The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-09-10
ATLANTA OBSERVED THE DAY

ALLAN Ia UbSERVEU l1E UAI
Never in the history of southern organ
lied labor has such general and enthusiasts
tic interest been manifested In Labor Day:
never in the history OF Atlanta has
larger or more representative gathering
of animated spectators thronged the
| streets TO witness q parade, and never has
parade. In point of size and beauty OF
| spectacular effect. been more worthy Of
! the interest II attracted than the magnif-
icent pageant that moved through the
| streets Of Atlanta last Monday. causing,
as 1t slowly wendell its way through the
city's thoroughfares. the most spontane-
Gus enthusiasm.
| In every sense of the word Labor Day
was the most glittering of successes.
Judged from every possible point of view.
the day far surpassed any previous effort
| Of local trades unions. The brilliancy OF
the occasion will long live in the minds Of
those who witnessed the demonstration,
and the day will pass into history as an
era-making day In Atlanta's Industrial
circles.
To the great majority interest conferred
| on the parade which. II had been an
| nounced would eclipse I'm size and beauty
! anything ever attempted in the south.
From an early hour I'm the morning the
! streets were thronged with hundreds and
! thousands Of eager spectators. many OF
| whom had come from distance TO wiz
ness the demonstration BY o'clock In
! the morning the business part of the city
! was hacked and damned with a swayinS,
| surging mass of humanity, eager to Sc
| cure a coign of vantage from which to
view the parade. Crowds lined the side
walks from the curb 70 the business
houses so that walking was an utter inn
possibility. Many stood In the streets,
while the windows of every office build
| Ing and tore along the line OF march
were filled with men ana women and chill
| dren Viewed from n distance, White
| hall street presented an alluring effect in
moving color. Good clothes were the or
| der of the day. Everyone was dressed In
holiday attire. Bright colors were seen
on all sides. and massed. as they were. in
| solid clumps OF humanity. the spectators
| formed a sight almost as interesting as
| the paraCe itself.
The crowd was confined to no particu-
| lar section of the city. but extended from
| Washington street. at the capitol, where
| the parade formed. to the extreme limits
of the line of march. at Ponce de Leon
| circle. The densest throngs were to be
/ seen ar the corners of Whitehall and Al
| ALBANIA streets. and Marietta and Broad
/ streets At these two points the COM
! bined efforts OF dozens of policemen were
! required to keep the surging. jOstlinS
| mop from ONGT-IuUTlHR the SlTeClS anu
! seriously checking the progress of the pa
| rade.
/ A conservative estimate Of the crowd
| that witnessed the parade from various
! points in the city would reach fully $4,000
! Seldom before in tho history of the city
has larger gathering thronged the
! streets.
| If the crowd was large, 1t was also en-
| inenty good-naturcd. Everyone seemed
! in the very best of humor. and the day
! passed off without a serious hitch Of any
| kind.
And It was a most appreciative and en-
! thusiastic crowd As the blare of brass
! I'm the bands announced the approach of
some particularly attractive display, or
as the carriage containing some cOnspic-
uOuS labor leader would pass, the air was
rent with cheers that were taken up down
the line with renewed force. Out Peach
tree street, in the fashionable part of the
city. the enthusiasm was fully as great rs
I'm the crowded shopping districts. Tho
lawns and porches Of many residences
were crowded with ladies'. who were
quick TO respond with applause.
OF the actual feature Of the parade
itself II would be difficult matter to sim
gle out and say which attracted the most
attention. Each union made an excellent
showing, and all came In for a liberal
share Of applause.
Leaden skies gave way to sunshine. and
Just before the magnificent industrial pa
geant began its march through the prin-
cipaf streets OF the city what threatened
TO be a dark and dismal day bloomcd
forth. as if by magic. into brilliant
morning.
The sunshine typifed the brilliancy Of
the demonstration.
In the afternoon exercises were held
at Grant park wheru fully 1OO00 people
| had gathered to enjoy themselves. There
was speechmaking by gifted orators ana
athletic games for the amusement Of the
thousands who thronged the park.
Great Ball at Park
At night in the agricultural building
at Piedmont park was held a ball OF
great magnitude. A large orchestra fur
nished the music for the occasion and
to the dreamy strains of old familiar
waltzes many happy couples made the
circle of that portion of the floor allotted |
TO the dancers.
Monday was a day long to be remem- |
bered by those who took part in the cx-
ercises ard festivities. IL will be rcnem-
bered chiefly for the fact that the bust
ness man and the laborer both put their
shoulders to the wheel together to make |
the occasion Il great and lasting success.
Ii was all that, and more.
Every union represented in the parade !
made an excellent showing. Every man |
ufacturer who had float in the process |
sion did his best TO have one that would |
advertise his goods and reflect credit upon |
his firm at one and the same time.
The chief feature of the exercises at |
Grant park in the afternoon was the adj |
dresses delivered by number of fine |
Speakers. Those who spoke were Cover
nor Gambler Mayor Pre- Tenn James L. |
MaySon. Frank X. Foster of Boston ora.
tor of Labor Day; {. u. Ladson. repre- |
senting the Atlanta Federation of Trades; |
h. III. Cabaniss. representing the Atlanta |
Business Mems League; United States |
senator A. s. Clay and r. W. Martin. |
@ho introduced the original bill in the |
Geo!siu legislature which made the first
the state.