Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-09-22
HON. JERRY SIMPSONS DAY.
Many Hundreds of People Come Many
Miles to Hear the Congressman
From the Big Seventh.

Miles to Hear the Congressman
From the Big Seventh.
Last Saturday was truly jerry
Simpsons day, and to use Jerry's
"oriental phrase" there was no in
dication that the polished Ichabod G.
Long was ''in it.''
Many counCrymen and families came
into town early in the morning, pre-
pared to make day Of it, and the
streets early assumed the appearance
of circus day.
THE PROCESSION.
At 1920 the procession Of Jerry
Simpson people came down Broadway,
having formed out west Of town.
First came carringe containing Mr..
Simpson and his wife, followed by
wagon containing the Great Bend band,
and the boys playing as Justify as if
they had been imbued with the spirit
of the occasion.
Next came number of wagons loaded
with Jerry Simpson voters and their
families, carrying banners flags, etc.
Many handsome flags were displayed
throughout the procession.
Following was a wagon drawn by
four handsome horses, aud "loaded to
the gunwales with a string of young
ladies on one side and young men on
the other-an even number of each
and carrying a banner labeled Co
operation"
Then came sixteen or twenty wagon
loads of people, mostly from South
Bend, followed by about thirty young
gentlemen and ladies on horseback,
with handsome sashes, banners, etc.
Following these came a four horse
team, hauling header box filled as
close as it could be packed with little
boys and girls ranging from six to
twelve years of age, and exemplyfying
''overproduction," and followed by
more wagons and buggies.
Then wagon. numerously labeled
with printed legends which we had not
time to read, and carrying a Jack ass
wearing grandpa's hat and labeled
Register" This animal was 'Stand-
ing up for Kansas" Then followed
twelve or fourteen teams.
The Heizer band, in a wagon drawn
by four horses came booming along,
and the healthy lungs of the sturdy
country boys made the brass lnstru-
ments ring out tones of joy that were
an omen of victory.
Two loads of wheat followed, the
wagons being labeled For the prose
cution of illegal voters" After about
thirty more wagons came another load
of wheat for the same purpose.
Following was a float containing a
load of some twenty girls, all busily
knitting socks ''For Jerry Simpson,
Then came another float containing
a teeter-totter, with labOrer on each
end, and another fellow in the middle
with handsaw trying to cause a
catastrophy. These boys kept SO busily
bobbing up and down we could not
read the labels on them-it may be well
that we could not.
Another load of campaign wheat
came, sandwiched in between some
thirty or forty wagons and buggies.
We counted 112 vehicles in line, and
made an estimate of about 400 people
! in the procession. The streets, how
ever, were crowded with people on the
sidewalks, and teams kept coming in
from the country from every direction
until. noon or after. The procession
would have been third larger had il
| not started Until o'clock
THE SPEAKING.
After dinner the bands started up in
the court yard, and the people gathered
around platform to hear the speaking
Frank Byram's little boy recited {
Jerry Simpson poem, and the Hon
Jerry was then introduced to the audi
ence.
| He spoke for two. hours or longer
with ease and grace, and made one o
the best efforts we have heard in man,
day. The audience was wonderful,
attentive. and although there was no
one fifth enough seats to accomodat.
the muititndes who wanted to hea
Jerry, there were none seen to leav
until the speaker had finished; Will