Omaha daily bee., 1896-07-09
ALL IOWA PARTICIPATED
Semi Centennial Anniversary Of Des Moines
and Polk County.
VISITORS CROWD THE CITY ALL DAY
Naval Display one OF the Owe Fen-
lures of the occasion-River
Presents n Scene of Re-
Beauty.

DES MONIES, July ESPECIAL TelegramD
-Des Moines was in holiday attire today.
It was the occasion Of the semi-centennial
anniversary OF the city and OF Polk county,
and the celebration Of the event was the
greatest popular demonstration ever made
here. Business was suspended and from
break Of day, when the firing OF a national
salute began the exercises, till late at night
pageants ami parades. dedications, celebra-
tons. reunions and speech-making occupied
the hours.
The grand parade began at $50 and took
up most Of the time until noon. 1t was a
somewhat remarkable aggregation OF old
and new. There were mail coaches Of halt
a century ago and the finest equipages
that this day affords; a large band Of Mus
quake Indians and the representatives Of the
city's best society Of the present; the officers
Of the state, city and county were promi-
nent; several companies Of the national
guard and a magnificent line Of floats repre-
scnting the merchants and manufacturers of
the city. and finally a long line Of private
carriages decorated deliberately. There was
q large equestrian division. and all the Of
| hcers Of the day were on horseback. Bands
disCourSed music and a large number OF civic
| organizations took places in the line. The
city fire department. with all its appa-
ratus. made a striking division.
The parade took over an hour to pass a
given point, and 1t was witnessed by i'm
| mense throngs. The trains in the forenoon
poured thousands OF people into the city.
Before this parade was at an end a sec
end had started. This was the naval demon
stration on the Des Moines. The river. flow
ing between the east and west sides OF the
! city. is one of the most beautiful of lowa's
streams. Scores Of pleasure boats ply its
waters and steamboats,, small and large, arc
numerous. These were all in the water pa
rade. decorated with flags and bunting and
pictures.
The line was headed by the new steam
beat. the w. H. Lehman. the largest ever
placed on the Des Moines river, decorated
till it appeared a floating bower of bright
colors, with flags flying from scores of high
stats. After this came the other craft, all
gaily decorated. On two Of them were bands
Of music. At the close Of the line was a
division OF canoeists attired to represent
Indians. In all over $50 crafts were in line,
and with bands playing. colors flying and
whistles shrieking a good part OF the time
l. moved up the river TO Union park, where
the exercises were to take place. Tn banks
we're lined with people, and II was the most
popular event Of the day. unless it be the
great bicycle parade in the vening.
UNION PARK DEDICATED.
The first event of the formal program was
| AZ " AAcb - ~ 49, NAN -
ercises were held. 1t is one Of the four OF
the city's large parks, and the only one that
had not been dedicated TO the public. The
chief feature of the dedication was the ad-
dress of Captain NJ. T. Russell of 1.-The park
commission. Following this the American
Gag was hoisted to the flagstaff and three
cheers were given by the audience.
At noon a basket dinner was enjoyed in
the park. The crowd did not gather till
after this, however. At ? O'Clock the real
celebration commenced with speech-making
and music. 1t was estimated that 10000
people were in the park by the time the
program opened The stand for the speakers
was surrounded by a crowd so dense that
to get in or out was simply impossible.
There we're literally acres of people, the
whole park was thronCed.
Major Hoyt Sherman, one of the half
century residents of the city, was president
of the day. A chorus choir sang Columbia
and then the first speaker was introduced
He was John 4. Mccall, a prominent attor,
ney who was born, educated and has Away:
lived in Polk county. He spoke Of Poll
county as ii was in 1916. giving a sketch Of
the county and state as They were when the
state was admitted to the union. There wa!
q considerable element of personal remi
niscence in this, as in the other addresses
The second address was by Frank a. Sher
man. also a native and lifelong resident Of
Des Moines. 1t was on "Boyhood Recollec,
ton of City and County" Simon Casady
another Des Moines young man, spoke or
'Des Moines Today, Socially, Politically and
Commercially" The closing address was BY
Judge Marcus Kavanaugh of Chicago. whC
was born and till a few years ago always
lived here. He spoke on The Semi-Centen.
NAL OF City and County" A sad feature OF
the day was the drowning OF Judge Kava,
naugh's brother within three hours after tbs
judges address.
After the regular speeches there was {
war dance by the Indians and several ole
settlers gave "reminiscences.
The evening was given over TO the grea'
bicycle parade. Three thousand wheels were
in line, and with their gay decorations, the
riders carrying japanese lanterns and set
ting off rockets every few seconds, was {
gorgeous sight. Again the streets were
thronged for miles, and it was a fitting fnalt
TO the day of celebration.