The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-06-08
st. Paul Celebrates the Completion Of
the Great Northern Road to
the Coast.
An Industrial Parade the Like of
Which Has Never Been Seen In
the Northwest.
Gorgeous Floats I'm Great Varietyand
OF Perfect Workman
ship.

ST. PAUL. June s.-The people Of the
Northwest have witnessed many mag
nifcent spectacles in the Twin Cities.
There have been decorations and par
ades and illumination on almost every
occasion which could warrant them
during the past 10 years. and they have
without exception done honor to the
cities in which they have occurred.
Never before in the history of the
Northwest, however, have the people
had an opportunity of witnessing SO
magnificent spectacle as that seen at
the parade in honor of President j. j.
Hill and the completion of the Great
Northern railway TO the Pacific coast
For weeks the citizens of st. Paul
have been making preparations for the
event, erecting beautiful arches, max
ing floats of most wonderful construc-
ton, and decorating buildings with
miles of bunting and hundreds Of
thousands of flags. Tuesday night
everything was practically in readiness,
only few finishing touches being put
On in the morning before the parade.
And there were people to witness 1t.
st. Paul and Minneapolis were there in
force, and citizens of these two places
alone would have comfortably filed up
the line of march. There were the
delegates to the reciprocity convention
nearly thousand strong. The Loyal
Legion, also holding its an
nual session in the city,
adjourned to witness the spectacle,
and thousands of citizens of the great
Northwest. representing nearly every
town from the Pacific coast to tho
Great Lakes. Train after train un-
loaded its human freight at the Union
depot. and by noon the downtown
streets were crowded so that pedes-
trianism was difficult matter.
trianism a difficult matter. By the
time the parade started every point oi
vantage. every window, and on some OF
the downtown streets every foot oil
sidewalk was occupied by those who
had come to witness great sight.
The weather was superb 1t was
neither hot nor cold, though the sur
shone brightly all day.
The Fire Department.
The parade of the fire department
preceded the regular parade by about
half an hour. starting from the corner
of Sixth street and Broadway The st.
Paul fire department always makes a
good showing, and it has never made a
better one than on this occasion. Every
engine, truck and hose cart in the city
was in line. All were profusely decor
ated with flags, bunting and flowers,
and the designs were beautiful. The
parade of 1.-The bravest" was we'll worth
seeing, even without the great parade
which followed. There was plenty
of well deserved applause as they
passed. One feature which attracted
attention was the the boys company.
They had full-rigged miniature hook
and ladder truck. drawn by about a
dozen of their number and led by a
dog.
The Parade Proper.
The parade was ready to start with
much greater promptness than is usual.
ly the case, and the last of the fire de-
partment had hardly been seen when
the first division of the historical and
industrial parade appeared in sight.
The regular troops from Ft. Smelling
came with soldierly tramp and bearing
to lead the way for the display d
Northwestern wealth and progress
Many companies of Minnesota STATE
troops marched past in company front
and were followed by the cadets from
the academies at Faribault, Northtield
and other educational centers.
Ancient and wooden modes of travel
were then illustrated. Early French
voyagers sat in their canoe and Sane
songs of adventure as they padded ovel
the waters.
The first chapel built in the North.
west, at st. Paul, was shown, half-size
in log cabin built true to primitive
customs.
The next step in transportation was
exemplified by the oldtime Red River
carts, with two immense wheels drawn
by oxen.
Then the prairie schooner, and stage
coaches, and finally the rail
road, crude at FIRST, and
slow but developing rapidly until
the enormous modern locomotive and
palace cars were brought to view.
The Indian drags and scenes of Indiar
life We're escorted by the Indian band
from Fort rotten. North Dakota, neal
Devils Lake. The leader wore th.
native feathers and furs
The first and last Great Northern a0
gines were shown, and they told oI
mans advancement during SO year.
that could not Be better depicted il
columns of space,