The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-14
FIRST PARADE OF THE FINEST.
M'DERMOTT'S MEN LOOKED HAND
SOME ON PARADE.

Savannahians Didn't Know the city
Could Turn Out 80 Many and such
Fine Looking Lot of PoIice-Visit-
ing officials Complimentary in
Their COmments-A Veteran of 1881
in Line-Cheers For the Blue-COat-
ed Pnraders.
The parade Of the police department yes
terday afternoon in honor of the visiting
police chiefs, sherihs and marshals, was
the best affair of the kind ever seen in
Savannah In fact. it is said that it is the
only police parade that has ever been held
here, unless the old mounted force or
gained in 1851 by Mayor John Z. Ward
and commanded by Chief Joseph Bryan
and Lieut. Elisha Wylly, paraded on horse
back. In the ranks with the mounted men
yesterday was Joseph r. Thompson, the
only survivor of the force of 1854 Mr.
Thompson served from 1854 to 1853 He re-
quested the favor Of parading with the de-
partment, which was readily granted.
The parade formed on Oglethorpe avenue
fronting the police barracks at o'clock,
and the line moved shortly after, west on
Oglethorpe avenue to Bull street, and
thence north to Johnson square, around
the east of the square TO St Julian, to
Drayton, to Bay and west on Bay to the
city exchange.
Two mounted policemen preceded the
procession. The procession was headed by
a carriage containing the commissioners,
Vetsburg and JackSon. Then came Chief
McDermott on his big white horse and
looking very handsome, his friends said.
Next came 60 patrolmen with clubs in
hand, marching by tours. Sergeant Muse
Of the Ocean Steamship force headed.the
line as acting first sergeant. and a few
PAGES further back, was Sergeant Powell
Of the same force. Sergeant Floyd and
Acting Sergeant Smith We're also on foot
with the infantry" There were
just SO men in line on foot.
Following them came the mounted force,
twenty strong, commanded by Lieut..
owen Reilly Sergts. Kiliourhy, Lingg,
Davis and Baughn were with the mounted
men. When the head Of the procession
reached the city exchange a short halt
was made while a view of the line was
secured by Photographer NJ. Ed Wilson.
The parade was reviewed from the bal
cony of the exchange by the visiting
chiefs, sheriffs and marshals. who had
been invited to take position a this point.
and also by the mayor and aldermen, who
had been invited to review the parade.
The line showed off TO good advantage as
it passed the exchange. The visitors were
loud in their praise, and the aldermen
spoke in complimentary terms of the ex-
hibition.
From the exchange the line moved west
to Whitaker south TO Congress, west to
JEFFERSON, south TO Broughton, east to
Bull, south to Liberty, east to Habersham
and north to the barracks. The parade
was viewed by thousands of people who
crowded the sidewalks along the line of
march. General surprise was expressed
that the department should be able to
make such a showing, and that such
large number of men should have been
turned out Old citizens were heard to
say that they mad never see anything like
1t before in Savannah. 1t is safe to say
that finer body of men phys
ically would be hard to find.
The men themselves were pleased and
gave three hearty cheers for the chief on
arriving at the barracks
There was a total Of eighty-four men and
officers in line. A larger force could have
been turned out. but It was necessary to
leave a few men on duty at important
points, and there are besides a number of
men on the sick list. OF the men on pa
rade nineteen were furnished by the Ocean
Steamship force