Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1894-07-05
FOURTH OF JULY.
What Was Done Here and in Other
Places.

Z Places.
About o'clock Tuesday evening tn,
racket began, and increased in vigor til
about IL o'clock, when the excitement
reached its height Still, at its best i
was hardly up to the noise of a year ago
While the general celebration was il
the square, there Were the usual crowds
parading the different streets to keeI
people informed that the Fourth was
coming About 10 o'clock the bonfire
was started and all the stray barrels
and rubbish within the radius of a mile
found last resting place there. Soon
after midnight the crowd began to thin
out and before 2 o'clock the streets were
quiet. The crowd was orderly and well
behaved. Pedestrians did not have to
run the gauntlet of bursting crackers as
has been the case in previous years, but
everybody seemed happy. Wednesday
was quiet, several hundred people from
here going to other towns to celebrate.
A big crowd went down to Keene in
the morning. The wheelmen did not
/ turn outvery well, only bakers dozen
starting from here. Many wheelmen
went down on the train, leaving their
machines at home, so the showing from
this place in the parade was not up to
last year. The Keene boys did them
selves proud, and the celebration was a
success in every particular. Much to
the surprise of visitors, everything was
carried out as advertised except the Ian
tern parade in the evening, which was
abandoned because the riders We're too
tired and there were other things to fill
up the time. The races did not turn
out just as those from here would have
liked, but in view of the fast time made
the boys from here did very well. There
We're number of crack riders, and they
cut the time down several seconds below
what was expected. Thwing got fourth
place in the two-mile handicap, and
that was the only prize brought here.
Joubert made good attempt to win
the half-mile open, and led till the
home stretch, when the wind held him
and the other riders passed him. Had
he let some one go ahead to break the
wind till the home stretch, he stood a
good chance to win. AS it was hemade
them all hustle, the heat being ridden
in LILO 3-4, he being only about four
wheel lengths behind the leader. The
fire works in the evening was magnifi-
cent, and ended day of sports such
as Keene never saw before.
Two unpleasant features of the day
at Keene were the lack of food
at the hotels and restaurants and the
lack of seats in the trains coming
home. Every car was crowded, some
seats holding three or four persons,
and the aisles were packed full. Evil
dently neither Keene nor the railroads
expected such crowds, but the latter
could easily have coupled on more
cars and given the passengers the
accommodations for which they paid.
The Foresters' picnic at Charlestown
was a glorious success, several hundred
going from here. The day was pleas
ant, and everything passed off smooth
ly. AT noon a clam chowder dinner
was served, and was feature of the
day as well relished as any. In the
afternoon there was dancing in the
Casino, for which Comstock's orchestra
furnished the music. The dancing con-
tinued, with few intervals of rest, till
late in the evening. In the afternoon
those who stayed out doors found en-
joyment in the athletic contests. A
private display of fireworks in the
evening from the grounds of Charles
H. Hoyt was an attraction not down on
the program, but was pleasing
addition which was enjoyed by many.
The excursion train arrived here about
11.30 o'clock, and the crowd was in the |
same condition as those who went to |
the other places, tired but happy, and
glad they would not have to work SO
hard again for another year.
Chester asked for and got a delega-
ton from this place, and those who
went up enjoyed themselves. There
We're horribles, hose race, which the
Bridgemans from this place won, bicy-
Gle races and other athletic sports, and
a ball game in which the Chesters de-
feated the Proctorsvilles. A dance at |
the Fullerton closed the days fun.