The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-06

scribed, 1.-THE Roanoke Machine Works. u
followed by the toremen and assistants,
messenger boys, machinists, LOGON tive
boiler apprentices, blacksmiths, boiler
makers, pipe filters and timers, foun-
orymen, passenger car builders, freight
car builders, painters, planning mill and
lumber yard men, helpers and colored
laborers to the number OF 1000 or
more; the colored band and G. u. O. of
o. e., colored.
The procession was a long one, and it
is estimated that fully 5000 men par
'!cipated in it, Upon reaching the
Roanoke and Southern depot it was
found that large platform had been
erected by the Roanoke Machine Works
by placing six fiat cars on the track
and filling in the spaces between. It
was 1874 feet long and 25 feet wide
and WAS gaily decorated with the ma
tionsl colors. Around this platform
we're four corner poles, beautifully
decorated with bunting, and each sur
mounted with United States flag.
-Four arc lights were placed on these
poles. All honor is due II. A. ellis,
who had the construction Of the plat
form in charge.
The programme was rendered as fol-.
lows: Must; by tho band, which was
followed by the choir singing the dox.
ology; Rev. DR.. w. G. Campbell, pastor
of the First Presbyterian Church, then
offered fervent prayer, after which the
choir sang COLUMBIA" It was beau.i.
fully rendered under the management
OF Prof. P. G. Leary. Mrs. Laary pre-
sided at the piano, which was furnished
by }. ID Hobbie of the Hobbie Music
Company. specially for the occasion.
Raw Dir GaDonho1l t.,
chosen words. then introduced the orator
of the day, Hon. j. Allen Watts. He
said In part:
zone hundred and nineteen years ago
tho representative men from ell over
this country met in the city Of Phila-
delphia to devise means for the estab-
lishment OF freedom and independence
for these United States. Representative
men like Jefferson from Virginia, Adams
from Massachusetts and Franklin from
Pennsylvania, were there-men whose
names have echoed the sound OF liberty
down through the century. One cues
tion Of interest to all came before this
body They believed that the people OF
this country should have civil and re-
ligious liberty and that it should be q
government. Of, for and by the people.
One remarkable thing was that these
men should be 30 patriotic when the cir
cumstances by which they were sur
rounded are taken into consideration.
"These men, in order to carry out the
principle for which they had Assem- bled,
gave to the world the second Magma
Charter OF the English people, the De-
claration Of independence. We are not
here to commemorate any bell, which
only mere piece Of brass, but to COM
memoraie the principles OF 1776, which
still live in the hearts of the people Of
this great country, You Virginiens,
whether by birth or adoption, you have
aa much right to that bell as any Penn
sYlvanian or Fhiladelphtan has, and to-
day we will see the people of Virginia
meeting the people of Pennsylvania in
fraternal love and friendship, and, in.
stead of having new North or new
South, we have one grand united PEG.
Pile who are ever ready to sacrifice their
all for the principals involved in the
story of the grand old Liberty Bell"
At the conclusion of Mr.. Watts
speech the multitude fairly gave vent
to their enthusiasm and yelled them
selves hoarse.
at exactly $40 the special train bear.
ing the bell and escort arrived in the
city. 1t was greeted by the roar OF
arh cry, as the four field pieces located
on Woodland Park hill belched forth
the national salute, and the big whi,tle
at the Roanoke Machine Works rent
tho air with its shrill sound, which was
the signal for all the whistles to blow
and bells to ring in the city The train
rolled into the station amid the deaten :
ing applause which arose from Is, 900
throats.
The specisl train consisted ~ fvo