The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-07-08
The Fourth in Montpelier.

If the weather of the Fourth was due to
the transfer of the weather bureau from
the war department to the department
of agriculture, Montpelier votes pretty
unanimously in favor of going back
to the old ways The arrangements
for the celebration were made with fore
sight and care, and, so far as it was possible
to Judge, the programme was likely to un-
fold itself smoothly, happily and gracefully.
All the elements of great and successful
celebration were present but one-and that
the most important of all. Homes were
high, however, that the day would be fair,
for there was a hard rain on Thursday, and
the intensity of the thunder-shower of Fri
day evening all but convinced everyone
that no more rain was possible for at least a
week. But alas. the morning dawned in
shower, and through the forenoon, and for
a time in the afternoon, it raned hard and
almost continually. 1t was impossible to
conJure up any genuine enthusiasm under
such circumstances Yet the interest all
through central Vermont in the celebration
was great as the crowds of people who
poured in on the regular and special trains
during the forenoon witnessed. What a
crowd there would have been if it had been
pleasant Nor was the forenoon positively
uninteresting to the visitors. The concerts
OF the bands, the procession, and the ami
mated scenes caused by the presence of so
many faces on the streets served to make
the morning hours pass quickly. With the
afternoon came gimpses of the sun, a good
ball game and successful balloon ascen-
sion while in the evening the conditions for
the exhibition of fireworks were unsur-
passed. Consequently the spirits of all
rose as time went on. The day that broke
in rain ended in sunshine, and was quickly
followed by a blaze of pyrotechnic glory
such as is not often seen anywhere The
last state of Saturday was rather better than
the first, and, on the whole, notwithstand-
w hpliaua ha Nriait 70
Montpelier from so many towns in this part
of the state were pleased and satisfied with
their entertainment. \ word or two as TO
the crowds on the streets. Whether it was
due to their own moral rectitude or to the
raids OF Sheriff Howe on the saloons, there
was remarkably little drunkenness no.
ticeable. The police force of regular and
special officers exercised commendable Wig
ilance, and kept the crowds from blocking
the street corners. The people were good
natured, too; they came to see the fun aud
have good time, and they did both. The
decorations throughout the village were
neat and unpretentious, but quite general.
Nearly every building had some mark of
respect for the day and the exercises by
which the birth of our independence was
commemorated. No display of bunting,
however, was elaborate, and the only deco
ration which seemed to us worthy of par
tcular mention was that of NJ. w. Whee-
locks bindery. This was entirely of col
Ofeu Cdru-bOafui com Dlneu INTO variety OF
tasteful and ingenious designs. The events
of the day are described below somewhat in
detail.
THE PROCESSION.
The procession was late in forming, as it
was raining steadily at ten o'clock and the
participants were not eager TO "stand round,
doing nothing" in the rain, At length,
however, soon after eleven o'clock, the
column rounded the corner of Barre and
Main streets, and, with the Montpelier Mill
tary Band at its head, began the march
through Main, School, Loomis, Liberty,
Franklin, Mechanic, Vine, Summer Win
ter, Elm, Main and State streets, Western
avenue, Baldwin, Bailey and lower State
streets to Depot square. j. NJ. Boutwell,
was marshal, and his aids were George b.
Walton and Joseph b. Morse. The pro-
cession was not long, but its features were
well calculated TO amuse the crowd and
provoke hearty laugh from even the
habitually serious Much pains in prepara-
ton had been bestowed on some of the
characters and scenes, and had the day not
been so unfavorable the effect would have
been quite brilliant, Too much praise cannot
be given TO the young men who Loyalty rail-
lied to carry ont this part of the programme
CONTINUED ON FOURTH PAGK.l