Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-10-15
MAMMOTH PARADES.
GOLD AND SILVER HOSTS OF
CHICAGO MARCH.
The Mightiest Demonstrations Ever
Seen Upon This continent-Tene Of
Thousands In Line, Viewed by Half
MiiIion-City Suspends Business.
A Memorable Day,

Friday was the twenty-fifth anniversary
Of the burning of Chicago and the day was
COMMUNICATED i'm that city by two of the
greatest political demonstrations ever
witnessed in this country. The day was
given 10 mammoth procession of gold
men. and at night an army 10000 strong
of those fav0rng silver marched the
streets with flaming torches and lusty
shouts for their candidates.
Over 10000 men ON foot, on horseback,
on floats, in carriages. all of them directly
identified with the Industrial and COM
mercial activity of Chicago, occupied the
down town streets from 10 o'clock in the
morning until 4:15 O'Clock in the after
noon. Some of them were mllionaires,
some of them day laborers, many of them
employers and thousands of them wage
carners. This was the composition of
what was admittedly the largest, best
managed and the most successful parade
ever witnessed in the city. 1t was Chi
cago's own day, the twenty-fifth aniver-
sary of the fire of 1871 and the quarter
centennial of the upbullding of the city.
Ten o'clock was the hour designated by
the Chief Marshal as the time for the
movement to begin. The hands on the
watch of the artillery officer represented
an acute angle. He nodded to the gunner
in charge of the battery section. The
twelve-pound Napoleon spoke. Chief of
Police Badenoch spurred his horse. The
great procession was in motion.
The step was in quick time, and $1,000
men were continually in the line AS fast
as they reached the point of dismissal
they were hurried away. The slightest
delay was prevented. The distance COW
cred by each man in the actual line Of
march was three and one-half miles; his
marching time was one hour and twenty
minutes, while five hours was the time
required for the procession to pass given
point.
Sixty Thousand in Line.
BY actual count these were 81, 1873 per-
SONS in the procession. OF these, %, 231
were on foot; 2,2I4 were on horseback,
and the Others were distributed on floats,
in carriages and ON bicycles. On the
floats We're $50 men; in carriages, $40;
the bands numbered !, ,430 men all told,
and 24O rode in tally-ho coaches. From
the stock yards came 7G0 mounted men.
One hundred and eight cyclists, acting as
couricrs, We're in line, while the police
numbered $50. Eighty-fve brass bands
ana forty me ana drum corps furnlshed
the music. Business firms represented
by banners numbered 120, while ninety
six political clubs marched in the col
umn. Among the wheeled vehicles were
17S carriages, III floats, thirty-seven
tally-hO coaches and one electric motocy
ole
One of the principal features was the
living flag, formed by veterans carrying
colored umbrellas in such position as to
represent the stars and stripes. These
men were heartily cheered all along the
route, and when they reached the stand
occupied by John X. Tanner in front of
the Great Northern Hotel, the enthus
asm was immense and the cheering loud
and continuous. The old Tippecanoe boys
were too intirm to march, but they made
a brave display in their thirteen car
r;ages.