The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-01

Kinley." said one OF them, while another
read, I'VE prefer overalls to nightshirts."
The parade was admirably handled, and
once It was under way. everything moved
along with remarkable smoothness. There
was not a hitch, although Colonel Ruckle
changed the line Of march somewhat wheil
the Popocrats crowded into the Circle.
Fearing there might be some trouble, Col
Ruckle turned the marchers on OF Meridian
street into Ohio, thence east to Pennsyl-
vania and so on south, the broken division
falling in behind the last battalion that
came around the east side OF the Circle.
1t was thought when the line of march was
originally agreed on that the last DIVISION
of the Republican parade would have
passed the Circle before the head OF the
Popocratic parade reached ii, but no one
expected that there would be such an i'm
mense number OF Republicans in the parade
and instead of having passed the Circle
but half of them had started on the march
when the two lines met.
START OF THE PARADE.
Colonel Ruckle acted as chief marshal.
Promptly at o'clock he and his staff rode
behind a squad of patrolmen under COM
mand of Captain Dawson from the inter-
section of Meridian street and the monu-
ment plaza around to Market street. past
the Journal building. The Circle was
crowded with a mass of hustling, jostling
human beings. Gathered on the north
steps of the monument and on the incline
leading up TO it from the roadway was an
immense thrcng of people. They stood
looking up Meridian street, and sight sell
dom witnessed and one that can never be
forgotten met their eyes. Meridian street
ia
was filled with great mass of men ready
to begin the march as soon as the word
should be given. Above their heads.
plainly visible in the glowing blaze of COL
ored fuses and torches, countless flags and
banners were waving over the heads of
the great army of peace and prosperity.
while the music of numerous bands came
floating down the street. AS the mighty
line got under way cheer after cheer arose.
And as the mighty hosts moved on they
were everywhere met with shouts for Nc
Kinley. From the monument. on Market to
Pennsylvania street on down to Washing
ton street, on Washington street back TO
Meridian, where the countermarchng col
umns turned east, on from that point to
Noble street and back again to Pennsyl-
vania, Captain Dawson and his men cleared
a way through the people that literally
packed the roadway from curb to curb
except where blockaded street cars occu-
pied the center of the street. If the streets
were thronged there were hun
dreds and thousands of people
crowded into the big buildings
At every window men and women
looked upon the beautiful sight before
them, waving flags and handkerchiefs and
greeting the marchers with shouts. So far
as is known nothing serious resulted from
the determination of the PQpocrats to have
their demonstration on the night chosen
by the Republicans weeks ago. The danger
point was at the corner Of Meridian and
Washington streets, where the parades
were not more than fifty feet apart, but
they were separated by a wall of people,
some of whom looked at the Popocrats,
but most of whom were attracted by the
greater splendor of the others. At this
point trouble seemed imminent two or three
times, as spectators, some of them for
Bryan and others for Mckinley, yelled the
name of their favorites into unwilling ears.
Not policeman could be seen, and if there
We're any about they were swallowed up
in the crowd.