Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-07-12

ITS OBSERVANCE IN ALMA
a SUCCESS.
NOT AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED.


Fireworks, and Plenty Of Sport.
The one hundred and nineteenth an
niyersary of the nations birthday was
celebrated III fitting manner in Alma
and the day may well be called a red
letter day in every way: in the success
ful carrying out of the program, in the
pleasure it afforded. and financially to
our merchants and the numerous socie-
ties which catered 20 the wants of the
inner man. Not an accident occurred,
and the weather was as fine as if it had
been made to order 10y the committee in
charge Of the celebration.
The procession was formed on the
corner of Superior and State
streets in the order published, and
healed by the bands marched to Stuttz
grove, where, after music by the Alma
Glee club and the invocation by Chap
lain Lozier, Mr.. l.. \. Sharp, who is an
unusually fine reader and had studied
his subject carefully, read the Declara.
tion of Independence. The Glee club
rendered another selection, after which
Capt T. NJ. Allen delivered the grafton,
a mastery effort which showed that
much study and time had been spent in
its preparation. In his Grafton Capt
Allen spoke Of the various phases of
society and their relations TO govern
ment. He dWeit with much emphasis
on education rs the one factoc which
had most 20 do with the perpetuity of
our nation, and urged the Importance
of teaching the youth of today, who are
TO be the men of affairs a few years
hence, the value of industry and econ
omy, and when this leseon is learned
our government is safe.
The oration is said to have been the
best ever delivered in the county, and
at It's close Chaplain LoZier stepped to
the front and asked the old veterans in
the audience to come to the front and
give three cheers for Old Glory, and
while venerable Uncle Church stood on
the platform and waved the flag and
the ladies' and gentlemen below
waved their handkerchiefs, three
rousing cheers were given for the flag.
Chaplain LoZier was asked to sing, and
he favored the audience with The Sword
of Bunker Hill, and was rewarded with
round after round of applause.
The music by the Alma Glee club,
under direction Of Prof !. 7. Ewing.
was one of the most pleasing features
of the exercises at the grove, and after
another selection had been rendered
and the benediction pronounced, the
was again formed and
marched back TO the village.
In the afternoon occurred the sports
without which our natal day can never
be appropriately observed. The fire.
mems drill was the iirst on the program
1t was expected the drill would be COM
petitiYe, but at the last moment the
other companies failed to materialize,
and Alma's firemen had the field all to
themselves, and gave an exhibition
which was very much eDjoyed by the
spectators, and highly creditabie to
themselves, to their lieutenants
Messrs. Frank Medler and Carts
Brown, and to the drill master, George
Soper, who had labored so hard to
bring the men TO the standard of excel
lence they had attained. The liremen
were justly entitled TO the prize money
which was TO have been divided between
the competing companies, and the en-
tire amount was given to them.
The Alma Light Guards, Theodore
Nelson captain, gave an exhibition
drill, which elected much commenda-
ton, and purse of Sl3 was easily
raised and presented to them.
In the 100 yard dash for men, J. J.
HacKett and Fred Avery were contest
ants. Hackett won first prize, Avery
second. The boys foot race, 20 yards,
was won 10y Beverly Cary, with Archie
VanDyne close second.
The fat mems race was hugely en-
joyed by all, and by none more than the
themselves. Jud Longwell
Of st. Louis won first money, and l..
Story second.
The sack race, too, afforded the crowd
great amusement. The FIRST prize was
won by "a man named Knowles, and one
named Olds won second prize.
In the free-for-all bicycle race, 500
yards, first prize was won by Ed. Peque-
gnat of St. Louis, and Will Helm of st.
Louis won second prize.
In the boys race, same distance,
Theodore Nelson easily won first prize
aud Bradley stone of Ithaca was de
clared winner of the second price.
Frank Wheeler Of the Alma Mercan-
tile Co. was given the prize for the
most novel trimmed wheel and costume,
and also for winning the obstruction
race.