The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-07-04
FLAraoArs AND UMBRELLAS
For the Visitors WHO Come to ceIe
brate the Fourth.

For the Visitors Who Come to ceIe-
brate the Fourth.
The thousands who came to Kalis
pell to enjoy the brand of red hot,
Mary McLane patriotism which was
on tap the Fourth of July, 1902, have
safely embarked from the depot plat
form. The marshal of the day and
various aides, encased in diving suits,
executed the mastery manoeuvers
necessary to transport the crowd
| from the arid region of Montana, to
whom water was something of nov
city.
A number of enormous fiatboats
had been moored at the temporary
docks on First avenue east and Main
street, and were large enough to ac-
commodate in comfort the folks from
the outlying precincts. The Kalispell
merchants who had subscribed thou
sands of dollars for the generous en-
tertainment of the visitors (who were
afterwards expected to spend all their
money for goods), had prepared an
assortment of silk umbrellas inscrib--
| .,
one for each and every visitor from
the east side or the west side; from
| Flathead lake, and from Whitefish
country, and when these gaudy col
ored affairs were all unfurled and the
route to the fair grounds was taken,
| it was sight to behold and remem-
Der. Each person, upon being COM
fortably seated in the floating pal
aces, was presented with an illumi-
mated copy of the Kalispell Bee, and
as a further souvenir of the occa-
sion, handsomely designed racing
program, with pencils and gold cord
attached. Several of the hotel and
tickets, but as rule the courtesy
was declined with thanks, there be-
ing some doubt of the ability of the
sightseers to make successful land
| ings at all places and it was resolved
to play no favorites, so the crowd
was content to depend upon the en-
tertainment they should receive at
the Fair grounds.
The city band was on hand,
dressed in their new uniforms of
oiled silk and rubber, with brass he'll
NETS, supplied with waste pipe to
carry off the wet; but neither the
leader nor the big bass could hold a
lip in the downpour, so there was no
music in the open.
Jack Schriner had put his inventive
brain to work and had evolved a
{ scheme which furnished the power to
move the huge fiotilla down the still
| waters of the right of way to the
railroad crossing, but there the whole
armada was nearly wrecked by the
debris of the submerged crossings
the Great Northern had left as a con
slant peril to traffic along Fourth
avenue east. The propeller of the
leading boat became entagled in 6
. jagged 2X6, and before it could be ex
i tricated several flanges of the screw
were broken and the steering appa
Il ratus was out of gear. This delayed
. the f1otilla for time, but headwa!
was again made after a dead maj
had been placed, and the cumbrou
= boat gradually hauled over the oh
: structions, making it plain sailing TO
the feet in the rear. The great gat
of the fair grounds was reached il
safety, but then began an uncon
cionable nuisance. The gate keepe
:, would insist on collecting individu
! ally from the throng, and with hi
"a muddy boots and wet oilskins, al
h the time keeping an umbrella in hi
" hand and cigar in his face, he neal
i. ly drove the people frantic. He wa
busy collecting and had not let on
individual in the gate, when the re
a porter pushed off his dispatch boa
- for the Bee office, to get in the lates
ID news before going to press.
70 The race track is an irrigatin
ID ditch today, and it will require quit
N a little sunshine and dry wind to a
low it to be used, so the Fair an
Racing association have postpone
es the meeting until Monday and Tue
VI. day next, when the program of race
nd intended for the Fourth and fit
ill will be carried out in full detail Tt
III baseball games will also be pulle
ID. off, and it is highly probable the me
chants will close their stores on Il
afternoon of both days. The preva
he ing rain will probably be warnir
ok enough for the country people
as stay at home until they get tn
he issue of the Bee, from which tn,
ne will get full information of the NEE
m, ing Monday and Tuesday, and nal
tut their arrangements to be here tho
gh days and enjoy the postponed event