Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1895-07-09
F0URTHSOFLONGAGO


SOME OLD TIME CELEBRATIONS IN
HISTORIC BOSTON.
IN 1877 the General Court Gave Orders For
tho Observance Of the Day-Four Hogs
heads Of FREQ Punch In 1810-Man and
Bear Fight On tho Common.
The files Of old eastern newspapers
contain descriptions Of striking celebra-
lions and queer events which have occur
red on the natal day Of the nation. The
following, taken from the yellow and
musty files, were reproduced in the Bos
ton Globe, in the language of those who
witnessed the scenes and Incidents:
July 4, 1777, was noticed by every
mark Of joy. In the forenoon the Rev.
DR.: Gordon Of Roxbury, at the desire
OF the assembly, sitting here, preached
an excellent discourse from I Kings.
Xii, Is, after which the general court,
having given previous orders for making
every preparation for drinking success to
the Is United States, sent an invitation
to General Heath and the officers Of the
continental army and navy, and many
other gentlemen. While 1.-The Congress"
and other toasts were drunk the guns ON
Fort Hill, Castle Island, Hull and the
vessels Of war in the harbor fired a grand
salute.
July 4, 1896, there was great excite
ment in Boston. The Jay treaty Of amity,
commerce and navigation between the
United States and Great Britain had
just been concluded. The people of Bos-
ton believed that our rights would be
surrendered if the treaty were ratified.
Petitions for mass meetings to denounce
the action of Mr.. Jay were being circu-
lated on the streets during the celebra-
ton.
July 4, 1901, was a time particularly
calculated to excite the most intense
patriotic memories and emotions The
informal but vigorous war with France
had scarcely ceased. The young repub-
lies merchant marine was between the
fires of what has been of late termed
French "spoiation,' and British ag-
erosion and confscation Of ships and
imprisonment Of seamen. Then, too, the
Mediterranean pirates were to be at
tended to, and the preparation Of fleet
for the purpose of bringing the bar
barry rovers" to task occupied attention
ALI the bells were rung, flags display
ed, salutes fired by the artillery, by the
Constitution and Boston frigates, Fort
Independence and by the French cor
vet Berceau, which last was fancifully
decorated with colors.
The cadets, under Colonel Welles, as
usual, did the escort duties of the day
The fusiliers, under Captain Brazer,
paraded, performed a variety of evolu-
tions and firings with intelligence and
exactness and dined together at Dor
chester.
July 4, 1906, there was a man and
bear fight on the Common. The report
ers Of the day failed to record the num-
Der Of rounds or the winner.
July 4, 1910, the town furnished four
hogsheads Of punch, free to all.
July 4, 1922, from dawn till nearly
midnight was a jubilee, and the entire
population of the city, "clad in their
best attire, were in the streets or on
the Common, visiting the various deco
rated halls or witnessing the parade of
military corps Of horse and foot, and
numerous professions, and no scene Of
tumult or indeeorum was anywhere to
be seen.
His e1cellency the governor held the
usual levee in the senate chamber.
Among those who called to pay their
respects were the consul Of the king of
France, John Jacob Astor of New York,
Chief Justice Parker, Rev. President
Kirkland Of Harvard university, the So
ciety of Cincinnati in a body <about 30
Of the remnant Of the Massachusetts line
Of the Revolutionary army were present
ON the occasiun), Brigadier General Sui
Ivan and the officers Of the Third bril-
gade, First vision (the officers were in
very neat and mostly in new and rich
uniforms and were upward of 100 in
number), members Of the senate and
house, mayor, aldermen, clergymen and
the officials of the Mechanic Charitable
society:
The Society'of the Cincinnati held
their annual meeting at the Exchange
Coffee house, and "a gray haired veter-
ans Of the Revolution and their sons sat
down to the dinner. The president of
the society read q letter from the Mar
quis Lafayette, and a toast was drunk
to the health Of the Frenchman.
July 4, 1925, the fiftieth anniversary,
The Centinel appeared in mourning and
printed this introductory note:
IAN extraordinary occurrence makes
It q duty to give our columns the re-
spectful garb of mourning, although
they are devoted to the records of the
most festive celebration of our country's
independence since the interesting era Of
1776. Near the close of the celebration
today the venerable John Adams, the
senior surviving signer Of the immortal
Declaration, and one Of the committee
which reported it, amid the aspirations
Of millions in grateful memorial of his
services and Thanksgiving for the long
continuance Of his patriarcal life, was
translated from this to better world.
For manv. many veara ho had hcov thu