Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-07-09
VIRO0UA'S GREATEST DAY
CELEBRATION ON THE FoU TIL WAS a
PHENOMENAL SUcs Ess
Ideal Weather -Immenee crOwdS-A Parade that
Eciipsed all Previous Efforts A Day Of Solid En-
tertainment From Sunrise TO Midni, ht- Every
body fighly Pleased with the Affair.


to as the day when Viroqua entertained
its greatest crowd. 1t was y whooper
in all respects for this city. 1t did more
to advertise Viroqua as an np-to- date
town and to give our eitizens extended
fame as entertainers th IN any event OF
recent years The dav was m ideal one
in weather, bright and warm with a re-
freshiug breeze The weather man smil.
ed upon MS and Vircqpa did the rest
From eight O'Clock in the morning till
past noon there was = continuous line of
| vehicles freighted With humankind lead
ing from every direction The crowd il
variously estsmated from s. 200 TO II. COO
peop O. The morning train brought
| 700 passengers from Sparta, which sent
a large delegation CAsdtou aud Westby
The town WAS one sea of bunting and
| flags and store and shop windows were
all aglnw. All travel by team on Main
street for three blocks was shut off CIV
| ing entire use To pe1astrians The peo-
| Pile were all well fed aud cared (, at
hotels and restaurants a good per cent
of them providing for themselves in pic
mic dinners on the camp grounds
THE PROCESSION.
We hear nathing h1t commendation
| for the splendid parade ssiarranged and
shown The feature were many ard
of a nature to attract attention II com
! bined the beautiful, the useful, tbeorna-
mental, the humorous, q combination
| that involved weeks of laber to invent
and construct There was nothing fri
volous in the outfit. nor was it at
| tempted to represent trade carniv J,
although a number of floats represent
| ing business houses were in line 1t was
clean, dignifed, brilliant procession,
well managed, covering ej ght blocks in
extent
First came the City Marshal and mis-
| mounted assistants, the uniformed and
famous city hand, and the chief marshal
and staff Etch division commander
and his aides were on horseback.
| The first division represented tn army
and navy and consisted of Spanish Am
erican soldiers bearing arms, the Grand
army and old soldiers, and monster bat
| tie ship WISCONSIN" The lattec was
in comm nd of Chas S SLACK and his
uniformed crew of seamen II was a
realistic exhibition which entitled Mr.
| Slack 70 he designated az the admiral of
all admirals op that day. Thu construct
ion of this ship was oyer and around an
! immense traction engine, aud WAS built
to represent and did SO very aptly,
! hatt!eship
The second disislon embraced car
rage il, which mayer. speaker ano other
digoita3'ies rode, a large float on which
! c. II Mlpsh ii imperscnated Uucle Sam.
He had 3 representative OF all TIE ma
tions ard tribes of other lands Then
came two floats with fifty young Ladies'
| representing the states In the rear
was one conveying canoe in which
as an Indisu .7aiden representing
| Princess Firoqua
The third division took in the societies
| Sparta Woodman team led in this The
| local uniformed Woodman team and
Mystic Workers had fine floats represent
| ing the orders, and Maccabess carried
banners on foot. The trades weoe rep
resented by four business places. The
| Lindemann Department store had a
| tandem team of white horses, lead by
colored men attached TO a carriage dress
ed in solid bed of white roses, two
| children in the vehicle The Tate Mer-
camille company showed vide and high
| float placarded and covered with pic
| lures of prominent men. On the very
top was mastiff dog and small boy.
| A. d. Helgeson's float carried gasoline
| engine in operation carriage and i'm
| plements. Isaac Solherg exhibited a
| Fairbanks gasoline engine pumping WA
| ter.
| The fourth division embraced the me-
nagerie feature and many other attract
| ions It was headed and closed with a
| clown: the aome minsttel combination
| which amused the crowd, the snake
| charmer, wild man and polar bear In
1 90 nd dpraf laFnx rs4fa
Buffalo Bill and his partner. Here also
was a band of Indians on horseback.
| The latter was one of the best features
of the parade, composed emit; ely of
Young men from the surrounding eoun-
try Then Jumbo elephant surprised
the natives
Fifth division was floral design Here
were magniicently decorated vehicles,
display ing rare taste and beauty In
this line were Kenneth Smith and Rol-
land Chasa's pony outfits lavishly arrang-
ed, with the conyeyances OF $ Ham
ilton, o II Helgesrn, L r Arlington,
n. &. Smith covered with flowers
, The procession moved from the school
buildings west on Decker street, south
, on Rnsk avenue two blocl-a, west 10
Main street, where there was a solid
mass of humanity for three blocks to
witness the pleasing effect. A second
trip was made for pleasure of the crowd,
thence west to the camp ground where
the parade disbanded
On every hand the expression wen
, forth that 1T was the most imposing and
best equipped and arranged parade the
speakers had ever witnessed. This wat
, freely said by those who have seen many
/. and varied professions elsewhere.
The CENSOR feels warranted in sayinf
,, , that Viroaua citizens feel more than re
paid for their financial outlay and hard
, work eutailed because they realize thai
their efforts to please the great thront
p of visitors were appreciated.
! AT THE TABERNACLE
Z Immediately on arrival of the process
{ sion exerciaes opened in the tabernacle
. A prayer by Rev Stemen, appropriat
2 address of welcome by Mayor Coffiand
{ who acted as president of the day, voca
and hand selections closing with beOe
diction by Rev. Westphal Col. b. I
Bryant Of La Crosse, gave the large aud
ence an oration that was greatly enjoyed
{ Il was not a set speech of the ordinsr
{ ryrotechnie Fourth of July variety, bu
Q a polished, clean-cut talk taking in grss
= latitude on practical subjects. co
}, Bryant has lost none Of his old-time eli
? auence or ability 20 enlist the earDe.
g consideration of his auditors. Mi
+ Mary Miller read the Declaration
3 splendid voice ard effect.
It AFTERNOON PROGRAM.
,e II wss varied, hut the street specialtl
II were continuous By the minstrels, iubil
/. 4 ~