La Junta tribune., 1899-07-08
la JUNTA's FOURTH.
FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE cElE-
BRATE WITH US.
The Greatest Crowd Ever Assemblies
In the County Sest-Mot . hitch
In the Programme Nor
an Accident.

FROM tNe nteCraCkeI 5 uTSI CRACK
at early dawn to the fizz-wheels
last fizz at the fireworks display
La Junta's Fourth of July celebra-
ton was grand success. 1t was
an ideal day for celebration,
such as the doctor might have or
dered had he been given the op-
portunity. The people from the
country round about assembled
early and came from all directions.
Holbrook was represented by its
entire population, and large dele
cations came from Nine Mile and
f airmont. There were 800 rail-
road tickets for La Junta sold at
Rocky Ford and almost an equal
number drove over to the county
seat to enjoy the festivities. Five
thousand is very conservative
estimate of the number of people
assembled in the park just after
the parade.
The parade was delayed for half
an hour in awaiting the arrival OF
the train from Rocky Ford. II
started about IL o'clock headed by
Grand Marshal II. q. Dalton and
staff, and its various features would
have been creditable to city
twice the size OF La unta.
A delegation OF business men came
Immediately after the grand mar
shall, followed by the band, the
Uniform Rank Knights OF Pythias,
|. o. o. F., |. O. X. M, Boys
Brigade, X. OF p. float, and Mexi-
can society in native costume COM
pleting the first division.
The second division, under the
command of Capt. John l.. Gay,
was headed by the Santa Fe bur
lesque cornet band, with Charles
Cherot as drum major. The boys
were masked and dressed in var
ious and sundry costumes wonder
full to behold. They created no
end of amusement along the line
Of march. Following came the
three floats OF the shop men, a
dummy engine rugged up with
cylinders, guides and mainrods in
active operation. The Santa Fe
freight car No. 1899, trailed in the
rear OF the engine, from the side
doors OF which at regular intervals
a dilapitated bum was fired bodily
with startling celerity and despatch.
| The third float was boilermaker's
display, with boiler, forge and red
hot bolts which were hammered
to head in the every day regula-
ton manner. The floats were fol-
lowed by the bicycle club with
decorated wheels, and the La
| Juntd HIe department.
The third division, Capt. ]. 7.
Kirkman commanding, comprised
the city council, speakers Of the
day and citizens in carriages. The
feature OF this division was the
decorated carriages, some of which
were beautiful in the superlative
degree and received the unstinted
praise of all beholders along the
line of march.
The exercises in the park com
menced at the conclusion of the
parade and were opened by an ad
dress OF welcome delivered by
Mayor Sabin. After the reading
of the declaration of independence
by Rev. Elmer Ward Cole, the
mayor introduced Judge w. J..
Kerr, of Pueblo, as the orator OF
the day. In the lingo of the prize
ring the Judge was in the pink OF
condition and delivered one of the
best Fourth Of July orations it has
ever been our pleasure to listen to.
A portion Of the audience may not
have approved OF all Of the senti-
ments uttered by the speaker, but
we are quite sure that every good
republican did. When the judge
said that he would not believe that
the administration was ever act
uated by single dishonest motive