Omaha daily bee., 1896-07-05
u OMAHA NE VS.,

The grand Fourth of July celebration yes
terday was a success in every way. Early
in the morning merchants and private citi-
zens commenced to decorate their places OF
business and their residences. Flags were
TO be seen everywhere and long steamers
Of red, white and blue waved from above
almost every door. Visitors commenced to
arrive early aud by 10 o'clock the Town town
streets were crowded. Every motor train
from the north brought a load of people
and when time for the parade to start
came the sidewalks were blocked and hun
dreds stood on the pavement of the streets.
The weather was all that could be desired.
While the sun shone brightly there was a
cool breeze from the north, which lasted all
day.
The parade started promptly on time and
followed the line of march indicated in the
program. 1t was headed by the police force
mounted, followed by civic societies, the
fire department, local authorities and floats
representative of local business interests.
After covering the line of march as
mapped out the procession marched to the
park where a program was gone through
with. The Seventh ward military band
played several selections and then Rev. II.
p. Espey, pastor of the United Presbyterian
church offered an invocation. Mayor Ensor
delivered a short address Of welcome and
then Hon. j. H. read the Declara-
tion of Independence. Hon. Warren Switz-
Ter of Omaha delivered a patriotic address
and was followed by Jacob Hauck, who read
the Declaration of Independence in German
and then delivered a short address in the
same language. The Young Mems Christian
association glee club sang the Soldiers
Farewell and Rev. Father H.. j. McDevitt
pronounced the benediction. The large con-
course of people then proceeded to have a
good time, Lunch baskets were produced
and dinner was eaten under the trees to
the music of the band.
During the afternoon the numerous sports
amused the people and kept them in good
humor. A large stand had been erected in
the center on N street near Twenty-sixth,
where the sheep skinning contest took place.
William Crawford, who has quite a reputa-
ton as a fast skinner of sheep, won the first
prize. His time was two minutes and
thirty-eight seconds. Crawford then dressed
another sheep in fancy style, his time on
this work was three minutes and twenty
five seconds. The committee in charge of
this exhibition was Frank Smith, w. f.
Goodman. J. w. Wallwork, w. E. Mullen,
A. Wright, N. A.. Long, p. S. Casey and
Charles Akoffer. The judges were: j. b.
Smiley, j. f. Roberts and Paul Henri.
The bicycle races were held on North
Twenty-fourth street where the pavement
was almost as level as a floor. ID. Erion
won the half mile race. In the boys half
mile race n. Newstrom came out ahead.
The quarter mile race went to j. Malone
and the one mile race to d. Erion. John
Kifford, colored, one of the riders, met with
an accident, and besides skinning his face,
broke his wheel. The committee in charge
of the races was composed of Harry Christie,
Albert Hunter, L. B. Henderson, A. l..
bennett, John Russell, NJ. f. McReynolds,
]. L.. Barnett and T.. c. Marsh. The judges
were Harry Christie, AL Hunter and T. c..
Marsh.
The riding of the wild steer was the most
exciting event CT the day and was well
worth seeing. The steer was hauled over
from the stock yards in a wagon, and the
IL r IA. N~-,,- ,,.,1 .a,,nJ 80 rtrnn
between Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth
was the place chosen to turn him looose.
A medium-sized rope was fastened tightly
around the animal with two loops in for
the rider to hold on. A long rope was then
tied to his horns and r. II. Richard, on a
cow pony, held the other end of the rope.
AL Pierson did what little riding there was
done. Piersop mounted while the steer was
still confined in the wagon, and the first
thing the maddened animal did when loosed
was to make a jump and fall with one OF
Persons legs under him. The crowd yelled
for Pierson to hang on to the rope and he
did. When the steer regained his feet he
started to buck and run, and Pierson was
thrown to the ground. The steer then
started after Richard and his horse, and
for a moment there was a lively race.
Richard put spurs to his pony and kept
ahead of the steer, all the time hanging
streets the steer was thrown, and after be-
ing securely tied was placed in a wagon
and taken back to the stock yards. Pier
son was not hurt by his fall.
Creased pigs were turned loose at different
parts of the city every hour or so all day
and Occasioned no end Of sport. The pigs
were all runnenrs from Runnerville and
gave the boys a lively chase, All of them,
however, were captured.
A forty-foot pole was erected at the corner
of Twenty-ffth and n streets and the top
creased. The person climbing the pole was
to get So. The band played a couple of Sc
~lections and when a good crowd had gathered
an adventourous youth essayed to obtain
the money. Several times he reached within
a foot of the top of the pole, but finally
had to come down to rest and another younS
man made the attempt In order to make
1t easier for the boys a %ten-foot ladder was