Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-07-10
A GRAND SUCCESS.
The Celebration of the 4th in Great Bend
one of the Best Ever Held in
the County.

The result of the united efforts of
the citizens in this city in getting up a
celebration was better than anticipated
by the most sanguine. The weather
was all that could have been desired,
a cooling breeze from the southeast
rustled the leaves of the shady trees
and freshened the atmosphere to the
busy multitudes.
Early in the morning wagons loaded
with joyous children and patriotic
grown folks began to gather in the city
from all points of the compass. Every
train also brought crowds of happy
people, and by the hour for starting the
grand parade the streets were crowded
with teams and the sidewalks a busy
scene of gaily dressed humanity NOV
ing to and fro and bent on putting in
day of pleasure.
THE PARADE.
Promptly at 11:OO o'clock a. m. the
trades parade formed at the appointed
place and moved forward on it's
triumphal march. Every float was
at Che starting point on time, every
man was at his post and ready and
anxious to perform his part in the
grandest display Great Bend has ever
witnessed. The line of march as pub
lished last week was somewhat
Changed, so as to take in more of the
principle streets of the city and give
visitors ample time and opportunity to
take in the full display. When full
under way and coming up Main street
the display of gaily decorated floats
reached from the Santa Fe railroad to
Broadway. Some idea of the display
can be had from brief description of
the floats in the order iii which they
giving full description of each float.
That old pOineer resident and solid
business man, G. II. Hulme, headed the
procession with traction engine, him.
self the engineer. This engine pulled
wagon with water tanks and fuel,
threshing machine gaily decorted, with
canopy on top and under the canopy
seats arranged on which the Great
Bend brass band discoursed sweet
music galore. Behind this, and drawn
by the same engine, was the float of
the Great Bend Mills, probably the
most costly one in tue parade. This
float was a miniature mill on the move.
1t held an almost complete set of mill
machinery all in motion, the power
being gained by fixing a cog wheel to
the hind wheels of the dray on which
it was built and with shafting and
betting thereto attached the entire
machinery was run. The mlllers were
at work as busy as bees and the float
was a grand success.
Behind this foat.came the display of
Meyer Bros bakery, tasty aggrega-
ton of all things good to eat; with
appropriate signs and banners and lots
of bunsing.
G. n. & E. r. Moses came next with a
traction engine drawing seperators etc.
% top OF one of the seperators were
arranged seafs, and on these seats the
members of Pap Thomas post, G. A r.
&ere seated. They were a crowd of
jolly lads an9 made the welkin ring
with patriotic songs and hearty cheers.
Behind them came a wagon containing
the nembers of the Ladies Circle of
the1S. A. Il. All wagons and machin-
9rg were handsomely decroated with
flags and bunting and handsome BAN
ners.
She Great Bend Implement Com
pany followed with lively little trac-
tion engine drawn machinery. On a
threshing separator were seated bevy
of little girls representing the states
and singing happy songs of childish
glee. All were decked in national
cOlOrs.
A handsomely decorated barouche,
with banners and flags and and gor-
geous trappings on the horses, contain
ing four handsome young ladies came
next, representing d. n. Heizer, John
F. Lewis, j. w. Brown and w. H.
Odell, four of our eld-time real estate
wen.
The Walnut Creek Mills. with a