The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-06

There never was such another day
in Montana as was yesterday.
Labor day of 1898 will go down to his
tory as one Of the grandest of all occa-
sions
This city was honored yesterday by
the presence here of thousands of work
ingmen from Butte. There was a pic
mic at the park; there was the grandest
parade that ever took place in this state;
there was glorious Labor day address
by Hon. w. w. Erwin of St. Paul, one
OF labor's staunchest friends, and there
were the races. Each and every one Of
these attractions and features was in
itself enough to make up a day of pleas
ure, and when they-and a hundred 9TH
ers-are all combined in one great.
grand celebration, one can gain an idea
of how yesterday passed
The parade is estimated to have been
between two and one-half and three
miles long; it took the procession As min
utes to pass given point. Mr.. Erwin's
address at the park was a great effort
and those who selected Mr. Erwin TO
deliver the grafton of the day made a
most happy selection. The races drew
thousands of people and a vast number
VINO would have gone to the park to hear
Mr.. Erwin were drawn to the driving
park 1t is estimated, although with no
degree or eXactness can it be told, that
there were at least $1,000 people who OBJ
served labor's great day of rest
The weather was favorable, although
1t looked threatening in the morning.
AS the day grew, however, and the sun
became stronger. the clouds disappeared
and the afternoon turned out to be as
pretty day as anybody could wish for
1t is true that IL was cold and chilly,
1t was disagreeably so, but there was
so much enthusiasm and so much good
will and fraternal feeling that the cold
cut but little figure. The threatening
weather of the morning had the effect
of keeping at home many people who
otherwise would have turned out
Never was a Labor day passed more
quietly. There was hardly the suspicion
Of disturbance and when two men
tried to start a fight the crowd Just
naturally put a stop to it. There was
not an arrest made and there was not
the least occasion for an arrest. Ev-
erybody was good-natured and every
thing went off smoothly
Ihere was slight deviation from the
set programme on account of the late
arrival of the train from Butte, and the
whole management, and the whole ar
rangement was thrown back an hour or
more. 1t was all had, though. and 1t
was all finished before darkness came.
and everybody saw it, had a good time
and was happy.
The Butte contingent was a splendid
one. There can be- no estimate given
as to the number who came from Butte,
as there was trainload after trainload
and it kept the railroad company busy
to accommodate them all. Altogether
Labor day this year was the grand sue
cess that had been predicted, and it
doubtless was the greatest celebration
ever held in the state.
Awaiting the Arrival.
As early as 10 o'clock the unions be-
gan to turn their faces toward the
west and at 1880 West Park avenue.
West Commercial avenue and West
Third street presented picturesque
appearance. Long before II O'Clock
there must have been 5000 people up-
on these streets, waiting for the for
nation to begin. Men in uniform could
be seen everywhere. There were those .
who had white throughout: some were .
dressed in blue, others again had a I
combination of colors. At the union
station there were hundreds ard hun
dreds of people, who were anxiously
awaiting the arrival Of the train from
Butte, which was TO bring to this city
the splendid contingent which that city
sent here yesterday. The people were
at the depot long before IL o'clock. /
They stood about the platform and the
grounds surrounding the station build |
ing and waited as patiently as they |
could for the train to arrive. Every
moment the telegraph operator and
the train dispatcher were required to
answer inquiries as TO when the train
from Butte would probably arrive.
Eleven O'Clock and the cars had not
yet come. II was said at IL o'clock
that 10 minutes more would land the |
unions in Anaconda. Ten minutes past
eleven came and the crowd was stiIl |
those who had scheduled the |
train for that hour were in error. Min
ltes passed by, 10 minutes more