The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-07-02
A CHICAGO WAY.
Of Aiding MatrimOny ON a Free Silver
Basis.

Basis.
A Wedding at the Picnic of Bob Burke,s
Club-Mayor Carter Harrison VIII Tie
the Knot.
Miss Valeia Marshal and g. E.
Anderson, both of Chicago, have decided
to enter state of double blessedness, and
Mayor Harrison has agreed to tie the
knot on board the whaleback on Wednes-
day, July 6, when the Twenty Second
Ward Democratic club takes it's picnic
excursion to Milwaukee. Robert e.
Burke will act as best man, with Mrs.
Robert Burke as the brides attendant.
"This will be the first time I have
aided and abetted the marriage-license
clerk since my term Of office began" said
the mayor, shut it wouldn't look well
for me to let great, philantropic scheme
like this go unsupported. AS I under
stand 1T, my friend, Colonel Burke, has
entered into plan to promote matri-
mony and the circulation of free silver to
the extent Of 500 in wedding presents -
Miss Marshall and Mr.. Anderson are to
ride In an open carriage to the Randolph
street entrance of the city hall on the
morning of July 6. There the Twenty
Second Ward Democratic club, 700 strong,
will be awaiting the party. Every Tam
many Tiger, from Mayor Harrison to
Alderman Powers, is to be arrayed in
festive attire, as BELTS the occasion. An
annual political picnic practically under
the sway of Cupid is not to be treated as
an ordinary affair. Colonel Burke's
cohorts will wear long-tailed coats, silk
hats, and button.hole bouquets. Any
! kind OF flower, except bachelors but
ton, will be acceptable to the committee
on arrangements. When the bridal party
appears brass bands and Johnny Hands
orchestra will strike up on "The Bride
Elect" or some such appropriate aria.
The carriage containing the bride and
groom to be with Mayor Harrison, will
fall in behind the bands. After this will
come the Twenty second Ward Demo-
cratic club, in holiday attire and fine
marching trim. An escort of the Cook
County Democracy, aldermen and their
wives and sweethearts in carriages, will
bring up the rear. Cheered by inspiring
tunes, the cavalcade will proceed to the
hush street bridge. where the excursion
will pull out for Milwaukee on the
whaleback about 10 o'clock.
Whilesthe boat is still in Illinois waters
Mayor Harrison will perform the mar
rage ceremony, on the main deck, and
congratulations will be in order.
The event is the consummation of
movement on the part of Agent Whitslar
and Colonsl Burke to boost the cause of
matrimony on o free-silver basis The
Twenty Second Ward Democratic club, of
which Colonef Bobby" Burke is the
routund and jolly sachem, is nothing if
not philanthropic. 1t looks to the club as
if matrimony might slump several points
during these exciting times of war, and
it was decided that something ought to
be done about it. The same idea oc-
Cured to 6. S. Whitslar, passenger agent
of the whaleback company. He figured
out that so many eligible young fellows
had gone to the front to serve their
country that before the summer was over
the matri monial business would come to
a standstill. Mr.. Whitslar felt inclined
to back the deal to the extent of spending
some money. He hired an extra force
CT office clerks and set them to work send
ing out stack of COO circulars. These
bills announced that the company would
give $25 to any couple married on board
ho ,1oI1, " +r;,
and, in addition to this, "a minister
would be furnished free of charge, mar
rage license don ated, and free season
ticket to Milwaukee guaranteed. The
result of this offer was that answers to
the extent of 500 letters day began COM
ing in. The postal authorities were about
to call halt. and it looked as if Post
master Gordon wouldn't get time for his
own wedding.
The letters clearly demonstrated that
all the marriagable young men and
women Of the city and of the whole
Northwest need is financial encoura ge-
ment. They are interested in the war
with Spain, but they will get married if
expenses are guaranteed. The rush to
take advantage of his offer made Mr..
Whitsla1 weaken. and he decided to con-
fne it to the day OF the Twenty Second
Ward Democratic clubs excursion. He
would have liked to cut even that event
off the card, but Colonel Burke stood
steadfsst for the rights of Democracy.
Visions of bankruptcy and nervous
prostration began to stare the genial
agent in the face. He figured out that
even Joseph Letter, in the days when he
ordered millions of bushels of wheat for