The record-union., 1899-07-05
ONE ROUND OF PATRIOTIC FERVOR.

who saw them.
After the Elks marched the United
Commercial Travellers, each with u
tiny suhshade, black skull cap IA
sample, probably, and with a sample
case slung over the shoulder on which
the initials of the order, U. c. T., stood
out in relief.
The Journeymen Butchers were next
in line, and they looked cool in their
white linen uniforms. They were out
in force and attracted considerable at
tention.
Several members Of the Capital City
Wheelmen, with wheels artistically and
beautifully decorated, filled in the in
terval between the butchers and Hob
sons Collier, the Merrimac.
On June 5, 1893, Lieutenant Hobson
took the collier Merrimac under the
guns of Moro Castle and in the teeth
of the whole Spanish feet, into the tor
tuous entrance of Santiago harboT.
and when just too far in, sunk her
partially across the channel. Upon the
sinking Of the craft, Hobson and his
gallant crew of six men remained in
the water clinging to an imDrovised
raft until rescued and taken into Ad-
been justly considered the most dar-
ing act of American seamen in the late
war with Spain and the feat has been
told in song and story until every
school child in the United States is ac-
quainted with, and the personal friend
of Lieutenant Hobson. The Lieutenant
himself was born in Queenstown, Ala
bama, in 1870.
,.1 II; y, Jo1>
son made his short, though perilous
run into the harbor in the face of the
concentrated fire from forts and fleet,
was represented by the float "Merri-
| mac"
The representation was as true to life
as was possible, considering every
thing.
There was little of the gala day ap-
pearance about the float. The vessel,
before being taken in, had been dis
masted and dismantled, everything of
value having been removed. The Amer
lean flag floated from the gait at the
stern. but there was nothing else in
the decoration line about it. And so it
! was with the float. The black hull,
surmounted by the upper deck were
painted in colors corresponding to those
in which the collier was dressed when
it made its famous run to the bottom
in the Santiago channel. There was
no sign of war about it, no guns, no
marines, no corps of Jack tars; moth
ing except youngsters representing
Hobson and his gallant crew of seven
men.
For all that, the float was received
all along the line with applause. The
people saw, and seeing, understood, and
judging from the demonstration the act
of Hobson will live in history as one
of the first acts of heroism connected
with the Spanish American war. AS
an allegorical picture nothing could
have been truer to life.
Those representing the Merrimac's
heroic crew were Irvine Sprague, Hob
son; Willie Blower, First Engineer;
Walter Sprague, Second Engineer, and
Charles White, Harry White, Frank
Logue, George Guthrie and Lawrence
Smith, seamen.
And with the Merrimac passed the
second division.
THE THIRD DIVISION.
Commanded by Harry Rogers, as
sisted by his aides, M. Dunbar, Captain
A. Sbarbaro. T. H. Wallis and Dan
Cox, was led by the Institute Band, and
the youngsters did remarkably well
with their selections.
Following the band rode small
squad Of horsemen and horsewomen,
and following this came Chief Guthrie
of the Fire Department. showing the
way to one of his engines and hook
and ladder company. Each was tricked
out in fanciful decorations 4and the
fire laddies were friends of the crowd.
Next in line came carriages in which
were seated: Officers of the day-Mayor
William Land; Orator, Hon. E. E. Cad
dis; Poet, H. Fl. Richmond; ]. V. Pow
ers, Reader of the Declaration of In
dependence; Rev. A. c. Herrick, Chap
lain; and following these were others
in which were seated State, county and
city officials
And following these and closing the
parade, came a full hundred carriages,
buggies, trades wagons, all decorated
with flags, bunting and flowers, and
giving fitting wind up to one of the
best celebration parades ever seen in
Sacramento.
And so passed the parade.