Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1891-07-09
Established in 1913.
FORTUNE FAVORS THE DAY.
Our Fourth Is Full of Patriotism
and Fun.
A Big Crowd, Exquisite Weather, Witty
Addresses and Amusing Sports
Come Again Next Year.

w VI uOG IL ID a VI
public sentiment when national holidays
sacred to the commemoratiOn of great
events, are celebrated with fun instead OF
in the solemn way, is an open question
Certain it is that with the vast majority
Decoration Day and the Fourth of July,
two days that recall occurrences as
tremendous, and as dear to the feelings
of patriotic citizens, as any that can be
imagined, are more observed by a general
jollification and good time than by exer-
cises of pomp and seriousness. There
should, in fact, be something serious and
something at which to laugh. The pop
ulace when it comes together demands
rather amusement than instruction. In
the nature of the thing, and to make
them remember the day, they should be
entertained rather than bored. Solid
mental food is always taken with less
grimace and is better aSsimilated when
sugar coated with fun. To this fact is
largely due the success of st. Clairsville's
Fourth. The weather, too, cut no incOn-
spicuous figure. 1t was perfect-dry,
cool, invigorating. The programs heaY-
ier part-referred to abOve-began at
1920 in the morning. Before that time
the Uniontown COrnet Band, which by
the way is an excellent organization for
its purpose, had collected the people and
gotten them into the Hall. The Glee
Club which was to have furnished songs,
owing to the pressure of other work, ETC.,
was unable to do so. After the reading
of the immortal Declaration, George c.
Mckee, Esq, of Bridgeport, was intro
duced, and made neat and fitting speech,
congratulating the audience on their
living in this country and in this county, |
and stirring their memory by historical
illusions. His effort was well taken.
The Hon. e. L. Weems then made more
extended and pretentious address, which |
was received in the spirit in which it was
given. Good jokes and excellent wit kept |
a smile going round, and the hall-full of
people were only saved by adjournment
for dinner from hearing most profound,
critical and historical Grafton.
Although there was an Unexpectedly
large crowd at the morning exercises, it
was greatly swelled by the afternoon
contingent of farmers, who had cut
wheat for half the day, and others. The
sidewalks on each side of the square were
thronged, and on the Court House steps
the people were massed in tiers. Windows j
were crowded with faces, and some eager S
individuals even went On their housetops
in order to see the sport. There was a
general and consuming desire to see, and
the race course was with difficulty kept
clear. The sport, too, was worth seeing. s
The boys foot race was crowded with
about score of entries, and was hotly
contested. The winners were Harry ]
Scott, Willie Bumgarner and Lee Nc
Cartney, in the order given. The boys
are good sprinters and should keep in
practice.
In the wheelbarrow race Frank Rice,
Emmet Moore, and Frank Brown won.
In this race the runners were blindfolded,
and one of them drove his wheelbarrow J
off the track and into the crowd. Nobody
was badly hurt, and everybody laughed
at the bewildered youth. Three little
girls were knocked down and somewhat
bruised
The three legged race was thoroughly
enjoyed by the spectators, to many of ]
whom it was new The manner of it is
this. Two young men stand side by side Z
and the right leg of the one is tied to the {
left leg of the other. They then affect
ionately clasp one another about the
neck, and step off in unison. If they do
not step in time they are certain to fall
and this catastrophe overlook a pair
much to the general amusement. The {
winners were Miskimmons and Harris,
Moore and Rice, and Robinson and
Harris.
In the sack race, the racers move by
jumps in the kangaroo style. Several of
them in this contest bit the dust, and /,
rolled and writhed in Intellectual attempts +.
to rise. Andy Keys took first, Achilles
Keys second, and Arthur Mcfarland
third prize.
The owner of the mule coming in last
got first money in the mule race, and the
owners were not permitted to ride their i
own animals. Consequently their was a
great digging of heels and shouting and |
humping when the patient lOng-ears :
were off. Through some neglect !
drunken fellow was allowed to ride ]
mule; he, of course, guided it into the t
crowd, and Frank Brown was knocked {
down, and cut about the face. The i
beasts of Addison Davis, and J. Bealls c
won. e
Great interest was taken in the mems a
race. Three dashes of $50 yards
were run. Will Kunkle, Frank Brown,
and Fred Harris got the prizes. Much
acrimonious discussion arose over this !.
race, and the talk may yet result in an :
another contest among the champions.
1t was estimated that the boys in the
potato race would have to travel over
1 600 yards nearly good, full English
mile. They did it well. New potatoes
worth fifty cents peck were used.
Clarence Cochran, Dulin Barrett, and :
Eph Patterson won the money.
The creased pole climbing massed the
people at the end of the square. The
pole was % feet high, and well besmeared
with the greasiest of grease. 1t was
more slippery and uncertain than an eel.
A number of confident climbers assailed
it, but it eluded their grasp, and would
not respond to their embraces. Finally
Will Harris stepped to the scratch, and
wonnd his arms about the pole. He
Rugged its Shiny form to his bosom,
and tied his legs about it in wonderful
intricacias LIE want I'M one innh and