The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1900-06-16
R FIRE FESTIVAL.
nany Thousands witfess q Host Magnifieen
Celebration.
Celebration.

SSiSU
The seventh anniversary Of Fargo's
big fire was duly celebrated last week.
Fargoans kept their promise, and
pulled off the biggest show b big
North Dakota city has ever enjoyed.
| The festival managers hypnotizeG the
weather man, and the result was per-
feet weather. Wednesday was} the
opening day of the festival, but as
early as Monday the visitors began to
flock to the city by the train load from
all directions. Minnesota, South Da.
kota and Manitoba contributed their
share to the crowd, and the opening
| day found Fargo crowded from cellar
to garnet.
The streets were all handsomely dec
grated. There were side shows and
| full vaudeville entertainments In eV-
cry block on Broadway.
Wednesday afternoon there was a
monster military band parade which
| would have done credit to any city.
The combined bands Of 230 pieces
marched in a body and aroused great
enthusiasm with "God Save the
Queen" and the "Star Spangled Ban
ner.".
Following the bands came the Nine
tieth regiment Of Winnipeg, Queens
| Volunteers, in their dark-green uni
forms, heavy trappings and white hel.
NETS, with their guns glistening in the
sunshine and perfect cadence of step.
| They presented a magnificent appear
ance. Then came the North Dakota
volunteers, whose march was one pro-
longed cheer, mounted G. A. r. and
North Dakota artillery. 1t vas a first
class parade, and the people went wild
over It.
Thursday 5000 people witnessed
the greatest secret society parade ev-
er carried off in the West, three and q
half miles of rich trappings on the
| shoulders of various orders passing in
a grand review. .
The occasion was the annual cele-
bration of the great fire Of 1893, which
| started at noon, and was celebrated
| by the several fire departments max.
ing the run of nearly a mile to the To-
cation at which the fire started, hoist
ing ladders and starting water, just as
they did at that time.
The main feature of the day was the
secret society parade.
! All the secret societies We'd with
each other in making the pageant q
success. The Masonic Shriners were
to the front with over 500 mobiles in
line. They were in all kinds of groups.
Some were arrayed in dress suits, 9th.
ers in Prince Alberts, many in comical
suits, others in emblematical outfits,
and all wearing the distinctive red fez.
Officers rode in magnificent carriages
drawn by four and eight horses, while
the novitiates were driven through the
streets attached to a rope and guarded
by their captors in grotesque costumes
and carrying fearfully and wonderful
ly made weapons. The emblem Of the
occasion was a short piece of rope to
which was attached a short piece Of
ribbon on which was printed the sig
nificant words, "Hold on tight" The
Khorrassan, the Knights Of Pythias'
shrine, followed the Arabians. They,
were almost equal in numbers to the
head Of the procession. and were near
" all uniformed in the comical cos
tune of the Khorrassan. A magnia-
cent float, drawn by eight horses and
carrying the grand officers OF the
Khorrassan, was one Of the features
Of the day. 1t was typical Of the or
der and won much praise. The Elks
followed in elegant traps drawn by
splendid horses. The typical purple
ribboned hats, blue coats and white
duck pants completed their uniform.
The Zodiacs attracted a great deal OF
attention, as it was its first appearance
in an affair Of this kind. 1t forms the
shrine degree for about twenty orders,
including Odd Fellows, Workmen Mac
cabees and other mutual benefit asso-
Citations, which have heretofore q
nothing of the kind. 1t originated in
Fargo last winter, and branch organic
atoms are being established in other
| states. Five hundred members Of the
| order were in line, and their rich pur-
pie fezes were attractive features.
They had many floats, Twenty-Five diff
ferent features being represented. The
United Commercial Travellers, 200
strong closed the parade.
There were many comfcal features
in the parade that furnished merri-
ment along the line. Eight bands Jul
nished the music and everybody had a
good time. The parade was between
three and three. and a half miles In
length. Col. John Benton was the mar
shall of the day. In the evening the
Shrinars and the Zodiacs initiated
about 100 candidates each.
The feature of the final day Of the
Fargo Fire Festival was the industrial
parade. Elaborate preparations had
been made for it by the business men
Of the city and nearly every enterprise
was represented as q class OF individ-
ually.
Col. E. G.. Gearey was marshal Of
the day. There were seven divisions,
with a band at the head Of each. The
first consisted of millinery, dry goods,
jewelry. musical Instruments, book
stores stationery, furriers, clothing.
newspapers and drugs. Second-Retail
grocers, hardware, grain, produce,
butchers, bakers, harness and lumber.
Third-Florists, hotels, banks, insur-
ance, doctors, dentists, tailors, BARRIERS,
candy factory, furniture. and bicycles.
FOurth-Palnters, decorators, printers,
b0ttling establishments, sewing ma
chimes, laundries. thing and marble
works. Fifth--Fiouring mills, whole
sale harness, plumbing, fiber mill,
b~lacksmiths, ice, Standard Oil COM
pany. boiler makers. Sixth-Agricul-
fural college exhibit and exhibits from
bonanza farms Of United States Mar
shall Haggart, George d. Osgood and
The occupants OF the 500 station at
Darlington were disturbed the other.
night by what they supposed was an
attempt at burglary. Agent Miller de-
scehded the stairs with aAd0uble-bar-