The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-07-08
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH {!
First-Class Celebration Of the Day in
Alexandria.

A LARGE CROWD PREsENT-AMUSE
MENTS OF EVERY
KIND.
For the first time since 1854, the
Fourth of July, more commonly
known as independence Day, and
one Of the principal national holidays,
was appropriately celebrated in Alex
andria.
THE CROWD
present went up into the two thon-
sands, and was made up of our own
people, visitors from the country and
adjoining parishes.
The programme was tell arranged,
starting out with the formation of the
procession in trout of the City Hall /,
and made up of beautifully decorated
floats, carriages, buggies, ETC., to say
nothing of the several hnndred on
foot. The Alexandria Silver Cornet
Band was in the lead and played sew
eral lively airs on the way to the II.
& p. depot, where the procession first
moved, to meet the visitors on the in
coming 1926 train.
Mr.. w. W. Wilmington was Grand
Marshall and had as his aid Mr.
Convillion.
After the train arrived the process.
sion was once more put in line, and
then it was the whole line moved
through eur principal streets, going
down as far as the Catholic church
then returning up town and stopping
at the City Hall square, where the
ceremonies and amusements of the day
were to take place.
The first thing in orde, was th'
reading of that grandest of all Ameri
can documents, the Declaration of In
dependence, written by Thomas JEFF
ferson. Mr.. VIM. Turner, of Pine
:, Vile, read the paper, and did so in
mastery manner. He has good de
livery, is fine reader, and received
: at the close, rounds of applause
Mr.. O. N. o. Watts was next intro
10 duced as the orator of the day an
% made, indeed, a fine speech. Il
y, y, spoke for fully an bour, and durin;
: this whole time his hearers stood be
fore him and listened with marked at
|: teution. a'he young gentleman is
natural orator and Rapidea feels prou
hi of him
Next on the programme was rec
m tution by little Miss Gertrude Genius
m who personated .he Goddess of liheI
III ty, her suhject being "l'he Blue an
the Gray" For one SO yonng Sd
-, showed remarkable talent in this lin
m she was never disconnected and IT
to cited Der lines with both ease an
ed grace.
Between the different speeches tt
=. band played some pretty music.
in, Mr.. Welch now stepped forwal
y and fpoke to the crowd, compliment
We We ing the ladies, and dwelling at lengt
", TO upon the great Importance of maxim
ne ne our proposed Fair in the Fall ST
en- m. cess; of the unsurpassed resources
le our Parish he spoke in most prais
- worthy manner. Action and a co:
-. - bined effort on the part of our peop
: was all that was needed TO deveit
IS our country as the greatest on Il
= globe.
rs The crowd now dispersed am
10 cheers, loud and long.
NOTES.
u Nearly every place in Town "
' decorated.
ost In the second and third floats we
for were seated the young ladies' W
respectively persona'ed The foFty-fo
States in the Union.
Master Purnell Wilmington act
as "Uncle SAM" and by his eve
,r's leok and gesture proved sncce
an Dancing on the platform III the q
s. square was heartily enjoyed by ma
cir Of the Young ladies and gentlcm'
The greasy pole and greasy |
acts were gone through with in an
an teresting and most Iaughable mann
of During intervals of the day
giant cannon helcLed forth in TIN
ma ,erous tones its miyhty voice.
ay' Fora great portion of the day M
of the business establishments
y NAMED closed.
: Sack racing was another of the
ace teresting features of the day.
ver At night fireworks and grf
as ball at the City Hall closed
cen festivities.
Hip! Hipl Hurrah for the
rious Fourth
lex --s-<~'S1-- i,
Not to be outdone by any OF