The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-10-05
A GRAND AFFAIR !
THE PONTOON BRIDGE CELE-
BRATION,
LIKE THE BRIDGE ITSELF, A
DECIDED SUCCESS.
of Well Pleased Visitors
Participate in the
RejoIcEngs Over such an important
Event.

Last Sunday was a dark and dismal day
and the prospects OF Monday the day So
lected for the celebration Of the opening of
the p0ntoOn bridge being a pretty day were
very gloomy indeed, and the spirits OF those
OF our merchants and mechanics who had
been labOring 30 hard to make the celebration
a success fell almost to the zero mark. Early
Monday morning the appearance of the
heavens had not changed much, but ABOUT
seven o'clock the clouds broke away and all
Nature seemed to smile at the uneasiness she
had caused our people.
Notwithstanding thel threatening weather
In the early morning 1t seems that our neigh
bors had fully made up their minds TO visit
us and at an early hour streams of people in
all kinds Of conveYances commenced to pour
into the city. The pontoon bridge was lined
with people and vehicles from the time of the
rising Of the sur to the time of the starting Of
the procession.
At 10 O'Clock a. m. the procession formed
on Broadway. headed by the republican and
democratic flambeau clubs and commanded
by Chief Marshal w. ID. Ranki and his
deputies, Messr5. JnO Taubman, f. Hoff-
man, G. A. Sturges, Jas. Moorehead and Jos.
Homer. Tn marshals on their well groomed
and spirited..horses looked very dignitied and
well did they act they part as commanders.
The two matchless and well drilled fam
beau clubs. each member carrying a shot gun
and firing it when so ordered, looked like q
body of veteran soldiers and marched TO the
music of their drum corps with a pre-
cislon of step only attained by the most per-
sistent practice and close attention to COM
mands.
Following the flambeau clubs came the
cadets Of Wentworth Male Academy, eighty
10 number, in citizens dress, under COM
mand Of Capt. Ed. RYland. They made
an excellent showing.
The hook and ladder truck .profusely deco
rated with flags and bunting. drawn by a
team IF horses aud each member 10 full UNI
form and ready for service came next and
was one of the prettiest displays made.
The Richmond Silver Cornet Band. an
excellent band. by the way, followed the
hook and ladder company and headed the
procession Of citizens In carriages and the
floats of the different business houses of our
city.
The first carriage was occupied by Mayor
Welborn and Col. S. N. Stewart, tho builder
of the bridge, and following them were seve-
raj carriages occupied by the bridge directors
aud prominent business men who had been
instrumental in bringing the project to a sue
cessful end.
Following the carriages came the Star cor
net band making the same class of music that
is fast gaining for them a state wide reputa-
ton.
The floats were all things of beauty and
reflected great credit upon our enterprisIng
citizens. A minute description OF them
would be almost an impossibility in eur
limited space and even were WI to describe
them at length we could not convey to our
readers minds the faintest idea of what O
grand spectacle they presented. The follow
ing merchants and business men were repre-
sented IN the order named.
Philip Keller, clothing.
UT Bros, house, sign ard scene painters
j.. T. Taylor, house and sign painter and
paper hanger.
Taubman q Fletcher, Lexington Machine
Shops.
10. A. Wilson, Phoenix Insurance Com
pany.
~ Eaehher, haLnr and cOnfectiOner.
Winkler Furniture Company.
Robt. Berrie, brick yard.
l.. Ripple, butcher.
Inc q, Young, burlesque on the snnkel
ferry boat 'Undine," and representing hi
livery and transfer stable.
Jos. ChanslOr, coal dealer and miner,
Bell II Greer. coal dealers and miners.
As the procession was to again form q
eight o'clock in the evening 1t was decide
not to make a complete tour of the city in til
morning on account OF the exceedingly lonl
march it would require, rs the programme
was to march to the pontoon bridge an
back, so they marched up Main to TnirteenI
street,down Franklin avenue TO Tenth stree
and from there 10 the river. Fully tire
thousand persons were In line on In" WAY
, the bridge and back. and the scene was Ii
livelIest ever witnessed here. AS the head
tue procession reached the Ray ounty shOl
II halt was called and q photograph taken
NhO Vi nv WV SAo"e hSA
aud on the return march as the head of Il
procession reached the Lafayette shore VI
other photograph WAS taken.
After returning from the river the crow
repaired to the front of the courthouse whel
an address of welcome was delivered I
Mayor Welborn.
7 At two o'clock p. m. fully three thousar
Z people were on the sand bar west of the cit
, where base ball games, shooting matche
:. horse and mule races were going on.
CHARLES Geyer, a native OF Lexington, WI
has gained u world wide reputation as a col
n tortionist and been properly named Il
"Human Serpent" showed his interest
% the welfare Of Lexington by giving for Il
= enjoyment Of her guests a free exhibition
his wonderful skill, He Is inleed an art
, In his line and The performance of his ma
a. velous feats was watched with the keene
Interest by fully three thousand people.
The ball game was between the w. NJ.
Is and Richmond teams for prize of $40. Go,
es playing characterized both clubs but I
" academy team, as has always been the cal
proved too much for the visitors as will
~ seep by the following score:-
1934567S9
Richmond ............O U 4 U U y i
a. w. M. A .............0 0 2 10 0 0 X
Left on base, Academy 4; Richmond, 2.
- A shooting match at clay pigeons fol