The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-05-19
COLUMBIA'S CENTENNIAL.
ONE OF THE oRANDEsT AFFAIRS
EVER HELD IN THE STATE.

ONE OF THE 6RANDEST AFFAIRS
EVER HELD IN THE STATE.
General Hampton speals--Thousands OF
visitors--Grand Military Parade--Gov.
Tii,man Heads the Military Procession
Evsrybedy Delighted.
COLUMBIA, s. O. May 17.-The Cen
tennial Celebration opened last We'd
nesday and ended on Friday. 1t was Il
complete success from beginning to
end. Thousands Of people were IN at
tendance. and everything passed off
most pleasantly. Main street was
spanned by numerous arches and the
toons, A rain which set in on Tuesday
night and which continued off and on
to the. end of the celebration, did some
damage to the decorations, but could
not dampen the order of the enthusias-
tic Columbians or their visitors. 81
On "Wednesday the celebration was
opened by a speech from Gen. Hamp-
ton at the fair grounds. The assem-.
bling of the military and the other
features of the civic procession was
amid strains of music and the cheers of
the multitude There were possibly
15, 600 people on Main street when the
various sections of the long line were
being marshalled into position.
III The line of march to the Fair grounds
was formed as follows:
r. Gordon of police.
IN Carriage containing Gen. Hampton,
the Rev. DR.. Ellison Capers, Mayor Nc.
Master and DIR, w. G. Fisher.
l. Confederate Survivors, mounted and
ON foot.
Carriages containing State and city
officials and invited guests.
l' Palmetto Regiment Band.
The military.
Palmetto Fire Company.
The marShalS Of the parade were:
John Taylor, chief; w. III. Gibbes, Jr,
| d. III, Crawford, G. A. Guignard, John
W. Dnnnoyant, +. Goodwin, Frank
Hampton, j. X. Alston.
In the carriages following that of the
orator of the day were the following
The Hon. M, G. Butler. the Hon. Will
liam Elliott, the Hon. w. II. Brawley,
the Hon. J. j. Hemphill.
Coz. r.. w. Shand, Congressman Geo.
D. tombstone, Ex-Governor John G..
Sheppard, Ex-Governor Hugh S.
Thompson.
b Col. Thomas Taylor, the Hon. w. l..
Mauldin, J. p. Thomas, DR., the Hon.
John Il. Rhett.
j. G. Hemphill. editor of The News
and Courier; j. X. Blackman and men,
bers of the executive committee.
Capt. @. j. Iredell, Aldermen j. r.
Allen, J. M. Smith, j. II. Green.
Col. d. Cardwell, Aldermen e. j.
Bremen, J. s. Dunn, H. j. Hennies.
Col. s. A. Pearce, VIM. Muller.
Governor Tillman, Secretary Of State
j. e. Tindal. Attorney General Y. j.
Pope, Superintendent of Education H.
l.. Farley.
Capt. George Bruins, Alderman w.
Mob. Sloan
AS the line moved up the streets the
crowds cheered their favorites, and the
enthusiasm was at times intense.
| Long before the procession had come
In sight of the Fair grounds. and while
yet the bands of music were only faint
ly heard in the. distance, throngs of
people began crowding into the gal
leries of the main building and secured
seats for hearing the grafton of the day
by Gen. Wade Hampton. A few mo-
ments later the head of the procession
appeared in sight.
The carriages containing the distin-
guished guests of the occasion dashed
into the ground. The Confederate
Survivors filed around the right of the
grounds and came to the stage, follow
ing Gen. Hampton, who was escorted
to his seat by Major McMaster on one
side AMI by DR.. w. q. Fisher, the presi.
dent Of the Centennial Association, on
the other. AS tho grand old hero as
cended the steps and appeared with un-
covered head in full view of the multi
tude cheer went up from the throats
of the men which made the welkin
ring. and from the galleries thou
sands of kidigloyed hands clapped an
q n n
The scene in the galleries at this mo-
ment was very picturesque and inspir-
ing. The bright colors of the ladies'
gowns, the fiuttering of their dainty
kerchiefs, their bright faces and flash
ing eyes made up picture calculated
to make even the old veterans heart
burn again with the thrill and passion
of youth.
Immediately following Gen. Hamp.
ton upon the stage were distinguished
Carolinians who had come here to re-
joice with Columbia in her glory and
! her pride. Among these were: Con.
gresham w. III. 8rawley, Congressman
j. j. Hemphill, United States Senator
Nj. O.. Butler, Congressman George
Johnstone, Ex-Governor Sheppard, Ex-
Attorney Gen. Earle. State Senator
Woodward, Ex-Lieutenant Gov. Maui
din, Ex-Governor Hugh s. Thompson,
Col. a. i. Butler, Major j. q. Hemphill,
of The News and Courier, Col. Thomas
Taylor, Col. S. A. Pearce, Ex-Attorney
General Leroy L. Youmans, Major l..
w. Youmans, Solicitor o. Nj. Shumpert,
Governor Tillman, State Senator Sloan,
Mr.. II. w. Shand, Secretary of State
Tindal, Attorney General Y. j. Pope,
Superintendent of Education Maytield,
Comptroller General Ellerbe, State
Treasurer Bates. Col. II. Nj. Sims, Con-
gresham w. e. Elliott. Attorney Gen
eral Farley, the Rev. y. 5. Vedder, Mr..
Clarence Nettles. Mr.. A. A. Hewlett Of
the Charleston, Sumter and Northern
Railroad. and many others.
Mayor McMaster, as soon as he could
make himself heard, opened the meet
ing by requesting the Rev. Ellison Ca
pers to make II blessing on the proceed
lngs.
After prayer Mayor McMaster deliy-
cred an address of welcome. and then
introduced Gen. Hampton as the ora
tor Of the day.
As Gen. Hampton rose to respond,
cheer, after cheer went up from the
crowd and the fair daughters of Caro-
lima rose In their seats to give emphasis
to their welcome to one or the greatest
of Carolina's sons.
Gen. Hampton was attired In dark
gray suit, and from the lapel of his
coat waa an lappndpd badUea of tho Ean.