Morning journal and courier., 1889-09-04
A GREAT ODD FELLOW DAY.

A Memorable Time in the History Of
 Connecticut Odd FellOwship-The
 City Full of Visiting Cantons and
 Lodges and Their Friends-The Pa-
 rade . Grand success-Funy Four Thousand Paraders In Line-h SPAen. dId Appearance-Muslci FIJI the Air with MelOdy-seenes at Meadow Street Armory after the Faraoe-A Notable Celebration.
 That Odd Fellows are great paraders was fully demonstrated yesterday. Their big semi-cent tennial celebration and parade was one of the finest events of the kind ever seen | in the city. It was certainly the grandest Odd Fellowship demonstration which the State has ever seen. The day seemed to be entirely given up to the hosts of celebraters. The principal streets were crowded through out the morning, afternoon and early evening hours. At the time of the passage of the big procession, Chapel street was nearly blocked to all travel. The walks were crowded with eager sightseers and the cross- streets were hedged with carriages and vehi- cles of all kinds. The parade itself was a notable affair. Many enthusiastic spectators declared that 1t far surpassed the recent cen. tennial celebration of the Masons of the State and some more conservative observers were willing to admit that the demonstration was equal to that big display. As to tho num- Der of men, yesterdays paraders were in the ascendency by about fifty. It is absolutely safe to place the whole number in line at four thousand.
 The decorations about the center of the oity and along the streets through which the procession wended it's way were profuse and noticeable. Large links of evergreen and other Odd Fellow insignia were seen on every hand. The Chapel street decorations were especially fine, and on Church street the Hub clothing store was radiant with red, white and blue and shields on all three stories of their building. There was hardly building | in the center which did not bear some sign of greeting or welcome to the hosts of visi- | tors. In the windows of Brooks and com pany at Chapel and State streets, an elabor- ate display of fine swords and numerous Odd Fellow insignia attracted the attention of many passers-by. The large dry goods Brown & Co., Howe & Stetson, Wm. Nicely & Co.,, Mrs. Redcliffes cafe, the Glebs and Exchange buildings at Church and Chapel streets, were all handsomely adorned
 Colonel J. B. Doherty chief marshal of the day, had his headquarters at the Elliot house Here he worked unceasingly to put every- thing in good order ready for the big parade to start. His aids snd marshals reported to him there and at Lincoln rink and about the New Haven house there was continual bus tie and excitement throughout the morning. | It seemed as if all the bands in the State had | gathered there. Memo canton of Albany, with its band, was stationed here, and for half an hour played popular airs while the ! members of the order were preparing for the march. At the conclusion of the concert the band was loudly applauded, and in response played selections faom the "Pearl of Pekin." After 10 o'clock the walks on both sides of | Chapel street were crowded with people, and the streets wers also full of marching bodies of men headed for the old green, where the | line was to form. At 12 o'clock the head of ! the procession had not started. Five min | the platoon of police fell in and led the line ! out the South gate of the green to Chapel | street, and thence to Church street, where in front of the city hall it was reviewed by the | city officials.
 Features Of the BIg Procession. The procession was afine one and an honor to Odd Fellowship. It was the finest and the
 largest by all odds ever seen in the Nutmeg State. All parts of Connecticut were we'll
 represented in the long line, and the class of men presented to view was everywhere | the same oreditable class, men of good hab- It's, reliable and good citizens, filling good positions, law-sbiding, and well exemplify- | Ing the good results of common schools and sound doctrines of good citizenship lnculca- ted by the Pilgrim fathers. The plough, the farm and the field were also as we'll rep. resented in the long line of the procession as
 the workshop, the forge, the factory and the counting room.
 The military part of the procession was very attractive, and the Patriarchs Militant won golden encomiums. This new offshoot of Odd Fellowship, established only o few years ago, has not only come to stay but to grow still more. Its growth has been mar vellously rapid throughout the country, and this uniformed branch is now a mighty force numbered by tens of thousands. The way ing plumes, handsome uniforms and brightly polished scabbards added greatly to the pic- | turesque appearance of the line of march. Mnsio was in the air also. "In multitude of councillors there is safety," but sometimes in Q multitude of bands when in close proximity there is . confusion of melody. However, this difficulty was overcome by judicious disposition of the bands at appropriate inter- vsls and by the attenuation of the playing which was observed. Grand Cantons Sassa- GUS and Golden Rule and Canton Aurora and their guests Memo of Albany, Brooklyn and Kiehl of Brooklyn, Springfield of Springfield, Cantons from Bridgeport, Stamford, Danbury, A1uktAOEus VatcLuuEyy 1NoW oEttniup mcIIuouy Middletown, Norwich and New London these were the uniformed bodies in line and were at the head of the procession.
 | Colonel Doherty, chief marshal, finely rode Q fine horse at the head of the line. Chief Bollman also was mounted upon a fine horse near the arant courier. He rides finely. | Long practice in the cavalry service in the war time and in equestrianism at home here has made him an easy and we'll nigh perfect | rider. General Charles B. Foster was also mounted upon fine horse and rode like a
 veteran, and John NJ. Lines of his staff rode | @ very handsome animal with the ease and form of veteran. Also Major Hillman looked finely and was mounted upon a | spirited steed. It was not the one
 which brought him home from Milford recently in double-quick time, but 1t was Ca dandy" This was the Majors debut on parade in his new official honors with the Pstriarchs Militant. Alderman s. s. Thompson, the baker, TO de a spirited steed. He was one of the ass istant msrshals, as also was A. H. Hurlburt, the real estate dealer, who looked massive and as easy and sell. possessed ss an old campaigner at the
 head of his brigade. Wheeler & Wilson's
 band of Bridgeport, Streit leader, and the Second regiment band, Stack leader, vied | with each other in their prominent posi- | tions in furnishing fine music. Reeves American band of Providence. which headed ! the Hartford bodies, also was looked for by the public with eager anticipation of hearing | fine music, which were not altogether dis. | appointed, though some of the selections did | not "catoh" the popular ear.
 The Albany City band rendered some very | enjoyable music, but their selections the | night before at Sassacus srmory were more | popular and highly welcomed by the throne | out in the streets. The little drum major | who headed the drum corps with the Centen- nial lodge of Naugatuck was little dandy with his silver helmet hat and gay uniform. The little lad captivated the hearts of fair young ladies all along the route, including | some from Fair Haven. The Menuncatuck lodge of Guilford, had @ rattling good drum | corps also. The granger drummers in shirt | sleeves aud white soft hats marched and played with vim and spirit that took well | with the people all along the route. Pequon- nook lodge of Bridgeport, and Accanaut lodge of Wallingford, and one or two other lodges ! carried canes at "right shoulder shift" az | they marched.
 Dr. Bellosa rodo his horse at the head of | the thirteenth division like veteran. There were several elegant banners in line, the most beautiful and costly of which was that | of Connecticut lodge of Hartford, which was presented to them by their lady friends last week. There were three or four American bands in line. The Farrell Advance Dram | corps of Ansonia drummed finely and had | tho richest and showiest uniform of any drum corps in the line. Their coats were aa | white as was that of the famous and dashing Russian general who died two or three years