Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-07-09
FOURTH OF JULY

1
on Friday settled the dust and Saturday
was a cool and charming day for excite
ment.
IN the forenoon the first attraction
was the parade, which formed at the
city hall in Grand Rapids and marched
in circuitous road to the Centralia
High school grounds. The pageant was
pretty spectacle and one of the most
interesting features in the days events.
The line passed the many reviewing
stands i'll the following order:
Bicyclers Oh Mounts
\. B, Crawford, Marshal of the Day. Mounted.
Germania Band.
Grand Army of the Republic.
Sons of Veterans.
Uncle Sans Boys
| Carriage with Mayors and Speaker of the Day.
Centralia Fire Company, in New Uniforms.
Grand Rapids Fire Dept, in New Uniforms.
Steamer and Hook and Ladder Truck.
Floats
Citizens in Carriages
The industrial division of the parade
made a most creditable appearance and
all the floats in the passing show were
neat and novel representatives of the
respective business houses that sent
them out. The following dealers had
something nice in line:
f. MacKinnon Mfg. Co. 6 floats; !;
Corriveau & Garrison, merchants; J. w.
Natwick, furniture; Jackson Milling
Co., flour; NJ. A. Bogoger, furniture;
Model Steam Laundry; F. E. KelIner,
merchant; Preston Bros, machinery
and hardware; John Parrish, sash,
doors and lumber; Spafford, Cole &
Lipke, merchants; Johnson, Hill & Co.,
dry goods and drugs, z t1oats); Grand
Rapids Foundry, a floats; Grand Rap
ids FIGURING Co.; Centralia Jewelry &
Music Co.; Pabst Brewing Co.. Cham
berlain, liquor dealer; Twin City Broom
Co.; Centralia Hardware Co.; Dixon
House; John Hollmuller, liquor dealer;
Cohen Bros, merchants; Milwaukee
Cheap Store; Ten Cent Bus Line;
Oberbeck Mfg. Co., furniture; A. Sick
les, barber; Grand Rapids Table Co.;
n. Reiland, meat market; Hagemeister
Brewing Co.; 0. P. Menzel, photogra-
pher; Centralia Meat Market.
At the Centralia school grounds a
large number listened to Mr.. Geo.
L. Williams, speaker of the day, who
dwelt principally upon uniting the
cities of Grand Rapids and CentraIia.
After referring to the fact that this was
the 12Oth anniversary of the Declaration
of Independence and to the conditions
which existed in 1776 when the Declara-
ton of Independence was signed and
published to the world, and to the
changes which had since then taken
place upon this continent, Mr.. Williams
referred to the struggle which followed
the treaty Of peace in 1888. The strug-
gle from 1888 to 1889 was characterized
as being one of more danger to the
colonies than that Of the war which had
preceded it, but this struggle finally re-
suited in the formation of the constitu-
ton and its ratification and approval by
the colonies.
The lesson which the speaker sug-
gested should be drawn from this period
and which he desired to impress upon
his hearers was the necessity of united
action in matters of public concern.
He stated that the celebration of the
4th OF July was mainly beneficial in
that its tendency was to stimulate pa
triotism and to instIll into our adopted
citizens patriotic feelings, but that it
should do more than this, it should be
our endeav0r to draw some leasons
from the past, to take with Us from the
celebration.
The speaker then stated that the
present united celebration and union of
fire companies was to him at once an
object lesson and an inspiration. 1t
showed certainly a friendly feeling on
the part of the citizens composing the
fire companies and inspired him with
the belief that there was favorable
feeling on the part of the citizens of
Centralia and Grand Rapids toward the
union of the two cities. The advan-
! tages which would flow from a consoli-
| dation of the two cities was referred to
| briefly. Among other points men
| toned being those Of an elevated stand
ing which would be gained and i'm
pressed upon outside communities and
the business world. The fact that the
unity of the cities would bring unity
of action and concentration of purpose
in all of our public affairs and in bring
| ing our opportunities for business and
business advantages before people look
ing for places to invest their capital.
The fact that a union would do away
with jealOusies and rivalry and would
furnish opportunity for the improve
ment of our school system, was also
referred to. The union of the cities OF
Green Bay and Fort Howard, Of Brook
lyn and New York, was referred to, and
it was stated by the speaker that there
was no reason existing, which brought
about the consolidation of such cities
which was not fully applicable to these
two cities.
! Question as to how such consolidation
and union might be effected was ther
discussed. Section 92S of the Revised