The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-07-05
A GREAT DAY.
HOW ROANOKE CELEBRATED
THE FOURTH OF JULY.
fHE STARS AND STRIPES RUIZ ~.
Pretty Girls ana Deeovat.ors-How
The Soldier Boys Looked and
Marehed-A Dny 60 be Remembered.
Now II Has Spent In Town.

The glorious Fourth has come and
gone. The small boy has extracted
great deal of sport out of il; the pa
rade was grand successive fireworks
last night were beautiful and nothing
was wanting TO make the day one long
to be remem bered.
The parade was the great feature OF
yesterdays celebration. Promptly at
0 o'clock it started from the eng,be
house and wound its way along the
principal streets Of the city. TIE
sidewalks were thronSed with pecple
and many of the houses along the
route af the procession were hern-
somely decorated with flags ana
bunting.
Pretty girls thronged the porches
and waved their handkerchiels IS
some favorife organization, to which
brother, father or sweetheart be-
longed, passed by. The Roanoke Ma
chine Works Band, twenty strong, had
the right of the line and made as
good music as usual. This lie as high
compliment as could be paid them.
Next came carriage occupied by
Chaplain Bushnell, and after this
another in which was seated Mayor
Evans and Senator Trout. They
were cheered a number of times along
the line. There were several other
carriages occupied by officers Of the
various organizations participating
Next came the Junior order OF
American Mechanics, numbering
about sixty men, and SIS handsome
and healthy looking sixty men as
could be found anywhere. They had
as their guests the lodge from Mines
about thirty-tiye men.
The Independent Order of Odd Eel
lows made fine showing and were as
well drilled as any soldiers In the conn
try. Their evolutions were executed
with aquickness and precision that
merits more than a passing notice.
There were about forty men III tho
parade and their appearance was
something to be proud Of.
The Red Men in their scarlet re-
galias made an attractive appearance.
They too were very well drilled and
commanded, and the several mys-
tic emblems which they carried, took
the fancy OF the small boy as well as
his brother of a larger growth.
After the Red Men came the various
hose companies and ths members
turned out in full force. Looking at
their stalwart forms the owner of
house felt certain sense OF security
creep over him. Roanoke has un-
doubtedly come OF the best lire conf
panies in the State and the members
take and interest and have an enthus
iasm about their work that can o,
found in very few places. The engines
and reels of the various companies
were beautifully decorated with iass
and flowers and attracted much at.
tention.
The Roanoke Light Infantry
brought up the rear of the column.
About thirty of the boys who wear
the gray were in line under the COIN
mand of Captain Brooke and when
they passed by the young ladies' On
the porches and aio.ig the street were
captivated. There is nothing like
gray coat with big brass buttons 10
capture the average feminine fancy.
When the line reached the Third
ward school building halt was called
anu II1c NdTlOuo OlSdulDdLIOus tHsteA.
The opportunity was improved by the
ralsing OF flag and as the stars and
stripes we're raised and the breeze
caught up the silken fabric and
shook it out, the band played the
Red, White and Blue" and shsut
went up from a thousand Threats.
Dixie" was next on the program and
then the cheers were twice as loud and
as lorg.
Under the command of Chief Mar
shall Mcdonnell the procession again
took up the line of march. winding
around the grounds of the Hotel Roa-
noke and back again to the engine
house. 1t was a success in the best
sense of the word and the promoters
should have the sincere thanks Of
every one who enjoyed il.