The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-07-05
OUR FATHERS FOURTH.
How the Day Was Celebrated a Gener-
alton Ago.
An Interesting Programme for 1861 The
Pioneers Were PatriOtic-rhe Bands
and Militia Companies.

The stglorious Fourth was celebrated
early in the history Of Salt Lake city in
the regulation style of later times. Prep
arations were begun six weeks before.
At sunrise, 'sOld Bess, - the 'sOld Sow
and other cannon that have place in
history gave the national salute. These
salntes were given either from a point
north of Temple square, or. as usually
happened, from Arsenal hill. A gun was
fired for every state in the union.
Later came the parade, for which there
were as many participants as spectators.
There was always the Goddess OF Liberty
represented by some stately young wo-
man. Miss Nellie Colbrcok served in
that capacity once, as did q Miss Spencer.
The children were usually to be seen
in the procession. The costumes We're
patriotic in the extreme, the girls wear
ing white dresses, blue sashes and red
roses, the boys white pants, blue shirts
and red Sashes.
There was always plenty OF martial mu-
sic. As early as 1850 the city had three
bands. They were known as the Martial
band, Balls band and Pitts band.
There was always military showing in
the procession. The minute Men, or
Life Guards'' could be seen and were
usually cheered Justify by the crowd. The
company was formed soon after the plo-
neers came to the valley, and held them
selves in readiness to fight Indians at a
minutes notice. The militia proper, Or
WAYS a part of the tFourth OF
July procession. The ''Silver Greys'
was company of men over 90 years of
age, who enjoyed many of the same
tokens of respect we now show members
of the G. A. r. Many members OF the
company had fought in the war of 1872.
a programme of the celebration in 1861
gives the following order of procession.
Militia under Captain Taft.
Martial band. under Major Dimick B. Hunting
Company oflght infantry under Captain George
Romney.
President and directors OF the Deseret Agri
cultural and Manufacturing society, fol-
lowed by agriculiurisIs. wagons loaded
with fruit, grain and manufac-
tureo articles.
Stock raisers-
Hortcuiturists.
Chemists.
MillwrightS.
Bridge builders.
Deseret foundry people.
Other crafts and trades.
Ballots band
Civil engineers.
Representatives of the press. Wagon contain
ing pressmen who strike off patriotic songs
and distribute them TO the people.
day.
Schools.
Alter the parade the people assembled
at the big bowery on Temple square
where the Declaration of independence
was read and speeches were made. This
over, they repaired to the assembly halls
and danced till the wee sna' hours.
Henry Nesbitt read the Declaration Of
independence at several celebrations
Many can rememh-- how T. B. II. Nc
AllIster, or Alphs IcAlEster, now OF
St. George, use 10 sing 1.-THE Star
Spangled Banr - MI Dunbar would
sometimes var. the progra nme by play
ing the bagpiP AT the evening parties
Henry Mabin ten danced the fFisher's
Hornpipen and Other fancy dances.
Sometimes the addresses were given al
the square where the university now
stands, or on the Old Fort square.
Once or twice s'the Fourth'' was cele.
brated by an excursion to Black Rock OF
Cottonwood canyon.
he only modern institution lacking
then could be easily dispensed with now
the combination of the small boy and The
firecracker.