o'clock,
and reached the reviewing stand at 1880 A
conservative estimate of the number Of men
who passed that point places 1t at 81, 900. A
noticeable incident Of the parade was the en-
thusasm of the old veterans whenever they
caught glimpse OF Gen Sherman He was
greeted with round after round of cheers,
while the bands forgot their admonition not
to play Marching Through Georgia. and
the grizzied old hero of the triumphal march
through the south had to listen to the tune
that has dinned his ears ever since the war
closed
Had a Word with the General.
Occasionally u veteran in the ranks would
break out with sally at his old general
One called out: "Oh, you'll live to fight
through another war" while another shout
ed How about those chickensP
To the latter's interrogatory, Gen. Sher-
man, who was as tickled as a schOolboy, re
piled: 20, | never took the trouble TO inquire
where they came from" The Pennsylvania
delegation made the best appearance of any
post in the line, and were conspicuous for
| their soidierly bearing throughout the en-
| tire parade
beautiful Panorama
There were two magnificent spectacIes t o
| be seen about the time the parade started.
| One was observable from the intersection of
| Eighth street on Grand avenue looking
down rhe avenue to the bridge. With the
gaudly hedecked bridge as IA back ground,
and the brilliant decorations all the way
up on both sides of the street as side lights,
the great sacthing mass presented a piano.
| rama which no one who saw it Is likely 10
forget IN a lifetime. 10 was grand and i'm.
posing. and how gay it all looked withall
| There wa- breeze enough to keep the ban
ners and flags fiuttering, and the lively move
ments OF tine individual components of the
great mass suggested that the whole was be-
ing stirred 10y pleasing emotions, and the
flag and the people were all dancing to the
same joyous music
View Of Grand Avenue.
| The other spf ctaclo was from Tenth street
| up Grand avenue. In the foreground was
the solid phalanx of human beings n sort Of
atmosphere of bright colors and good nature
| covering II all; "A little further on was the
| reviewing stand, with its drapery and freight
| Of dignitaries and newspaper men: then in
| the distance the yellow plumes of the White
| Horse squadron moving down the hill at the
| head OF the great column, between solid
walls of cheering humanity. How proudly
| the plumes on the helmets of the squadron
| waved, and the very horses seemed conscious
| of the honor conferred on the squadron in
being the first company Of state troops ever
asked to join the annual parade Of the Grand
| Army.
| Beauty smiled on the Scene.
| Down Grand avenue from Fifth street
every window and place where one could
stand or sit was taken. Every window of
the Piankinton house blossOmed out in fair
faces and shapely forms. If some one could
| have taken an instantaneous view OF the
whole front of the block, taking in every
window just ms the head OF the line passed,
he would have had n collection of as many
beautiful faces one could see ordinarily in
a days walk; and there was beauty else
where, of course 1t was a day of beauty
and OF joy.
The parade, while not as large as some
former ones was a great success 1t was
married by no accidents and when it dis
persed the old soldiers were as happy lot
of men as ever assembled. Business in the
city was practically closed from noon